Chapter 3! So, I've been working on my other stories instead of just this one, but I'm slowly going crazy. While most of them have been planned out, sometimes chapter to chapter, this one I'm going in blind. Not to mention my mind is still in KyoJin mode, so all of the ideas I get while away from the book tend to be focused around their relationship… despite the fact it hasn't happened yet.
Either way, I've started wondering about whether I should incorporate 'extra' chapters anyways, since there's an official extra chapter at the end of some of the manga book, but not in all of them… I'll keep you posted.
Thank you to Denpa-chu, animexchick, Momochan77, Stolyint, emryspotterjackson, SkylarTheSky, DeathKeeper56, Sunstar Writer, starrat, Jemmyjem, Michiya, and a guest for your reviews! I'm so glad that you're liking the changes so far! I hope you like this chapter, too!
Disclaimer: Only Jin is mine.
*Episode 3*
Laughter bounced gently off the walls of Ouran Academy on Monday morning, two pairs of shoes smacking the tile floors as the Fujioka siblings walked towards the 1-A classroom. Their fellow students watched in shock as Haruhi and his big sister hurried along, the two all smiles as they walked side-by-side, unaware of the eyes stuck to them.
Jin's long brown hair had been cut overnight, now stopping just above her shoulders, where it swayed and bounced along to her steps. Her school bag swung gently in her left hand, matching the worn black leather of her younger brother's. The only difference between the bags were the initials 'H' and 'J' stitched next to the name 'Fujioka'. Haruhi's guests were swooning against the walls of the school at the sight of their host so clearly enjoying himself, laughing loudly at whatever his sister was talking about. Ouran's newest student was already growing in popularity…
And, of course, there was also the fact that Jin was wearing a school uniform. The boy's.
Her legs moved in time with Haruhi's, measured so her longer legs wouldn't make a longer stride, their black pants acting like copied over images as they continued towards the younger's classroom. Jin's jacket was buttoned up over a white blouse that followed her collarbone across her torso, but other than that she was definitely wearing the boy's school uniform. Jacket, pants, and shoes.
Soon enough Jin waved after her little brother as he disappeared into his classroom before walking towards her own. Her eyes traced the curving architecture of the tops of the windows, sunlight flickering across her face. A small smile curled her lips as she took in the school's shapes and colors. While she walked, whispers stirred up in her wake.
"Is that… Jin Fujioka?"
"What's with that uniform?"
"Dude, stop staring at her! You'll drool all over the floor."
"Can you blame me? Look at her!"
"How is she pulling that off?"
"Do you think I'd look that good in the boy's uniform?"
"Oh… I love her hair! And she looks so good in blue… yellow always washes me out!"
Either she didn't hear them, or she did and was ignoring them, but Jin was still smiling softly when she got to her own classroom. Her first teacher was already there, and after he got over his shock of seeing her in the boy's uniform, he managed a decent enough smile.
"Welcome, Miss Fujioka. Please address me as Sokai-sensei. I will be your history teacher. Now, if you would, please take the empty seat, second to the back row in the middle column, and wait for the rest of your classmates to join us before introducing yourself."
Jin nodded and bowed, "Thank you, Sokai-sensei. I look forward to your lessons." The older man watched her walk over to the seat he'd pointed out before returning to the papers on his desk. He missed the way the blond boy he'd sat her next to was practically bouncing in his seat with excitement.
"Hello, Jin! Looks like we're desk neighbors!"
The brunette smiled a little, "Looks like. You're… Tamaki Suoh, right?"
"Yes! You remembered my name! I bet Haruhi told you all about me!"
"Oh, most definitely." Jin's smile turned amused as Tamaki started wriggling around in his seat. It wasn't until she sat down that she noticed the boy sitting behind the blond. Her smile vanished.
"Good morning, Miss Fujioka."
"Mister Ohtori."
The ravenet raised an eyebrow, but didn't bother to comment on the cold tone. If she wasn't going to attempt to befriend him herself, well, there was no reason for him to pursue her goodwill.
A few minutes later, Jin was beckoned up to the front of the room, all of their classmates staring at her in surprise or wonder. She spun around and bowed, grinning broadly at them all. Instantly, half of the room swooned.
Jin Fujioka had a smile that could melt a snowy day.
"Kon'nichiwa! My name is Jin Fujioka, and I'm your new classmate! I enjoy reading and spending time with my younger brother, Haruhi! Please take care of me!" She gave them one last smile before moving back to her chair, not even paying attention to the stares and sighs she was creating on her way.
Kyoya was surprised that his classmates looked so… taken with her. Exactly what were they seeing? Tamaki was no better, though, as he was staring at the Fujioka in surprise with that telltale glint that usually meant trouble for Kyoya's mental health.
"On behalf of your fellow students, Miss Fujioka, I wish you welcome to our school. Now, as you've joined later in the school year, you might run into some trouble come our first exam." Sokai-sensei eyed the new girl with a lack of interest, something of which Kyoya could understand, before glancing at a paper still on his desk, "We've recently started the topic of mythology and its impact on modern ideals, stereotypes, and architecture."
The ravenet cast a sideways glance at his classmate, expecting a slightly panicked or at least somewhat worried expression. Sokai-sensei was a huge mythology buff, and was very serious about it. He knew things that even Kyoya had never discovered. But he was surprised to see Jin still smiling.
"Have you discussed Greek mythology yet?"
Sokai-sensei paused, his back straightening a bit, "We were about to cover that today. How much do you know?"
Another blinding grin, "Enough."
To the whole classroom's surprise, their teacher leaned forward over the desk with a glint in his eyes, "Hercules."
"Actually, the Greek version of his name is pronounced Heracles. Hercules was the name given to his story when the Romans adopted the Greek's Gods and myths into their own culture."
Sokai-sensei's eyes widened in glee, and he smiled, "The twelve labors."
"As punishment for killing his wife and children, due to a curse from Hera that made him temporarily insane, Heracles performed twelve labors for the king Eurystheus, most of which were to rid Greece of horrible monsters. Forgive me in advance, but I don't have all the official names down. In essence, he killed the Nemean Lion and the Lernean Hydra, then captured the sacred deer of Artemis, killed the giant Boar, cleaned King Augean's stables, drove away the Stymphalian Birds, captured the Cretan Bull, collected the Horses of Diomedes, the belt of the queen of the Amazons, the cattle of Geryon, the Apples of Hesperides, and even Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guards the gates of the Underworld."
For a moment, the room was quiet. Quite a few of the other students were gaping at Jin in awe. Even Kyoya couldn't think of anything to say. Sokai-sensei stared for another few seconds before chuckling, sitting down in his chair with a smile.
"Oh, I like you."
Jin blushed a light pink, "It's just an interest of mine."
For the rest of the day, Kyoya watched in disbelief as Jin Fujioka began replacing him as their teacher's favorite student. She was polite. She was kind. And she continued to prove her intelligence over and over and over again.
Her English was flawless. She knew more languages than all of their teacher's combined. Math came easily to her. And the worst part was she didn't even brag about it. It was as if she was totally unaware of how adored she was!
When she left the classroom for lunch, Tamaki leaned back in his seat and glanced at Kyoya over his right shoulder, "She sure is something, huh?"
"Something, yes."
*\/*
"Alright everyone, if you could all get into your places. We're opening soon." Kyoya clapped his hands together, attempting to not make it too obvious how unhappy he was now that Jin Fujioka was to be included in 'everyone'. She, her sister, and Hunny-senpai and Mori-senpai were standing a little ways off, talking about something or another even as they moved towards the middle of the room, their yukatas swishing around their legs.
Yet another result of Jin's arrival that surprised Kyoya: how quickly she had grown close to the two 3rd years. Every time that those three had been in the same room, it was like they were drawn together. Kyoya didn't understand it… nor did he want to. If his senpai's were to be swayed by her looks and intelligence rather than her personality, then he would let them.
Even so… he was almost impressed with how quickly she was fitting into the crowds at Ouran Academy, swaying them to like her without much effort.
Of course, he was also completely annoyed by it at the same time.
"So, what were the people like in America? What about your classmates, Nēchan?"
Jin tilted her head a little to the right, like she was thinking, "Well… I can't think of just one thing that defined them all… oh, except they all wanted me to teach them Japanese."
Her sister squinted her eyes, "Really?"
"Yeah. It got kinda annoying after a while. A lot of them just wanted me to translate their names, which didn't make any sense, but other than that it was just them pointing at objects and asking me what they were called. I swear, some of the girls followed me around the building!"
"Alright, focus everyone!"
Jin leveled a moderate glare at Kyoya, which he ignored, before casually leaning against Haruhi's shoulders as the doors opened in front of them.
"Welcome~ And peace to you in the months ahead!"
The girls flooded in, a few of them slowing down just a tad when they spotted Jin standing among the group, but they were quickly rushed along by the others.
Tamaki stood up from his central chair, spreading his arms out wide, "The Host Club offers you the best wishes in the new year, and we wish to introduce our new waitress, the lovely Miss Jin Fujioka!"
The girls squealed and cooed before rushing to Kyoya, who whipped out his black journal as the others moved to their spots. As he began documenting the girls and the hosts they requested, he became slowly aware of the hesitating presence behind him.
"Miss Fujioka, is there something you require of me?"
"...Some directions would be appreciated."
Fighting back a groan of annoyance, the boy glanced over his shoulder, "You could start by delivering the cakes. They should already be plated and marked in the kitchen. I would begin with Hunny-senpai's table first."
Jin nodded and spun around on her heel, walking off to the kitchen and drawing attention from everyone else in the room. Kyoya scowled at her briefly before returning to the guests before him.
*Time Skip*
Near the end of her first day in the club, Jin felt like she had gotten a pretty good grip on what went on during hosting hours. Serving the cakes and tea was easy, and the conversations she was pulled into as she worked were not as bad has Haruhi had made them out to be. She was a little confused with the amount of interest the guests seemed to have in her, but otherwise, Jin enjoyed the club.
The flirting was a little weird, though.
"Tamaki… why, oh why, are you so beautiful…?"
"So as to be pleasing in your eyes."
"Why is your voice so.. Lustrous?"
"So my feelings will reach your heart."
"Tamaki.. Why are your eyes so dewy and glistening…?"
"Your beautiful smile… it makes the pool of my soul brim with joy…"
"Tamaki~"
Jin raised an eyebrow and slowly backed away from Tamaki's table, warm teapot still in hand. To her left, Hikaru was draping himself over his brother, whispering something too softly for Jin to overhear, but judging by the red faced girls surrounding them, the brunette decided to steer clear of them as well.
Well, I need to give someone this pot of tea.
Spotting Haruhi sitting a little ways away, Jin quickly walked over, "Hello, ladies!"
The group of girls looked up and grinned, "Hey, Jin-senpai!"
Haruhi smiled and leaned a little to her left, resting her head against Jin's right hip, "Hey, Nēchan. How's your first day going?"
"Pretty good! It's not nearly as bad as you told me it would be." Jin lightly pinched Haruhi's cheek before being batted away amid multiple giggles, "Do you ladies need a fresh pot of tea?" The girls nodded and began gushing over how Jin and Haruhi's floral kimonos matched in style, when another voice to their right spoke up.
"I must say, Haruhi, you've become more adept at entertaining the patrons. And Miss Fujioka… you've surprised me with how quickly you've molded into our selection."
Jin's eyebrows crinkled in confusion, thoughtfully spinning around the grape jolly rancher in her mouth with her tongue. Kyoya almost sounded… sincere. Glancing away from her task of tea pouring for a moment, she eyed his expression. Oh. Never mind. He's only playing it up for the guests.
As if on cue, a few girls began inching closer, going on about how nice it was that Jin was getting along with the other hosts. Of course, those comments were mixed in with the usual 'Haruhi looks so cute!' and 'Kyoya's a hunk!' and other various squealing. Pul-lease.
Briefly, Kyoya's grey eyes left Haruhi and caught Jin watching him. He smiled coldly, "Keep up the good work, you two. And don't worry, we don't plan to charge you interest or rental on the kimonos or anything of the sort. Just go on doing what you're doing."
Oh, fuck you too, my good sir.
Before Jin could respond with an equally underhanded compliment, something tugged on the back of her green and pink kimono, "J-jin-chan! Jin-chan!"
"Hunny-senpai?" Spinning around, quickly setting the teapot down as she did so, Jin gasped at the tears flood down the small blond's face. Immediately she scooped him up in her arms, standing and rocking him soothingly, "Shhh, shhh, what happened?"
"I-I…" he sobbed softly into her shoulder, clutching to her clothes like a toddler would, "I lost one of my slippers!"
Jin clutched him tighter as the other guests gathered around, pledging to help him find the missing slipper as the brunette continued to cradle the 3rd year, "Shhh… it's okay. Where's you last see it?"
"I-I don't… d-don't remember! Waaah!"
The girls around them began sobbing along, so Jin's first priority was to get the blond to calm down an focus. Gently, she moved all of his weight to her right arm and began running her left hand fingers through his short hair, walking around the room while keeping an eye out for the slipper.
"Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmmmm…
Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmmmm…"
Hunny's whimpering began to die down as she softly hummed 'So This is Love' in his ear. As she moved around the room, she became so focused in her task of searching, humming, and carrying, she was unaware of the quiet guests who continued to follow her as well.
"Mitsukuni. Jin." The brunette turned around and saw Mori standing nearby, a small slipper in his hands, "I found it."
Hunny gasped and jumped out of Jin's arms, running for the taller boy. Jin smiled, but it was short lived. Instantly, she was surrounded.
"That was so precious!"
"You're such a good caretaker, Jin-senpai!"
"You're so sweet!"
"You're the Nurturing Type for sure!"
"How adorable!"
"Uhh…"
"Of course!" Jin grunted softly as she was quickly crushed into Tamaki's side in a one-armed hug, "As a member of the Host Club, Miss Fujioka needs a type! Especially if she is to cater to lovely women such as yourselves!"
Jin's eyes widened a bit, and she saw more than a few of the other hosts copy her expression, "Wa-wait! What are you-"
"I can ask her about her choice in uniform!"
"Oh, I can ask for advice about other countries! Father would be so pleased with me!"
"Forget that! We can ask about what Haruhi does at home!"
"And what he was like as a little boy! All cute and chubby!"
Jin stared in horror at the crowd. She went to say something else, but a soft voice in her ear stopped her.
"I know we said you'd only be a waitress, but they're all so eager to talk to you, we can't just let them down. You'll only be a part-time hostess, for when the girls request you. And it'll help cut down your debt."
A long sigh was Tamaki's response, but it was enough. He smiled at the girls before throwing his arms out, "Alas, another glorious day of hosting draws to a close! We, the Ouran Host Club, bid you ladies, good evening!"
The guests complained, but did as they were asked, shuffling out of the third music room and gossiping with each other. Sighing, Jin squirmed out of Tamaki's grip as the doors shut behind the last guest, "Really, Tamaki, next time would it kill you to run an idea by me before announcing it to the world? I..." She tapered off, expression changing from anger to curiosity as she stared over Tamaki's shoulder.
The rest of the hosts turned around, spotting the small face peeking in through the doorway.
"Oh… Hello and welcome!"
"We've closed for the day, but come in and introduce yourself."
"Don't be shy…"
"Pretty!"
The girl gasped and shrunk a little more into the shadows, and Tamaki straightened up, "Hey! Decorum, gentlemen… please!" The blond leveled a sharp glare at the twins for a split second before drifting towards the doorway, a gentle smile on his face. He reached out slowly, beckoning the girl closer, "Welcome, Princess… to the Ouran Host clu-"
SLAP!
"DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU PHONY!"
Haruhi took a step back as Tamaki got smacked in the face, almost falling over as she bumped into Jin.
"How did you get to be the kind of this club?! The King does not spread his love around like cheap margarine! A girl's heart responds to the enigmatic smile, the indecipherable glance! You're just a mushy oaf! An airhead pretty boy! A cut-rate romeo! In short, a lousy lover!"
The blond fell backwards onto the floor in a dazed heap, hunched over and staring into space. Jin took a moment to take in the girl's appearance. She was wearing an Ouran yellow dress, so she must be a student, with light brown hair and a red bow tied on top of her head. Jin frowned, because the girl was still red-faced from screaming at Tamaki… except she looked pleased. That sort of rubbed her the wrong way.
Kyoya hummed softly, "Perhaps she's right… Tamaki is rather loud with his affections… and yet stagnant."
"Oh, please. You're just agreeing because it makes you seem more desirable for being all 'mysterious'. Different girls are attracted to different things. Just because…this girl doesn't prefer Tamaki, that doesn't make her the norm, Ky-"
"KYOYA!"
Jin was pushed to the side, almost falling to the floor herself as the strange brunette girl practically leaped past her. When she regained her bearings, she almost didn't understand what she was seeing. The girl was hugging Kyoya around the waist, a big smile on her face. Jin raised an eyebrow.
"How I've ached to see you! My one! My only prince!"
Jin's eyebrow went back down. Huh. I suppose that explains the preferences. She was about to shrug it off… except, something wasn't quite right. Kyoya was far too stiff. He was staring down at the girl in shock, and his fists were clenched. He was not comfortable.
Huh...
*Time Skip*
"Kyoya-senpai has a fianceé?!"
The girl giggled, twirling a piece of hair around her finger, "Uh huh. My name is Renge Hoshakuji! I'm transferring into class 1-A tomorrow!" She giggled again, kicking her feet a little and messing with her fingers.
Jin had no idea who to look at. Renge in confusion, or Tamaki in concern. The blond boy had been in the corner for the past ten minutes or so, and didn't look like he was leaving anytime soon, which sucked, because she had to ask him something. "Is he going to be okay? Renge was really harsh with him."
Hikaru tossed an arm over Jin's shoulder, "It's not that. 'Dad' over there is just upset that 'Mom' kept a secret from him."
"'Mom'?" The brunette turned to Kyoya, who refused to meet her eyes.
Instead, he crossed his arms and huffed slightly, "Not that I care, but exactly how long do you intend to keep referring to us as 'Mom and Dad'?"
"As long as we're amused by it."
Jin sighed, "Well, you guys deal with… the new girl over there… and I'm gonna talk to him." She walked across the floor as Renge began recounting how she had fallen for Kyoya. Wow… that guy sounds so nice. So it probably wasn't Kyoya. Good thing, too. I don't think a sweet girl like her would survive being near him for too long.
Haruhi seemed to be on the same track, asking Renge point blank if she was positive she was talking about Kyoya. Jin held back a smile of amusement as she knelt down by the blond boy from her class.
"Hey," she pushed at his arm a little bit, "can I ask you something?"
Tamaki made a small noise in the back of his throat, so she assumed that meant 'yes'.
"Is Renge really Kyoya's fianceé?"
He jerked a little bit, turning his head to look at her face-to-face, "What do you mean?"
"Well, you're his best friend, so I assumed you'd know about his preferences and who he would propose to. I mean… does Renge really seem like his type? I don't know him that well, but he looked really uncomfortable when she hugged him earlier."
Tamaki blinked, "Well… that is true. And she doesn't seem like someone he'd be interested in… Should we ask?" The two stood up just as Renge thrust her finger in Kyoya's face.
"Priceless moments captured in a love simulation game, featuring Ichijo Miyabi from "Uki Doki Memorial"! And you look just like him!"
Jin tilted her head to the side as the others were stunned silent, "Love simulation game? Well…" she unwrapped a watermelon flavored jolly rancher and popped it into her mouth, "I suppose that explains... a lot."
"FAN GIRL!"
"AAIIEEE!"
"I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE IN PERSON!"
"Huh. Now it's starting to make sense." Kyoya brought a hand up to his chin, "She's fitting me to a game character and figures that makes her my fianceé. This 'Miyabi' character probably wears glasses, too…"
Tamaki stared at Jin in amazement, but addressed Kyoya, "So… she's not your fianceé?"
"Not to my knowledge… and I'm pretty sure I'd know if she was, right?"
"But why didn't you say so earlier, you fool!" Jin pressed her hands to her hips, "You freaked everyone out!"
Kyoya frowned in her direction, but didn't say anything. Or, maybe he was about to, but just then Renge jumped forward and latched herself around his left arm. The boy grimaced and tried to pull away, but she refused to let him. Despite her personal feelings for the boy, Jin couldn't help but cringe at how uncomfortable he looked with a complete stranger touching him so familiar-like.
"I did my research before I came down here and I read that you manage this club? Is that true?"
"That's right, Kyo-chan's in charge of our finances!"
"OMIGOD! THAT'S PERFECT!" She giggled shrilly and nuzzled Kyoya's upper arm, which made the other hosts cringe along with their Vice President, "I've always dreamed of being a shop supervisor! That's it, then! I've decided! As well as training to be a good wife…" Another giggle and a light tap to Kyoya's nose, "I will serve as manager of this host club!"
Finally releasing her 'fiancé', she began prancing around the room, going on and on about all of her plans for the next few days.
"She's off her rocker…"
Tamaki nodded slightly, before bringing up his right hand to "cough", "Um… Kyoya? Would you mind-"
"She's the daughter of one of my family's key clients. Please treat her with respect. Or else."
Jin almost choked on her jolly rancher, "So… what? You're just going to lead her on until she gets to be too much? Is that it?"
"I'm simply catering to a guest. Surely you knew what you were signing up for when you joined our club, Miss Fujioka?" For a moment, the brunette and ravenet were locked in an intense staring contest, neither one of them looking happy with the other. The rest of the club remained quiet.
Finally, the girl sighed and shook her head, "I expect nothing, and yet I'm still disappointed."
Kyoya raised an eyebrow, but didn't respond. His best friend released the breath he'd been holding and straightened up, "Well, then, if we're all in agreement… Haruhi! Jin!" The sisters looked at the President just as he, the twins, Mori-senpai, and Hunny-senpai all took off in different directions, "This one's all yours! Daddy cannot help you now!"
"You're on your own!"
"Hey! Wait a minute!"
"You can't just dump her on us!"
Kyoya chuckled and walked off as well, "If you fail to cater to Miss Hoshakuji, you debt will increase considerably."
"How is this possibly tied to our debt! Are you kidding me?!" But it was too late. They were already gone, Kyoya shutting the door finitely behind him.
"I hate them."
"Join the club."
"I thought that's what I did."
"Haruhi? Jin-senpai?" The Fujiokas turned around to face their newest 'charge', "What do you think we should do tomorrow? I have to prove to Kyoya that I'm a good wife!"
Jin clenched her jaw, but then she felt a tug on her jacket sleeve. She glanced at her sister.
Isn't Kyoya-senpai… not the biggest fan of sweets?
Jin thought about it, then grinned, "Yes, Renge. I think we have the perfect idea."
*\/*
"Haruhi! Haruhi! Do I add the sugar to the cream now?"
The short brunette glanced up from pulling her own cookies out of the oven, "Oh, yes. How're you doing with the chocolate?"
"It's melting great! See!"
"YEOW! Not on direct heat! It'll separate!" Rushing over, Haruhi put the cookie tray on a cooling rack and pulled the pot off the stove. Sighing, she guided Renge back to the counter and started showing her how to use a double boiler, "See? You need to heat water in the saucepan, and once that's done-"
"Then you add the chocolate?"
"Not in the water!"
Plip!
"Oops! I'm sorry! I'm so silly!" Renge giggled as Haruhi gave up and started prepping the chocolate herself. She was starting to regret this dumb plan of 'revenge'. "Wow, Haruhi! You're good at this! Where'd you learn?"
Haruhi smiled softly, pointing over her shoulder towards the other side of the music room's kitchen, "Where else?"
Across the room, Jin was humming along to herself as she pulled open the second oven, the scent of gooey brownies wafting through the air. Nearby was a fryer that was powering down, a group of filled donuts with a strange brownish hard glaze covering only the top of them cooling beside it. There were also quite a few plates of various cookies and chocolates piled high around her designated 'work area'.
Renge blinked, "Wow… she's really good."
"Yeah. Nēchan's pretty great at almost everything she tries. Making sweets is no exception!" Haruhi smiled, missing out on the way Renge was frowning at the chocolate water in front of her.
Just outside of the kitchen, the rest of the Host Club was watching the three girls float around in their aprons. Tamaki even had tears in his eyes.
"I could watch her all day… she's so cute!" The others nodded along, cooing as Haruhi once again ran to Renge's rescue. Jin glanced up and smiled as Renge started nodding along to her sister's explanation, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear before happily pulling apart one of her Crème brûlée donuts with a satisfying 'crack'.
Back in the hallway, Kyoya finally joined the other boys at the doorway, "What are they doing? They've been in there for over an hour."
"They're making snacks for you, Kyo-chan!"
"Oh… are they now?"
"I think it was Jin-senpai's idea. She's pretty good at it, too. Check out all of those sweets!"
Hikaru snorted, leaning an elbow on his brother's shoulder, "At least she's doing better than Renge. And she intends to manage us? Poor Haruhi… I don't care what you say, Kyoya-senpai, I'm not touching anything she gives me."
Tamaki scoffed, "Don't you idiots realize what's really going on? It's obvious that Jin has joined in on our cause! The three of them are now trapped in a room filled with the scent of baking… It's the latest phase of our big project to get Haruhi to awaken to her femininity!"
The twins pursed their lips, "Really…? Are you sure it's not because Jin-senpai knows that Kyoya-senpai doesn't like sweets?"
"In such a congenial and uniquely feminine atmosphere," he continued, not listening, "Haruhi's subconscious will realize-"
"Zip it, Faker."
Tamaki's next move put him in the corner, huddled over like a beggar. Renge glared after him for a few moments before prancing out of the kitchen with a pile of smoldering… things in her hand.
"Hi, Kyoya~ Haruhi taught me how to make a common folk's cookie! I must confess I've never baked before, so I was a little nervous…"
Kyoya's smile was clearly hiding his grimace as he regarded the "cookies", "I see. They have a rather… deep color."
Yeah, because they're burned to a crisp. Jin shook her head as she and Haruhi followed their 'charge' out into the music room, carrying a few piles of Jin's own treats, which were thankfully helpful in masking the burning scent coming from Renge's batch.
"Yeah, I suppose they're a tad over done... I had no idea commoners had such difficult recipes!"
"Is it going to bug me if I don't explain how wrong she is..?" Jin thought it over, "Nah. I'll be okay. Um, can someone help me with all of these sweets? I think I went a little overboard."
The other host club boys looked between Renge's black cookies and Jin's promising mountain of sweets. They took off for the Fujioka's without a second thought. Most of them didn't notice how Renge's grip on her cookies had tightened. One poor cookie shattered in a spray of black dust between her thumb and pointer finger. She did manage to reconstruct her expression just as the hosts finished placing Jin's sweets on a nearby table.
"Boys~ Could you please be dears and sample these cookies? I worked so hard on them…" Seemingly relieved that Renge hadn't asked him to eat the cookies, Kyoya leveled a dark look over the girl's head that read 'or else'. The boys groaned to themselves before moping back over to the new girl. Jin watched in confusion, but didn't think much of Renge's cold tone. She turned back to face her own goodies.
Maybe I should pack them up into Tupperware for the boys to take home? Haru and I can't possibly eat all of this, even with Dad helping us!
Across the way, Hunny took a small nibble and made a face, "Mmm… not very good. I thought cookies were supposed to be yummy…"
HIIISSSS!
"WAAAAH! MUUUUMMY! JIIIINN-CHAAAN!"
Jin spun around just in time to catch an armful of Hunny-senpai, who immediately began crying into her shoulder. She stared in shock as Renge hissed and chased after a few of the other boys who also made less-than-kind comments about her burnt cookies. She's crazy!
Of course, that wasn't the only crazy thing happening at the moment. One of the twins, Kaoru, took a moment to lick a spare drop of cream off of Haruhi's cheek, prompting Tamaki to break out of his depressive state and start blurting out French swear words aimed at the twins. Jin's eyes widened a little at the language. She hadn't expected that of Tamaki.
As the blond began shouting for the police when Haruhi didn't flip out (not that Jin was surprised, after all, since she babysat most of the kids in their apartment complex and she and Haruhi had been licked numerous times before) Jin noticed Renge's quietness. She was watching the way Tamaki was overreacting, looking oddly criticizing.
Spotting Jin's eyes on her, the French girl casually walked around the quad of students shouting at each other. Hunny whimpered a bit when she came closer, so Jin started stroking his hair like she had earlier. Renge hummed before reaching out and pinching Hunny's cheek. Not softly like Jin had with Haruhi just yesterday, but hard.
The small boy yelped and pulled away, crying harder.
"Tepid."
"What?"
"All of your characters, except for Kyoya, are tepid!" Renge whirled around, glaring at the hosts one by one, "There's no depth! No shading! No angst! Women love to swoon over tragic, handsome men, and you're giving them nothing! Without that, men are just silly and stupid and boring! And that will not do for Kyoya's shop!"
"Wait, Renge, that's not entirely-"
"This calls for some major character revision! Starting with you!" Hunny squeaked as she almost poked his forehead with her accusing finger. "Being cute inside and out is too one-dimensional! From now on you're cute on the outside, but on the inside you're a ravening monster!"
"GYAAAAH!"
Jin's eyes went wide. She's divorced from reality… does she think she's jumped into a video game? She almost said something, but was cut off when Renge turned her sights on her.
"You might be the mother-like figure for these boys now, but that's not going to work if they're going to be riddled with angst! Instead, you're the Overprotective Older Sister! You're Haruhi's older sister who prefers to be alone to protect her fragile heart… unless your brother is in danger- then you become a raging ball of hormones and violence!"
"Uh… I'm already Haru's older sister?"
Renge ignored her, turning to the other boys, "Mori-senpai! You will hover over Hunny-senpai, consumed by concern for him! Your every rare utterance will be profound! The twins will agonize over how their similarity constrains their individuality! Especially in… yes, the basketball club! Haruhi… hmm… poor in wealth and family, yet a student at this school… that'll do, but you'll also have to be battling your love for your older sister and your animosity towards her for only showing up when you're in danger! And Tamaki! Praised and idolized everywhere because of his appearance, but doesn't even know who he really is! 'The Lonely King'!"
Silence overtook the room once more. Jin and Hunny looked at each other in concern before she set him down to let him run to Mori-senpai, "Hey, Kyoya? Are you sure there isn't anything you could say to calm her down to some degree?"
"What would you suggest, Miss Fujioka? After all, you and Haruhi are in charge of her while she's here. And look…" Kyoya smirked coldly before pointing a little ways behind the others, "...our president is getting quite into it."
That was true. Tamaki was leaning dramatically against the wall of the music room, rambling about abject loneliness while Renge watched in excitement.
"Sellout."
Kyoya chuckled, "Let's just see how it goes, shall we? Could be interesting…"
Jin glared in the boy's direction for a moment before scoffing, grabbing her sister's elbow, "Come on, Haru. Let's go home."
*\/*
Screams echoed around Ouran Academy's largest gymnasium as a redheaded boy shot a basketball towards the hoop.
Swish!
The stands roared with approval as the boy wearing an 'Ouran 16' jersey ran towards the rest of his team, receiving multiple pats on the back. 'Ouran 61' smirked as he handed off a towel to his twin.
"Nice shot."
"Thanks."
"Smile for the fans."
As one, the boys turned and waved at the crowd, who began cheering louder. Two different chants started at the same time. Different words, but same tempo… and they sort of meant the same thing.
"OU-RAN'S ACE! OU-RAN'S ACE!"
"HI-TA-CHIIN! HI-TA-CHIIN!"
A whistle cut sharply through the air and the two looked away, giving each other high fives as Kaoru took Hikaru's place in the game. Their coach claimed that, with two equally skilled players on the team, it made more sense to have them rotate throughout the game, to give them plenty of rest between scoring.
Of course, the real reason was so their coach wouldn't tell 'Hikaru' to get onto the floor when it was Kaoru who was sitting out. His attempt to trick the boys into thinking that he'd sorted the two of them out. It didn't help that sometimes they switched jerseys, just to keep things interesting.
A water bottle was pressed into his hand, and he offered a slight nod to his fellow teammate before sitting down with a soft grunt. I need to have a talk with my doctor about my joints.
The screams and roars of the stadium picked up once more as the game went back into play mode. Sighing, Hikaru shut his eyes and let the sound wash over him. Usually he watched his brother, because while Hikaru was an amazing offensive player, Kaoru was a genius with his defense. Yet another reason the two switched often. Hikaru scored a few points, then his twin made sure the opposing team couldn't catch up while he caught his breath. Of course, that wasn't to say that they couldn't play the other side once in awhile… it was a matter of preferences. But for now, he simply needed to rest his eyes...
He wasn't sure what made him open them again, the whistle blast or the shocked gasps from the crowds. But either way, he sat up and saw a student on the ground.
Jumping to his feet, Hikaru's water bottle rolled away to create a puddle nearby, "Kaoru!"
"Get the stretcher! Take him to the doctor!"
"Kaoru..!" The med team lifted his brother onto a stretcher just as he was able to stumble back onto the court. Hikaru threw himself down next to his injured brother, hesitantly reaching out. His brother's right knee was swelling up, and the kneecap looked… out of place.
"Torn ligament, most likely. I'm sorry, Hikaru, the game's still on. Without your brother, we need you more than ever-"
A hand touched his shoulder, but he smacked it away, "Shut up! Leave me alone!"
"Hikaru?" Kaoru was panting heavily, and wincing every time his body shifted, but he managed to grab his brother's hand, "It's going to be okay. We can't… share everything. It's my pain… and your game is still on. Go."
Hikaru felt the tears start, so he squeezed his eyes shut and gripped his brother's hand, "I can't! It hurts! It hurts, Kaoru!"
Because it's not your pain! It's ours. If no one understands… then too bad! We have each other… we're here for each other… that's how it's always been.
"Hikaru? Hikaru! Hikaru, are you alright?"
The boy's eyes snapped open as large drops of water struck the back of his skull. Gasping, Hikaru stared straight ahead for a few moments longer. All he could see was black tarmac, which was wet with rain. Breath shaking, he looked up at his twin's face just as all the right memories fell into place. It was just… a memory. That's right.
"K...Kaoru?"
"Hikaru." Kaoru reached out to cup his brother's face, grounding him further to reality, "Can you tell me where are we, right now?"
"We...we're on the school's outdoor basketball court."
"Right. Now, why are we out here?"
"Practicing. For next week's game." He gasped again, feeling his hands shake beneath him, "It's… raining. You said we should stay out here anyways. Th-then... you tripped. I don't… what... " Hikaru blinked, breathing heavily through his nose, "Why am I on the ground?"
Kaoru sighed and drop his hands back onto his lap, sitting down in front of his brother. There was a black knee brace wrapped around his right leg. "You blacked out again. Hikaru, you've got to stop doing that. That injury happened three months ago. I'm fine. This can't go on."
"But you got hurt." Hikaru grabbed his brother's hands, "I took my eyes off of you for one second and... and I couldn't help you! How am I supposed to forget that?!" He buried his face into his brother's shoulder, letting the angry tears roll down his cheeks, disguised by the rain that had soaked the brothers through.
The low, humorless chuckle that sounded from the edge of the court almost blended perfectly with the sound of heavy raindrops pounding the cement. The twins quickly looked towards the tree line that gave this basketball court it's highly desired feeling of secrecy. The darkness and the sudden heaviness of the rain made it hard to make out exactly who it was, but the next moment the figure spoke, making him impossible to mistake.
"I apologize for interrupting, but... I have to say, I'm envious of you. Never alone, supporting each other to the bitter end. I can only imagine…"
Hikaru squinted at the figure as the rain let up a little, "Suoh-senpai?" Yup, it was Ouran Academy's number 1 pretty boy. He was devoid of his school jacket and looked drenched from head to toe. He must've been out in this rain for as long as they had been.
"How would you be envious of... us?"
"Yeah, decent basketball players are one thing, but to be the school's idol..."
The blond chuckled, the sad, almost dead look never leaving his eyes, making them look more grey than their usual bright purple. The twins were shocked. They'd never seen their senpai like this. Most days he was laughing, smiling at the girls he passed with a carefree sort of aura around him, breezing down the hallways in the way only he could. This… this was a completely stranger.
"An idol, huh? That's what they're calling it now? If that's what all the praise and attention I get is about, then perhaps I shouldn't encourage them so much. At least you two have a skill. Being worship over something as superficial as my appearance? I'm probably better off alone."
"Oof!"
The three boys look back at the other end of the court to see yet another boy out in the storm. It took less time for them to recognize this person, as the rain was growing lighter by the second. Fujioka-san. Haruhi… the boy. He was one of the two commoner siblings who had tested into the school on intelligence alone. His older sister was nowhere to be found, but considering the boy looked like he was on the run, it probably wouldn't take long for her to appear from the shadows she seemed to always lurk in. As it was, Haruhi was on his knees, probably from tripping over a tree root or something, and for two seconds, the brunet boy stared up at them all. His big, brown, girlish eyes seemed to be pleading with them. The mud on his uniform made him all the more pitiful.
But if Fujioka-san was out here, then that could only mean one thing.
"I'd suggest you keep running, commoner. He won't hold back, even if there are others present."
The honor student's shoulders deflated before he scrambled back to his feet and took off again, heading deeper into the treeline. The three watched, feeling something… strange, pulling at their insides. A feeling… of wanting to help.
Haruhi's shoes slapped the muddy ground, kicking up puddles that stained the bottom hems of his pants. The rain was letting up, making it easier to see, but no less difficult to actually navigate the shadowy tree roots crisscrossing the ground. His legs were so weak, and his uniform clung tightly to his body, restricting his movements with the cold rainwater it had soaked up. There were mud stains on his knees and the palms of his hands, but he dare not stop. Not stop. Not stop. Not…
The brunette had to stop. He stumbled to a drier piece of dirt and pressed his hands against a tree, taking in deep breaths and trying to not hack up a lung.
"End of the line, pauper."
Haruhi gasped and spun around, ready to run, only to have his legs slide out from under him. He had no energy left. The last of it had been spent when he'd silently begged for help from the star basketball players and the school's idol… only to be turned away and left to fend for himself. Or… perhaps not?
Please… it has to be now! You've never let me down before...
"Remember, when you go up against me, this is what you get." Haruhi shook with fear, wishing he'd never gone back for the bento box he'd forgotten in his classroom. Then he wouldn't have bumped into Mitsukuni Haninozuka, the school's main bully, and have been chased and terrorized for half a day.
"Mitsukuni… you must stop."
Haruhi sucked in a quick breath as Takashi Morinozuka came up from behind them. He must've followed us. It was known by everyone that Mitsukuni-senpai's only childhood friend, who had flunked out right before high school, was the only person in the this world who could hold back the boy's rage every once in awhile. Please, let this be one of those times.
"To hurt others… is to hurt yourself instead."
"What did I say about questioning my actions, Takashi? Keep that in mind… my next scolding may be more… severe." The tall boy sighed, but looked away, not answering. He'd offer no more help.
Please… Haruhi felt like he was praying more for the help of a deity than-
"There are those who must learn their place… after all."
Haruhi swallowed and squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the blow… but it never came. Instead, the leaves in the tree he was leaning against rustled before something dropped down in front of him. He almost cried with relief.
"Nēchan!"
Straightening up, Jin Fujioka glared heavily at the two boys in front of her, "I'm going to say this once… leave… my brother… alone. This is your final warning."
"Tch…" Mitsukuni sneered, "Ah… the benevolent sister returns from her solitude. You know, it you truly cared for your brother, you might not only show up when he needs you to beat someone up because he's too weak."
"Okay, I was going to let you off with a warning," the girl crouched down into a fighting pose, her eyes glinting with malice, "But now you've made this personal." She growled, but the blond only laughed.
"Well, then, looks like I'm in for a treat. Not only do I get to beat up the loser, but also his bi-"
Hunny cut off, eyes filling with tears before jumping at Jin with his arms outstretched for a hug, "WAAAAH! I'm so sorry, Jin-chan! I won't be mean anymore! I can't do it!"
And just like that, the scene broke.
"CUT! CUT CUT CUT! What are you doing? You have to stick to the script! And put some feeling into it, why don'tcha, Jin-senpai? Okay, take five, everyone! AND MAKE THAT RAIN MORE MELANCHOLY! I WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE LIQUID DEPRESSION!"
"I'm sure that's offensive to everyone in the world who struggles with depression," Jin muttered under her breath, but instead of confronting the crazy girl about it, simply followed her sister offset and towards the towels, Hunny still cradled in her arms. Setting the boy down by the towels, she began handing them out to the rest of the wet hosts, "So, where'd she get the film crew? And so quickly, too?"
"Hollywood, looks like. Of course, her father is the CFO of all of the Ohtori hospitals in France, so it's not like she lacks the funds to pay them." Kyoya smirked and readjusted his glasses, "What? Did you think she got into this school on a scholarship like you and Haruhi?" Jin scowled, but didn't respond to his goading.
Hikaru and Kaoru leaned against each other, "So, what was her reasoning for this movie about our characters?"
"Didn't she say something about opening footage?"
Jin scoffed, "Isn't it obvious? I did some research last night, and all of our characters are straight out of Uki Doki Memorial... even me. She's trying to blend her fantasies with reality. Probably to better justify the similarities between Kyoya and 'Miyabi' in her head." The brunette shook her head, "This is crazy... and I'm starting to worry about what else she's got up her sleeve. The game's story line... has me concerned."
"Hey, Jin-senpai?"
"Not to cover up your concern... but haven't you noticed-"
"-that Renge seems to have it out for you today?"
The girl winced, "I was... hoping I was imagining that."
Head shakes were her response, Haruhi giving her sister a look of pity right before she was called away by their obnoxious President. That was exactly what Jin had been afraid of. She wasn't sure what exactly had set the other girl off, but today Renge had been downright nasty to Jin. Ignoring her questions, even when they pertained to the movie. Giving her a bunch of 'chores' to do around the set when she wasn't acting, leaving her almost no time to rest. Writing her the shortest script. And even giving her more of an 'out of control' sort of character. Now, Jin's character went on psychotic rampages once she was angry, and never talked to anyone unless she was threatening them away from Haruhi.
"Yeah, I wish I knew why-"
"Jin-senpai! Would you come over here, please? You'll have enough time to gossip once this movie's done!"
Groaning, the girl flung her towel into the laundry basket provided, "Here we go." She kicked up her left leg in a skip before jogging along the side of the school. All around her, cameramen and boom-mic guys rushed around to prepare for the next couple scenes. Well... if they don't get a break, then I guess it's fair that I don't either.
Rounding the corner, she slowed down, "Okay, Renge. What do-" She stopped, mouth falling open at the sight of two rough-looking students staring back at her.
"Oh, there you are, Jin-senpai! I would like these gentlemen who were passing by the set to appear in our production! Could you fill them in on what we've filmed so far?"
The brunette blinked a few times, "Uh... sure? But why do we-"
"We need villains! These boys will harass your brother, but they're too strong for you to defeat yourself! Our heroes, that's the host club, will have to unite to stop their rein of terror! That will affirm their friendship! And these two are perfect!"
At Renge's declaration, the two boys leaned away, looking almost hurt, "Hey! We're not villains!"
"We're swell guys!"
Jin's eyes widened, "Renge! Stop! This has gone on far-"
"Of course, in the spectacular ending, it will be Kyoya's moving words that will persuade even the worst elements of this school to be nice and fly right!"
"H-hey! We're not the worst elements!"
"No! Renge!" Jin barely managed to not stomp her foot out of frustration. Why couldn't she just listen? "Look, just because someone looks a certain part doesn't mean that's what they're really like!"
The other girl stared at her blankly for a split second before waving a hand, "I'm sure you're trying to prove a point or something, but we can't do that right now! You can waste time later," Renge grabbed one of the boys by an arm and started dragging him, "I'll need you over here, and when I give you your cue-"
"Woah! Cut it out! Don't think you can push us around just 'cause you're in the A class!"
Jin realized the danger about two seconds before all hell broke loose. The angry tone in the boy's voice and how close he and Renge were to the scaffolding... she shouted for them to stop just as the boy shoved Renge away, making her fall towards the scaffolding. The girl screamed in surprise and Jin ran towards her, an arm reached out to grab Renge's wrist, but someone else raced around the corner at that exact moment and launched themselves between Renge and the tower holding up the lights.
KRANG!
Haruhi yelped as she was squished in between the metal poles and Renge's body. Jin felt like her heart was jammed into her throat as she watched her little sister fall to the ground with a whimper.
Her vision went red.
"I-I'm sorry... eep!"
The boy's eyes went wide when Jin's fist shot out to grab his shirt collar. He screamed loudly the next moment when he was thrown over the girl's shoulder to land flat on his back, knocking all the air out of his lungs. His buddy shouted in concern, but seemed to hesitate between running to his friend's aid or running away... Jin, however, did not hesitate. Her foot connected with his gut before spinning around in the opposite direction and kicking against the guy's back to knock him to the ground.
The Class D students gasped and wheezed in the dirt, but Jin wasn't concerned. She'd only knocked the air out of them to teach them a lesson, not permanently harm them... well, besides their ego.
"What happened?"
"We heard shouting!"
"HARUHI!" Tamaki launched into the clearing, eyes wild as they darted between Haruhi's bent form and the two students on the ground, "Who is responsible... what happened here?"
Jin brushed her hands together, "I took care of it." She glared at the boys, who were just starting to push themselves onto their knees, "Get out of here, before we get a teacher involved."
They needed no further prompting.
As they ran off, Jin hurried towards her little sister. Tamaki and the twins were coddling her, but they backed away when she came closer. Softly cupping her cheeks, Jin rubbed her thumbs across Haruhi's tear tracks.
"Haru..." her brown eyes squinted, spotting something pressed between Haruhi's right eyelashes, "Stay still."
She reached up, gently pinching the clear object, and pulled it away. It popped open between her fingers. A contact lens.
"Got it."
Haruhi blinked her teary eyes open, gasping in relief, "Thanks."
"You scared me to death, you little shit. And it was only your contact!" Jin laughed as her sister took the contact back before hugging her tightly, "Don't do that again!" Haruhi laughed into Jin's shoulders, using her left hand to hug back, right hand curled in between their bodies to hold the contact.
"Jin-chan! Haru-chan! Is everyone alright?"
Hunny and Mori rushed around the corner, as the siblings pulled away from each other. Jin nodded, a teasing smile on her lips as the small blond ran up to them. "Yeah, we're fine. Some jerks decided to push Renge, but Haruhi stepped in before she got hurt. I... took care of them."
"Oh, really?" Hunny giggled and Mori smiled soflty, their eyes twinkling with mischief, "How did you do that, then?"
Jin rolled her eyes, "You know where. I'm just glad I didn't forget what we were taught. It's been awhile since I practiced my karate skills."
"HUH?!"
Laughing at the faces on Tamaki and the twins, Hunny happily climbed onto Mori's back and smiled down at his other friends, "Can we tell them now, Jin-chan? Huh? Can we?"
"Sure, Hunny-kun. Might as well."
"HUNNY-KUN?"
"Yeah." Jin smiled sheepishly, "I kinda... knew Hunny-kun and Mori-kun before I even came to Ouran."
"Jin-chan trained at my family's dojo with us when we were younger! We've been friends for a long time!" Hunny giggled again as Kaoru stumbled against his twin's side, "We didn't want to tell you at first, so you guys could get to know Jin-chan as herself instead of our friend... but it was too hard! I'm just glad she can call me Hunny-kun again!"
The brunette grinned, looping an arm over her sister's shoulders, "This doesn't freak you out too much, does it?"
"No..." Tamaki was blinking rapidly, like he was trying to get an eyelash out, "But... so you... and Hunny-senpai..." His mouth opened again, but no sounds came out. After gaping for a few more seconds, he gave up.
"Wow... CAMERA! Did you get all that?!"
"Yup! In the can!"
The Fujioka's and the hosts turned around, Haruhi squinting a little as they looked towards Renge. She was fine, thanks to Haruhi, but now she seemed to be right back where she'd been before she was 'attacked'. Jin groaned. Does she never learn?
"That was it! That's just what we needed! Haruhi, attacked and injured, and saved by his sister because she had been trained alongside the school's bully, Mitsukuni Haninozuka, who took pity on her... because he only needed a friend to understand! And after discovering the soft side of Haninozuka, the others are surprised, but decide to give him a chance! Of course, we'll have to do a lot of audio editing, and get rid of Haruhi's contact falling out... but otherwise it was perfect! Now the only thing left to film is Kyoya's moving-"
SMASH
"NO! MY CAMERA! MY BABY! IT'S RUINED! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" As the poor cameraman dropped to his knees beside the damaged technology, weeping, Renge turned around in shock.
"Kyo... Kyoya? What is the meaning-"
"Sorry to be so abrupt," Kyoya eyed the large rock in his hand before blankly looking up at the girl, "but I cannot permit recordings of our members behaving violently towards other students. It would tarnish our good name, and give those involved a bad reputation, which would leech into the club itself. As this club's actual manager, I cannot stand by silently and play along. In fact, this whole business has been a very great bother... to us all. Time to wrap it up."
Renge made a sound like she was choking, "B-but... but why? Kyoya... you're supposed to pat my head and say 'don't worry about it'. You're supposed to..."
"Nah, not our Kyoya." Tamaki smirked a bit, shaking his head, "While your Kyoya might sugarcoat things to make you feel better, ours tends to live closer to reality. He's sharp, and cold... I don't think he's the one for you, Miss Hoshakuji."
The girl whimpered and fell to her knees, sniffling pitifully. Jin sighed and looked down at her sister.
Looks like reality finally caught up with her.
Yeah... but shouldn't we help sooth the blow a little bit?
Smiling, Jin withdrew her arm from Haruhi's shoulder and gestured towards the crying girl, Go ahead.
Blinking in surprise, but managing a small smile, the shorter brunette moved closer towards the French girl, "Hey, love arises for unfathomable reasons... but really looking at a person and getting to know them, bit by bit... that's a real relationship." She crouched down in front of Renge and smiled, "Just because it wasn't exactly where you expected it to be, that doesn't mean it's the end of the world. It's just... not time for you to find it, yet."
"Oh... I see. And," Renge glanced up at the others, "I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner. I must've been a terrible burden."
Jin managed a smile, "No burden. A little challenge, perhaps," her eyes twinkled teasingly as the girl managed a small, embarrassed giggle, "but no burden. Glad to help pull you back to the real world... as bland as it might be. Now, if you'll excuse us, I have to go get Haru some contact solution to put that thing he's holding back on his eyeball."
*The Next Afternoon*
"So..." Hikaru brought his hands up to either side of his head, like he was expecting someone to throw another basketball in his direction, and he was preparing himself to catch it, "You've known Hunny and Mori-senpai... for how many years?"
"Ten. Or so. I think I was seven when I first joined. And considering I'm seventeen now..."
Hikaru shook his head, "Wow... and you just hid it from us?"
"Yeah. I wanted to see how you'd treat me as the new scholarship student and Haru's sister rather than a friend of the Haninozuka's and Morinozuka's." Jin's smile dipped a little, "Considering how your Vice President talked about my 'social status', I wanted to get a better feel for the rest of you."
The twins grinned, "Yeah... I don't think Kyoya-senpai's forgiven himself just yet..."
"...for insulting an Honorary Haninozuka, Worthy Matron Fujioka."
Jin shrugged, recalling a short discussion from earlier on in the day, before shaking it out of her head, "Come on, you troublemakers, let's get set for the guests to come in." The redheads nodded, and they moved over to the couch Tamaki was lounging over. The blond smiled over his shoulder, though Jin still noticed a wary edge to it. Just like the twins... he didn't quite know how to act around Jin just yet, especially after her little revelation. Hopefully they'd get over that quickly.
Despite the Host's stupidity that came from sheltered childhoods... Jin was growing a little attached to them all. They were funny. And she liked them. Except Kyoya. But, there's always one.
The doors burst open before she could continue her thoughts, and the club's first guests practically flooded into the room, already screaming and gushing about... the movie?
"That solemn rain scene is awesome!"
"I'm just giddy over Hikaru and Kaoru's special relationship!"
"Hunny being a monster is just precious!"
"Jin's strong protectiveness over her baby brother was so heartwarming!"
"Oh, and Haruhi's sorrow was so moving..."
For a moment, the hosts stood in silence, just soaking in the girl's enthusiasm, letting them entertain themselves as the puzzle pieces slowly fitted together. Tamaki tipped his head downwards a little, letting his bangs cover his eyes.
"Kyoya... care to explain?"
"Its a rather simple matter to sneak data out of a digital camera. Of course, we did have to pay for the camera itself, but the sales from the movie will cover that easily. After editing the ending scene to only give out the impression of Miss Fujioka deflecting the perpetrators instead of actually harming them, this ended up being a pretty profitable venture."
Jin closed her eyes. Of course... of course he'd find some way to wring some sort of value from this. Probably his plan from the beginning. Why am I not surprised? Even so, she managed to take a calming breath before opening her eyes, "Well... if you were willing to suffer Renge chasing after you for three days in order to make a little profit... who are we to deny you?"
Whatever look Kyoya might've given her, she turned away at the sound of a familiar voice joining the others.
"Renge? I thought you said..."
"I know. But I've decided to not go to France just yet." The other brunette smiled softly before placing a hand on Jin's shoulder, unaware of the way everyone was watching in surprise, "I must apologize, Jin-senpai, I was pretty rude to you yesterday. I just didn't understand how my actions were impacting you... I'm sorry. I will make it up to you somehow."
"Uh... thanks?"
What is she talking about?
"And besides. I've finally realized that the kindness needed to protect someone, whatever the cost, and the deep love that knows to scold in order to enlighten are not going to be found unless one looks and sees! Right... Haruhi?"
Jin blinked herself out of her thoughts just in time to see Renge pulling her little sister towards the door, Tamaki attempting to chase them down, "Wait... so Renge is now... oh."
"Hey, Kyoya-senpai..."
The boy shrugged, writing in his black journal as Renge hissed at Tamaki for trying to free Haruhi, "Let them sort it out themselves. As long as they keep me out of it. However, what was Renge referring to, Miss Fujioka? She said her actions were impacting you... how?"
"I dunno. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go rescue Haru from being someone's... boyfriend."
Ugh! It was like dragging myself across a desert! This took forever! Why can't I just focus!
Anyways, thank you all for being patient with me. It took half of my spring break, but I did it. Hopefully the next chapter will be out quicker, being as it's an 'extra' chapter (not 'extra' like I wrote it by myself, but 'extra' as it's short and the writers had to put it in somewhere). And yes, I'll add in the conversation between Jin and Kyoya in a later chapter.
It's strange trying to push some things around. As much as people liked my last story, I believe part of that was my ability to keep my readers on their toes and surprise them, on top of the characterization. So... trying to keep you all surprised and yet not deviating from the story line is a little difficult. I've attempted to do so by switching things around just a tad. I hope it's working so far.
Let me know if you liked this chapter by favoriting or following or leaving a review! I really like reviews!
See you next chapter!