Author: Oh boy! Another chapter! Nightshift suuuuuucks, especially when you only do it for two weeks because your hospital launches a new system and wants as many hands on deck for potential screw ups as possible. BUT I digress. I want to thank all of you for your reviews/favorites/follows, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

" Look at that limo!"

" You know, I've seen a few limos around here a lot lately!"

" Did you hear the rumor that a guy got out of one of them and totally snatched Haga-san right out from Benio's grasp."

" No way! But why would someone want to steal Haga-san? She always so quiet and never bothers anyone!"

" Do you hear them?" Benio growled in annoyance. " Those blasted Host Club members have caused all this embarrassment!"

" Come on, Benio, it isn't that big of a deal." A girl with chin-length brown hair said, her grey eyes giving her upperclassman a bored look. " They're just rumors. No proof to back it up."

" That isn't the point, Hinako! First they steal our beautiful maiden from me and now they are seducing the lovely Persephone!" Benio said dramatically tossing an arm over her eyes. " Does their toxic male egos know no limits!"

" Hinako has a point, Benio. No one knows for sure that the Host Club took Haga-san the other day." A pale-skinned young woman with wavy waist-length light-brown hair said coolly. " And what would even want with darling Haga-san? She's dreadfully boring after all."

" Chizuru, Little Persephone is filled with untapped potential and I will be damned if I allow that bastard to tap it!" Benio snapped. " The nerve him, claiming he is her fiancée!"

" Well you have your chance now." Chizuru said as she glanced out of the window.

They watched as Himawari exited the school towards the garden club entrance.

" Thank you so much for your help, Haga-san!" A girl with waist length brown hair said excitedly.

" It's no problem, truly. I heard that your club has been overwhelmed with all the festival preparations." Himawari said as she began to roll up her sleeves. " I am happy to help."

" Haga-san, you are a godsend!" The girl said gesturing to a nearby row of potted flowers. " These are starting to wilt and we can't figure out why."

" It looks like they are out growing their pots." Himawari said as she lifted one to examine it. " If these particular flowers are left in this kind of a pot for to long, it will cause root damage."

Looking around she spotted a nearby box and made her way over to it.

" We've been trying to find out why those have been wilting for over a week and you were able to figure it out in less then five minutes." The girl said enviously. " You really are something!"

" It's nothing, really." Himawari said awkwardly, not used to the praise.

" I wish you would reconsider joining the club, Haga-san." The girl said grinning ear to ear. " We could really use you!"

" I'm sorry but I'm very busy outside of school." Himawari said as she knelt beside the box as she picked up a small trowel.

" Haga-san…"

" Yes?" Himawari said as she began digging.

" Are the rumors true?"

" What rumors?"

" That a few weeks ago, some random boy swooped in and snatched you away from Benibara?" The girl asked cautiously causing Himawari to pause.

" How did you know about that?" She asked looking over at the girl.

" IT'S TRUE!" The girl said, her eyes lighting up. " THE BOY IS REAL!"

" Y-Yes, Takashi is real." Himawari said shyly.

" Takashi, huh? Nice name. Is he handsome?" The girl asked before noticing how red the heiress' face was. " I'll take that as a yes! What's he like?"

" He's nice…and quiet."

" Quiet?"

" He's usually quite stoic."

" So he's handsome and silent type."

" I guess."

" Is he strong too?"

" Why are you so interested in this?"

" Only because you're such an enigma, Haga-san." The girl laughed. " You're an heiress but you don't act like most of the ones in the school…especially not Kameko."

Himawari shifted uncomfortably at the mention of her stepsister.

" Kameko is just high-spirited."

" She's a bitch." The girl said causing Himawari's eyes to widen. " Sorry, but it's true. She walks around as she owns the place and treats everyone else like dung."

" She-"

" Is horrible. Don't even try to deny it." The girl said.

" …what's your name?" Himawari asked.

" Himari." The girl said grinning over at her.

" ...a word of advice…you should be careful who you say these kinds of things to." Himawari said nervously. " You never know who might overhear it."

" Are you ok, Haga-san?"

Himawari was about to respond when the door to the clubhouse opened and she saw a handsome young man with pale-blond hair and violet colored eyes enter.

" Can I help you?" Himari asked taking in the boy's attire. Why is someone from Ouran High here?

" I am looking for Haga, Himawari." The boy said causing Himawari to pause. " I was told she was here."

" Can I ask why you need to see her?" Himari asked as she stood, arms crossed in front of her.

" I am a friend of her fiancee."

" Fiancee?" Himari said in surprise.

" You are a friend of Takashi?" Himawari said as she stood.

" Haga-san! You don't just willingly accept that someone knows someone you do!" Himari hissed. " What if he is some creepy pervert trying lure you away for some kind of unspeakable act!"

" I think you watch to many tv dramas." Himawari said awkwardly.

" Well, fear not dear lady, I am not here to cause Haga-san any harm." The boy said placing a hand respectfully over his heart.

" Why would a friend of Takashi's want to see me?" Himawari asked.

" I just wanted to personally give you my thanks for the delightful tea you provided me during my ailment."

" Y-You are Suoh, Tamaki!" Himawari said blinking in surprise.

The President of the Ouran High Host Club had come to thank her in person for a simple batch of tea.

Not only was he the president of Takashi's club but he was the son of the Chairman of Ouran Academy's Board of Directors.

Surely he had more important things to do than to see her about some tea.

" I am and you must be the lovely Haga-san." He said flashing her a charming smile. He took her hand into his own and lightly placed a polite kiss onto her knuckles. " Might I say that now I understand why Mori-senpai has kept you a secret for so long. A beauty such as yourself should be treasured by those who care for you."

" You didn't need to come all this way for something like that, Suoh-san." Waving aside his flattery and getting straight to the point.

Most girls would have fallen head over heals for his honeyed words but Tamaki wasn't her type.

" There is no need for you to be so formal, you may call me Tamaki!"

" Tamaki-san…is there another reason you came all this way?" Himawari asked.

" Alas you are right, Haga-san. I am not here simply to provide my deepest appreciation for your expertise in herbalism." Tamaki said, his award winning smile growing larger. " Not for anything nefarious, if that is what you think." He chuckled lightly before reaching into his pocket. " I

came to bring you this."

She frowned as he handed her a small elegantly designed invitation.

" What is this for?" Himawari asked curiously.

" Why, it's an invitation to the Ouran High's upcoming ball of course!" Tamaki chuckled before catching her suspicious gaze. " Oh no, I wouldn't be your escort, Haga-san! Not that I wouldn't be honored! I was thinking it would be nice for you and Mori-senpai to spend some time together outside of your supervised visits."

Himawari's face went scarlet from embarrassment.

Had Takashi told him that they weren't allowed to be alone together?

She couldn't be more embarrassed.

" Don't torment the dear nymph, you foul beast!"

Himawari groaned at the familiar sound of Benio.

" You!" Tamaki gapped in disbelief as theZuka Club entered the greenhouse.

" How dare you corrupt the air my beautiful nymph breathes with your foul presence!" Benio snapped as she stormed towards the group. " Do not worry, fair Kore! I have come to rescue you from this foul creature."

" I appreciate the offer Amakusa-san, however, I don't require rescuing. Suoh-san and I were simply discussing a business arrangement." Himawari lied with such ease that Tamaki was shocked.

" If you would follow me Suoh-san, we can discuss this matter further." She continued flashing him a charming smile that could rival his own.

" Please do not go with such a cur, lovely Kore." Benio said snatching Himawari's arm as she passed.

" Thank you for your concern, Amakusa-san. However, there is nothing to worry about." Himawari said before Tamaki escorted her from the greenhouse, leaving both a confused Himari and Zuka Club behind.

" I must say Haga-san, that was impressive." Tamaki said causing her to shift uncomfortably.

" I wouldn't say so, I'm a terrible liar." She said shyly.

" I wouldn't say you lied per-say, I would very much like to discuss purchasing more products that your company makes. The tea that you blended for both the club and myself was excellent. The guests enjoyed it immensely as well."

" They enjoyed it?"

" Yes, your blend masters are clearly experts in their fields. I compliment their skills."

Himawari's face reddened at his words.

In truth, she had crafted the blends herself. She felt her heart soar at the thought that the Host Club's guests enjoyed the teas.

Maybe she wasn't as inept as Yoru and Kameko say she is.

" So would you consider gracing us with your presence at our ball?"

" I'm not sure Takashi would want me there to bother him while he's performing club activities."

" Forgive me but, I believe Mori-senpai would love to see you there, Dear Cinderella."

" You met with Hime-chan, Tama-chan?" Honey asked nervously.

" Yes, I wanted to personally thank her for the tea she made for me while I was ill." Tamaki said calmly. " Even though I had returned to school I still wasn't feeling one hundred percent yet."

" I bet Hime-chan was surprised to see you."

" Not as surprised as we both were when the Zuka Club arrived."

" WHAT!" Honey gaped, his brown eyes wide in shock.

" It would appear that Benibara and her friends are as obsessed with Haga-san as they are with Haruhi." Tamaki sighed, two fingers pressed to his brow.

" Takashi, did you know about this?" Honey asked his cousin who nodded lightly.

" Benio was bothering Hima when I picked her up from school a few weeks ago."

" Why would the Zuka Club be interested in Haga-san?" Kaoru asked looking up from his book.

" It could be that Haga-san, much like Haruhi, isn't someone who falls for idolatry." Kyoya said calmly.

" Hime-chan is also very innocent! She isn't very worldly, she was sheltered a lot." Honey said matter of factly.

" Much like Haruhi." Hikaru said causing the girl to glare at him.

" That must be why the Benio is obsessed with the two of them."

" Hime-chan did lose her mom too." Honey said quietly causing Mori to send him a very rare annoyed look.

" Mitsukuni!"

" She did?" Haruhi asked causing the blonde to shift his eyes back and forth between her and his cousin.

" Yes." Mori finally said. " Ayame-san died in a car accident when we were young."

Haruhi looked down at the book she was holding, suddenly feeling a kinship to a girl she had only spoken with twice.

" After Ayame-san passed, Hime-chan began trying to take care of Inei-san health. Inei-san felt bad that Hime-chan was taking on an adult responsibility and a few years later married Yoru. He had hoped Hime-chan could return to being a kid but it didn't turn out that way."

" And Yoru seems to have manipulated a grieving family for her own gain." Kyoya said calmly.

It almost sounds like he approves of those tactics. Haruhi thought.

" Either way, Haga-san skillfully deflected Benio's advances and we were able to escape without incident." Tamaki said diverting the conversation back to their earlier topic.

" Hime-chan is smarter than Yoru or Kameko give her credit." Honey said proudly.

" I even managed to broker a deal with her to supply us with the tea her father's company blends." Tamaki said cheerily.

" You know Tama-chan, that tea she brought for us wasn't blended by the company."

" It wasn't?"

" Hima blended it herself." Mori said in a slightly proud tone.

" Well that shows just how exceptional she is! Mori-senpai, you truly have an amazing fiancé."

I know. Mori thought proudly taking a sip of tea.

" So I heard an interesting rumor about my stupid stepsister." Kameko said as she lounged on the fainting couch in her mother's room.

" What is it?" Yoru said in a bored tone, skimming through her quarterly reports.

" It turns out that she was visited by none other than the Suoh heir."

" You mean the Suoh bastard." Yoru said calmly. " I heard that the boy is merely the illegitimate spawn of the Ouran Chairman and a foreign slut. All he is is an embarrassment to a noble house."

" I heard that Himawari was caught alone with him in a greenhouse." Kameko said as she pulled out her phone. " She was apparently quite cozied up with him too."

" That stupid cow." Yoru snapped before pressing a button beside her chair on the wall.

" Yes Madam." Shion said in disgust, entering the room a few minutes later.

" Have you been keeping an eye on Himawari?" Yoru asked calmly.

" When the young miss is home I have eyes on her at all times." Shion said in irritation.

The question was more than offensive.

Shion prided herself on maintaining the best surveillance in-regards to her young mistress. She knew every breath the girl took, whether she decided to report it to the current Lady of the House or not.

" Did you know she was entertaining the Suoh boy?"

Of course Shion knew.

The Garden Club President, Himari, was one of the sets of eyes she had on the girl.

Shion knew that Himawari couldn't ignore a fellow botanist in need. The girl needed friends and the old house keeper knew that Himari would be a good influence of her young mistress.

" No Madam." Shion said firmly. " As I said previously, unless it happens on the Haga estate, I do not know."

" Useless hag." Kameko sighed not bothering to look up from her phone.

" May I ask what does it matter if the Suoh boy met with the young miss? She is the fiancé of one of his club members. Perhaps it was innocent."

" Are you as senile as you are ugly?" Yoru sneered.

" It would appear so." Kameko chuckled.

" Whatever Himawari is up to needs to end. I will not have her ruining all my hard work!" Yoru growled.

" Of course, Madam."