Springtime best suited Ouran Academy. The cherry blossoms planted across campus brought out the pink marble accents in the palacial school, and the gardens rivaled those of any nationally renowned attractions. The students appreciated the beauty of their school grounds, dedicating afternoons to strolls under the pink covered branches or picnics on the soft grass. The Host Club saw it as a special opportunity to collaborate with the Gardening and Ikebana Clubs to create a unique experience for their guests.
As usual, Hanako conducted her inspections of the hosts before opening the gates to the garden for their guests. The girls spilled in and seated themselves at the tables Hanako had set up, admiring the decorations that celebrated the school's favorite season. They had received the final tea sets from Suzushima, and as soon as their party concluded, the club had started planning their next event. A combination of traditional and western wear, traditional flower arrangements and western bouquets, and a collection of teas and tea sets from across the world. Hana found herself enjoying the atmosphere in the gardens far more than their Balinese retreat or their evening soiree.
The jarring clatter of a porcelain caused Hana to whip around in search of the noise. She wilted when she saw Hikaru take his brother's finger into his mouth carefully, "Honestly, Kaoru you have to be more careful. From now on, keep your eyes on me, okay?"
"Yes, Hikaru," Kaoru answered with equal melodrama. Hana sighed and watched as their guests blushed at the unfolding scene before them.
"That's disgusting," a gruff voice sounded from along the fence. Hana groaned and turned to the security member who regarded the twins with open disdain. The outside venue had forced her to rely more on the school's security team in order to meet the school's expectations for safety.
"They really pay money for that?" another guard questioned scathingly.
"It's kind of impressive, though," one more voiced. "None of you guys can tell me you had that many girls chasing after you when you were their age."
"And what part of this conversation would you call professional?" Hanako demanded of them, rising over the three gossipping guards like a shadow in the afternoon. "Get back to work." They scattered off to different quadrants of the garden. She stood on the fringes of the event and seethed. The twins' routine was the most eccentric, but they drew in customers consistently. Most of the students could separate the act from the reality. Still, there were comments floating around that kept Hana on her toes, determined to protect the hosts in the safe bubble that they've created around themselves.
"Hanako, would you take these orders, please," Kyoya called to her, photo books in hand as he successfully pitched the new products to their guests. Hanako approached with the clipboard and took down the names and orders of the girls who had been admiring the twins' display.
"Well, now we know how the club makes extra money," the brothers deadpanned together, leaning over Hana's shoulders and glancing at the order forms.
"But I have to wonder…"
"When did he take pictures of us?" They sandwiched Hanako between them, fixing her with suspicious, accusatory looks.
"You wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you, Hana?" Kaoru questioned, leaning down into the binder in search of evidence.
Hanako snapped the folder closed and tucked it under her arm, smiling at the twins with exaggerated innocence, "I'm afraid that I can't reveal any of that information."
"Hana-chan!" Honey's delighted voice sang out loudly from the pond. Hanako turned and saw the short host waving at her from the red blanket, "Can you come over here, please?"
She walked across the garden and stood at the edge of the fabric laid out on the grass, "What is it, Honey-sama? Do you need more matcha?"
The blonde shot up and grabbed her hand, gazing up with large pleading eyes, "Can you do a tea ceremony for us?" Before she could answer, he turned to the girls sitting with him and continued, "Hana-chan's grandparents are traditionalists, and her mom taught her everything they taught her even though she was raised in the city! She's really good at it!"
Hana glanced at Mori who was as still as marble as Honey peered up at her imploringly. She glanced at the girls who were sitting on the crimson fabric and then at Kyoya who was too busy selling photo books to the guests to bail her out. "Actually," Haruhi spoke up, "if you have time, senpai, I think it'd be really cool to have a traditional tea ceremony."
"Yes, Negida," the girls chirped in support of Haruhi, "we'd love to watch!"
Hana looked back at Honey, who still hadn't put away his puppy dog eyes, and she sighed, "Alright, but I'm not dressed for it."
"Yay!" Honey yelled in excitement and sat himself beside Takashi, allowing Hana to take his place. She kneeled at the edge of the blanket and straightened her back as she positioned herself properly.
The small crowd grew as Hanako performed each motion, attentively folding the cloth in her hands before pouring water into the chawan and cleaning. Her impassive expression seemed to soften as she attended to the task at hand. Every motion was meaningful and curated, and the beautiful girl looked like she belonged on the cover of a magazine with the serenity that she exuded. Haruhi watched with rapt attention as Hana began to whisk the tea, the breeze picking up her long dark hair. The host realized that she had never seen Hanako so in place as she was kneeling in the garden with the cherry blossoms and the pond behind her. There was always something for Hanako to do in the Host Club, and Haruhi had noticed that she turned down Honey every time he asked her to sit with them.
Hana placed the chawan on the blanket before Honey, and she waited for her senior to finish the tea before she relaxed. The guests who had approached their spread to observe Hana prepare the tea clapped lightly.
"That was so relaxing, Negida," one of the girls praised her.
Hanako flashed an award winning smile at the crowd, "Thank you, ladies. If you'd like more tea, please just let me know. We're providing specialty brews at an additional price." Haruhi toppled over at Hanako's efforts to sell more products for the host club, and the eagerness with which the other girls bought into her pitch. Sighing, the female host got to her feet and walked away, wondering what it was about Kyoya and Hana that made them see a business opportunity in everything.
"Hana-chan, here, try this now!" Honey cried out, thrusting a small plate of traditional sweets at Hana's face.
Hana drew back from the eager older club member and stood up, leaving him pouting on the blanket and displaying the desserts for her pitifully. She sighed and gave him a half-smile, "I have to get back to work, Honey-sama." She made a route through the tables, picking up all of the finished dishes and depositing them on a cart that the staff would wheel up to the kitchen for cleaning. Leaving the cart, she located Kyoya under the cherry blossoms and joined him.
"I see Honey-senpai convinced you to make tea for him," the Ootori son commented, writing notes down in the clipboard. "You've been particularly busy today, Hanako. You even doubled the number orders for photo books, and I see Tamaki's been completely booked for the entirety of this next week." His knowing gaze landed on her, and she turned her nose up haughtily in response.
"The guests have been eager to spend more time with him since the party," she lied lightly. So, maybe she had advertised Tamaki's schedule more to their guests than usual, but it kept him busy. It certainly didn't hurt that it raked in some more funds while giving him something to do. Besides, Tamaki enjoyed having a full schedule. The hosts didn't see their activities as a chore or as work because, frankly, on their end, it wasn't.
Speaking of the blonde, Hana saw him standing across from Haruhi, striking poses under the trees just as the twins danced up to Haruhi and corralled her between them. She sighed and said to Kyoya, "The twins were wondering about those photo books, by the way. Did you know that they think you're getting pictures in some shady way?"
"They should know that they allowed candid photography when they signed the club waiver," Kyoya answered without missing a beat. "By the way, get in touch with the photography club. Other than those cover photos, we don't have any good quality pictures of our hosts in action."
"Of course, Kyoya-sama," she made a mental note to pursue that after they wrapped up their garden viewing and she finalized the security plan for the physical exams coming up. It was a busy month for Hana and Kyoya. The two of them always developed plans for the host club together, spending hours every night creating a basis for the next host club event and working on their own individual projects independent of the host club. Between the party, the reception, and the physical exam alone, Hanako was swamped with security related responsibilities.
"Say, Mommy, dear?" Tamaki's meek call for Kyoya summoned the dark haired host to manage his best friend's plight. Hana just sighed and watched from a distance as Tamaki lamented at the roots of a cherry tree. Turning her attention away from the other second year students, she observed the first year trio as the twins lounged around Haruhi's shoulders and discussed taking courses with her.
"Tamaki," Kyoya responded after hearing their king theorize about his lack of time spent with Haruhi, "you just now realized that?" Hana pushed out a white board with a pie chart that Kyoya had drafted for this precise conversation. Stepping aside, she followed Kyoya's brief presentation and looked back at the twins with Haruhi. Kaoru and Hikaru were pointing out classes on the list of electives and trying to convince Haruhi to choose one that they both liked. Watching the younger boys with the new girl gave Hana a feeling of relief and satisfaction as she took in the sight of Hikaru's easy smile and Kaoru's eyes alight with happiness.
"Ah!" Tamaki wailed, causing Hana to glance back at the host, "I don't wanna hear it! I don't wanna hear it!" Their club president snatched Haruhi away from the twins and pulled her in by the shoulders to look her dead in the eyes. "Listen Haruhi, I want you to stop hanging out with those shady twins from now on!"
"Who're you calling shady?" Hikaru demanded.
"Yeah, take a good look at yourself, boss!" Kaoru protested. As Tamaki stumbled back from Haruhi, the twins pivoted to pout on either side of Hanako with mirrored expressions of displeasure.
"Oh, Hana," Kaoru said, dropping his indignance as he remembered something, "Mom wants you to come over for dinner on Saturday."
"She won't take no for an answer," Hikaru added, "so make sure you can get out of working for an hour."
Hana thoughtfully considered her schedule for the week and Kyoya's, not wanting to cause Kyoya any inconvenience by making plans that conflicted with his evening. Satisfied that his Saturday evening was free, she nodded and closed the folding clipboard, saying, "I'll be there. Could you have a car sent to pick me up from the Ootori estate?"
"Yeah, no problem," Hikaru shrugged.
"So do it!" Tamaki wailed, drawing the trio's attention from the sidelines of Tamaki's outburst. "Change back, now! Change, right now!"
"You don't have to rush things," Hikaru voiced as Hana stepped away from the twins and rejoined Kyoya's side. "She's going to be found out soon enough."
"Physical exams are the day after tomorrow," Kaoru elaborated.
"Physical exams?" Haruhi repeated. Hanako groaned as she realized that there had been something that slipped her mind during the planning. In all the fuss about collaborating with the school security team again, and taking charge of the school's security for this event, Hanako had completely forgotten about hiding Haruhi's gender.
"That's right, I forgot all about it," Kyoya said casually, unbothered by the implications of the upcoming examination. They had gathered around Haruhi, staring at her as they recalled that she was, in fact, a girl.
"Then that means," Haruhi mused, "there's no doubt, they're gonna know I'm really a girl." The hosts gasped in horror at the thought, and Hanako sighed, resigning herself to another inevitable job to complete last minute.
"I'm going to have dinner at the twins' house on Saturday," she told Kyoya while he wrote in the clipboard, stepping away from the other hosts who were still recovering from the shock that ran through the group.
"Oh? It's been a while since you last joined them," he responded. "I'm sure the staff could manage for a couple of hours without you." Finally, he finished writing and tucked the clipboard under his arm, giving Hanako his full attention. "So, how much longer are you going to continue avoiding Tamaki?" His knowing gray eyes regarded her patiently. She wasn't subtle. Ever since the party, she was always conveniently across the room from Tamaki, she managed to double their photo book sales during the reception by busying herself with all the guests who weren't near Tamaki, and she had booked Tamaki's schedule completely full to keep him occupied. Kyoya figured that Tamaki and Haruhi were the only ones in the club who didn't notice, and it was only because Tamaki was an absolute idiot and Haruhi didn't know Hana well enough yet to recognize how she threw herself into her work when she wanted to avoid someone.
Hana frowned and gave up her poor attempts to cover up her displeasure with Tamaki, "Well, all of you should have known better than to interfere with people's personal lives like that." Annoyed, she left him to finish cleaning up the garden party. She had never been good at disguising when she had a problem with the people around her, and Kyoya had always been good at discerning how she was feeling at any given moment. She didn't get them, sometimes, especially Tamaki. Their eccentric leader knew exactly why she didn't want them to get involved with Suzushima and Kasugazaki, but he still went ahead and did it anyway, dragging the entire host club into the scheme. Maybe her response was petty, but after all that, she felt entitled to her rotten mood.
She heard girls giggling nearby and glanced over her shoulder, seeing a couple of stragglers who hadn't yet left the reception despite the event officially reaching its end. As she cleared off the round tables that they set up earlier that afternoon, she heard the two girls giggling and whispering. Although she wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying, she had a feeling in her gut that told her she knew exactly what the topic of their conversation was. She could feel their eyes on her as she piled up the dishes from the tables onto a cart.
"Excuse me, ladies," Honey's childish interruption put an end to the whisper, "we're really glad you were able to come join us today."
"It was such a good afternoon, Honey." His cheerful attitude ensnared them immediately, and they were putty in his cute gaze.
"It's been a really long day, and it's almost my nap time," he said with a pronounced pout and watery eyes. "If it's not too much trouble, can you two please go to one of the other gardens so we can finish cleaning up?" The girls fussed over him immediately and hurried out the gate, wishing him a good nap and promising to see him soon. Once they were gone, Hana felt herself relax without the scrutiny.
"Are you okay?" Mitsukuni looked up at her with concern, all traces of drowsiness gone from his face.
Hana smiled warmly at him, "I am. Thank you." She started to push the last cart full of porcelain back for the staff members to move everything up to the music room, and Honey tagged along with her, walking beside the cart.
"I know you're still mad at Tama-chan," he said to her as they walked through the garden. "I hope you make up soon."
Hana sighed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to stay mad at Tamaki forever. It wasn't like she was going to hold a grudge against him or anything. He had upset her, and she just wanted some time to get over the blatant disrespect that Tamaki had shown for her feelings and opinions. "He doesn't have the right to tamper with people's lives," she confided her frustrations in the older club member.
Honey accepted what she said thoughtfully, processing her frustration and displeasure with Tamaki carefully. He regarded Hanako with equal care, noticing that she looked a little bit more worn out than usual. She was still beautiful, though, beautiful in the same way that the hosts were objectively exceptional in appearance. More importantly, there was a peace around her that reminded Mitsukuni why the host club existed in the first place. "If anyone's going to be interfering with our personal lives," he said certainly, "I'm glad that it's someone like Tama-chan."
She thought about that promise he had made to them when he started the host club, and she admitted to herself that she agreed with Honey. Tamaki didn't have a bad intentioned bone in his body. There was something about him that endeared him to strangers, as if the boy saw everything through rose tinted lenses. Nevertheless, high school wasn't just a playground for them to pretend that their lives were ruled by entertainment and whimsy. There were real consequences to their actions.
Hanako wiped down her hands on a clean napkin and left the cart with the others, ready to rejoin Kyoya and go home now that they've finished as much of the cleaning as the club was responsible for. "We're all set here. I'll see you later, Honey-sama," she said to him, walking towards the gate.
"He's still sad about it, too," Mitsukuni blurted out behind her, halting her in her steps. He wasn't talking about Tamaki anymore. Her mind raced, looking for a response to what he had just said and failing to find any string of words that could encompass what she felt. Hanako looked over her shoulder at the host who was standing a few paces behind her, a sad look on his face as he watched her flounder for the words. Finally, she gave up and walked away.
The next day, the hosts and Hana stared at Tamaki as he daydreamed next to the window. She still hadn't spoken to him, but the spectacle of their president seated with that unnerving expression on his face had been waiting for each of them when they arrived at the club. They couldn't help but gather around and wonder what he had going through his head.
"He must be having a great day dream!" Honey commented.
"He's kind of creeping me out," Hikaru admitted.
"Envious, Hikaru?" Tamaki suddenly rejoined them in the real world. "This is all part of my strategy. While you've wasted time blinded by your jealousy, I've foreseen the outcome of this charade." Sighing, Tamaki turned away from them, "This fanfiction is obviously a romantic school comedy. Haruhi and I are the main characters so that means we are love interests."
"Yeah, then what are we?" the twins questioned in unison.
Tamaki whipped around and pointed at the club, "You boys are the homosexual supporting cast!"
"And what about Hanako?" the twins pointed back at the girl standing behind them between an unamused Kyoya and a bored looking Mori.
"Obviously she's the supporting best friend character," Tamaki declared, retrieving a stick from the kitchen.
"I'm not actually that close to Haruhi," Hanako commented as Tamaki started to draw a line between himself and the rest of the club.
"I don't think he can hear you, Hana," Kyoya replied, Tamaki's love induced daze still clouding his brain.
"So, please make sure that you don't step across this line." The fantasy around Tamaki seemed to manifest around them with hearts floating around him.
The hosts were baffled enough with Tamaki's stranger than usual behavior and couldn't even begin to analyze the strange distinctions he was making. "You've got to be kidding," the twins voiced incredulously.
"Hey, listen boss," Hikaru finally spoke up in a more serious tone.
"I don't think you get it," Kaoru added.
"If word gets out that Haru-chan is really a girl," Honey explained, "then she won't be able to be in the Host Club anymore." The color drained from Tamaki's entire body as he heard.
"Actually, we don't have any rules against girls being part of the club," Hanako pointed out, reminding them that she was a full member of the club. "She just wouldn't be able to participate as a host, and she'd probably be expected to wear the girls' uniform."
"But if Haru-chan started wearing girls' clothes, I bet she'd be even cuter than she is now!" Honey cheered.
"She dressed like a regular girl when she was in middle school, right?" Hikaru wondered. "She must have been pretty popular with all the boys."
Kyoya flipped through the student notes in his clipboard and nodded, "Yeah. According to my investigative report, someone would declare their undying love to her at least once a month."
"Oh, I see," Kaoru responded. "So the boss wouldn't even be able to get close to her."
"But we'd be able to because we're in class with her all day long."
Tamaki twitched at the conversation, oblivious to the fact that Kyoya and the twins were just trying to get a rise out of him. "No way," Tamaki's corpse-like state had somehow depressed even further to a teary-eyed mess. Hana shook her head and poked the twins in the side for their teasing.
"Hey!" Hikaru yelped and frowned, pointing at Kyoya, "Why doesn't he get one?"
"As her employer, I'm safe from punishment," Kyoya replied coolly.
The main door opened, and Haruhi stuck her head in, "Hey guys, sorry I'm so late." Tamaki rushed to the door so quickly that he created a breeze behind him.
"Don't you worry, Haruhi. We're determined to keep your secret. No one will find that you're really a girl during tomorrow's physical exams. So please, promise you'll stay our beloved secret princess!"
"There he goes handing out promises like candy," Hanako sighed.
"Oh, I don't know. He hasn't let us down yet," Kyoya replied easily.
"You know what," Hikaru spoke up. "I think both of us would be a little peeved if we had to watch all the guys flirt with her."
"Then that settles it," Kaoru agreed, and the twins ran to the back room to pull out the white board. Tamaki scribbled onto the board with a marker, creating something that almost looked like a game plan.
"Listen up, squad members," Tamaki called the club to attention, and the boys rallied together in front of him.
Hana and Haruhi stood to the side watching with exasperation and curiosity respectively. "You don't really care about anyone finding out that you're a girl, do you?" Hanako asked the younger girl for what could have been the second or third time since she joined the club.
"Not really," she admitted to her senior. "Do you know what they're getting so worked up about?"
Hana read the board that Tamaki had created with its ridiculous title and less than useful organization, and she wondered if this was what she looked like when she was briefing her own officers before an assignment. "I have a couple ideas," she smiled secretively at Haruhi, who looked back at the board with wide, questioning eyes.
"I've got it," Haruhi said, tapping her fist to her open palm. "You guys are worried 'cause if they find out I'm a girl, I can't be a host and therefore can't repay my debt."
"I think we're the only ones who were even thinking about that," Hanako said to Kyoya as Haruhi started to mutter to herself.
"Regardless of the outcome, Haruhi could keep helping you with the inventory and clean up," Kyoya acknowledged. "I'm not concerned."
"Are you saying that you hate being a host?" Tamaki demanded of Haruhi. "That you hate this club?"
"To be honest," Haruhi answered, "well, I'd have to say yes." Her careless admission sent Tamaki into a corner of the room to mope. Their new club member quickly doubled back and shrugged, "I mean, you guys aren't bad, but if it gets out I'm a girl, there's nothing I can do, you know?"
"She doesn't seem to care one way or the other," the twins noted.
"Well, before we do anything else, we have to find a way to motivate her," Kaoru decided.
"Fancy tuna," Mori said without missing a beat. Haruhi gasped, and the hosts were struck by the silent giant's genius.
"Oh, that's right," Tamaki perked up in his corner, "you didn't get to eat any during last chapter's party, did you?"
"Did you hear that?" Hikaru whispered conspiratorially with his brother. "She's never eaten fancy tuna before. Isn't that awful?"
"Wow! Talk about a difficult childhood."
"If only Haru-chan could stay in the host club, she'd have the chance to eat all kinds of yummy things whenever she wants," Honey said to Usa-chan.
"You know, it really was a waste that we had to throw out all of that deluxe sushi," Hanako added, looking over Kyoya's shoulder and reading the cost reports from the party.
"What are you talking about?" Haruhi asked in a strained voice, "Don't be silly. Just cause I'm poor and I've never had it doesn't mean that I'm so much of a glutton I'd go on fooling everyone about my gender just to try some fancy tuna." She protested, but the more Haruhi talked, the more the hosts knew they had her. She laughed nervously, and finally gave up. "Am I really going to get to try it?"
Just like that they had something new to hold over Haruhi's head whenever they wanted her to go along with their schemes. As the boys cheered and celebrated their victory over Haruhi, Hanako and Kyoya broke away from the others to plan something less ridiculous than whatever Tamaki would inevitably whip up.
"Despite all your protests against our plotting last chapter, uou don't seem to have any qualms about their determination to hide Haruhi's gender," he remarked.
"This is a completely different situation," she pointed out. "It's not like we're manipulating anyone's feelings and future endeavors this time." It was a far more selfish end this time, but that was more acceptable than getting involved with someone else's business that genuinely had little to nothing to do with the club.
"What's your opinion on Haruhi's presence in the host club?" he asked her in the same way he asked her for any reports she may have conducted on his behalf or investigations she had done for him.
"I like her company," Hanako answered honestly. Ever since Haruhi joined the club, the hosts had been more lively than Hana had seen them in a while, and she enjoyed talking with the younger girl. Haruhi treated her like any other person, and she didn't buy into any gossip that was flying around the school. Hana admired Haruhi's strong character, and it didn't hurt that she had a good work ethic. "She's a lot of help around the club. It's nice having someone else who can do the dirty work around here."
She actually really liked having Haruhi around. It wasn't just good having another girl in the club who didn't fawn over the club members. Haruhi was a good influence on the host club. She was down to earth and realistic, and she wasn't bound by the rules of their elitist society. She said what she meant and took care of herself.
"I just want to make sure that the club isn't keeping her around for personal entertainment," Hanako added meaningfully as she took in the view of the club room, with Tamaki, the twins, and Honey fighting over each other for Haruhi's attention. They were good boys. Nobody knew that better than Hana, but they were still spoiled and selfish in their own ways. Haruhi was a novelty that interested them, and Hanako didn't want to see her get hurt by their double-edged lifestyle.
"Have a separate room set up for Haruhi tomorrow," Kyoya instructed her. "Tamaki's half-assed plan isn't going to work, so we better be one step ahead of them." Hanako watched her employer thoughtfully. He was writing in their files, again, but there was a softness to his expression and just a shadow of a smile on his face. She smiled, recognizing that he was enjoying the change in their routine, the offbeat shenanigans that were starting to become commonplace.
The Ootori Group worked very closely with Ouran Academy during the physical exams. The only doctors who were allowed to participate were employed by Kyoya's family, and the Black Onion was entrusted with the security for the day. It was a much simpler plan than what was required for the party. Instead of three distinct types of security guards, this event only required the school's team and the officers supplied by the Black Onion. Every doctor and nurse had to show an Ootori Medical ID card, and each approved entrance to the building would have four guards.
The students all saw the physical exams as an excuse to get out of classes, have a little bit of a confidence boost, and sneak a peak at the hosts while they undressed. Simply put, it was a farce designed to satisfy the national requirements that added to Hanako's pre-existing stress for no good reason. Instead of joining the other students for the physical exams, she would man the main door with three other guards, clipboard in hand and hair pulled up into a sleek pony tail. For her, getting out of class early meant that there was more important work to be done.
The monotonous task of checking the list of approved physicians and support staff seemed less daunting for Hanako than for the other members of her team. After the first fifty people arrived, the guards had grown bored and tired of the repetition.
"You're like a machine, Negida," one of the other guards chuckled after she checked off another name on her list.
"This is nothing compared to receiving guests for the club," she admitted. The doctors were ordered, respectful, and patient. The usual guests that Hana was used to were rowdy, hormonal teenage girls who couldn't grasp the concept of a single file line. Last year, the physical exams had gone smoothly. Tachibana had taken up a supportive role for her when she first accepted the responsibility, and he had shown her exactly how her father conducted security for school events. She was expecting an easy day, but she kept their guard up, nonetheless. It was understood, generally, that Ouran was off-limits to foul play. Still, there were blacklisted former employees, greedy commoners, and disgruntled victims of collateral damage who could make the school a target. The days when they opened their doors to strangers were always the most dangerous.
Hana's phone started buzzing in her pocket, and she handed her check in list to the officer next to her before stepping aside to take the call from Kyoya. "Hello?"
"Hanako, I need you to check up on something for me," his smooth voice answered.
"Sure, what is it?"
"You have a list of all the doctors and nurses who were approved to come in today, right?"
Flipping through the pages of the black folio, Hana sounded her confirmation, "Of course. Was there a change?"
"No, nothing like that. I was actually wondering if you could identify someone for me. A man wearing a doctor's white coat just bumped in to me at the first year infirmary, but he doesn't fit the image we try to go with every year. He looked to be in his forties and walked with a bit of a hunch. Is there anyone on the list with an oval shaped face, thin eyebrows, light brown hair, brown eyes, and a straight nose?"
Hana shut the binder without even checking and started to walk back into the the school, knowing that Kyoya's description would match at least a tenth of the doctors who were in the building. Despite his collected demeanor as he spoke, she knew that he was suspicious of the person who he had encountered. Otherwise, he wouldn't have called her. "I'll be right there," she said to him, starting to experience a bad feeling in her gut as she ran to the first year wing.
Her heart felt heavy as she raced down the halls, avoiding carts of medical equipment and crowds of staff members finding their way. Ouran had never experienced a breach in security ever since her father had been named security consultant for the school by the current chairman. If an intruder had gotten into the building, then she would be held responsible even if it wasn't her or one of her officers who had let the stranger into the school. She wouldn't be able to recover if something happened to one of the students. Terror cut through her like a knife when she thought about the possibilities. The boys and Haruhi were in that infirmary.
"This is Negida," she spoke into the radio piece hanging from her ear, "a suspicious character has been spotted in one of the infirmaries in the first year wing. The suspect is a brown haired, brown eyed middle-aged male, walking with a hunch and looking haggard. Keep an eye out for anyone matching this description."
She raced to find the intruder, wishing that she had stayed with the club instead of working at the front doors. They would be safe as long as Honey and Mori were there, but if she didn't catch this suspicious person before word got out about his presence, she'd not only be ruining a perfect record that the Black Onion desperately needed. She would lose credibility as the successor to her parents' security firm.
"Negida-san," one of the officers' voice carried over her headset, "one of the students was grabbed by a doctor in the first year wing. She saw him heading toward the special boys' clinic."
Hanako's heart dropped to her stomach and viciously twisted her gut. She had set up that clinic for Haruhi the previous night after Kyoya requested that she make special arrangements for their friend. "I'm on my way. Omega team, fan out and cover every hallway and stairwell leading to the special boys' clinic. Nobody gets in or out without me knowing. Understand?"
She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, passing a crowd of worried students, faculty, and staff members who had caught word of the pervert doctor. A guard wearing the Black Onion's crest on his lapel approached Hana as she turned the corner, but she didn't stop running. She was just a hallway away, and she could already see the sign above the room.
"We're here, watch out!" Hanako heard the menacing warning as soon as she walked through the doorway. The doctor who she had spoken with over the phone to explain the situation was sitting dumbstruck at her desk at the scene unfolding in the private room.
"Stand down," she ordered the officers over the radio. "I have the intruder in custody."
The curtain that was set up had been thrown open, and when Hanako approached the boys from behind, she saw that the unkempt intruder had been thrown into the wall with considerable force. Taking in the rest of the room, she saw that Haruhi was covered by a large white shirt and holding another one to her chest.
"Please don't hurt me," the intruder cowed. "Spare my life!"
"I see you guys have everything under control," Hanako commented to Kyoya, taking her place beside him as they regarded the pitiful man kneeling before them. Unbidden, the man started to relay his life's story to the students. Hanako wrote down his name and noted the main points of his background for when she made her report later.
"Did he say his name's Yabu?" Hikaru asked.
"That's crazy! What a terrible name for a doctor," Kaoru added.
The twins looked at each other and voiced their shared thought, "Unless you're a quack."
Hanako swatted them both with her pen, shushing them sharply, "I'm trying to take notes here." She scribbled down his marital status and his motivation for trespassing on the school's property.
"I don't mean to pry, but why did your wife leave you?" Haruhi questioned. Hana rolled her eyes as the doctor gave his account of the habits that drove his wife and daughter away.
"And that was it. They left me forever," his sullen claim fell on mostly deaf ears. "I know I'm bad at managing our money and I can't say no to anybody. I don't blame them for being tired of constantly living in debt."
Annoyed, Hanako wondered how the hell a deadbeat like this guy managed to sneak through her security checkpoints. "Once I entered, I was mistaken for a doctor here to examine students," Yabu continued.
"Well, of course, you're wearing a lab coat," Hikaru deadpanned.
"Anyone would mistake you."
"Could you tell me which door you entered through, exactly?" Hanako asked through a smile that looked more like a grimace with her clenched teeth.
"And then it happened," Yabu kept going, ignoring Hanako's questioning and the twins' commentary. "When I tried to ask her about my daughter, the girl started screaming, and before I knew it there were all kinds of people chasing me!" The man wailed, and Tamaki immediately fell to his knees, moved by the story.
"That's so tragic!" the blond cried with him.
The other hosts all looked at Hanako knowingly, and she huffed, "If I'm notified about a suspicious person in the school, I'm going to send my men after them!"
"Doctor Yabu," Kyoya acknowledged the sobbing mess of a man, "I think you may have the wrong place. Are you looking for Ouran Public High School?"
"Yeah, that's right," the pathetic looking man stowed his tears to answer.
"I figured that might be the case. This is Ouran Academy, a private institution. Your daughter doesn't go to school here," Kyoya informed him, causing Yabu's jaw to drop.
"Man, that's pretty sad," Kaoru shook his head in disappointment.
"You don't even know what school your daughter goes to?"
"I bet your relationship is messed up because you don't pay attention to her," Kaoru guessed, "not because of some stupid debt."
Clicking her pen angrily, Hana wondered, again, how this man managed to make it past her guards. "Wow, Kyo-chan!" Honey exclaimed, "I'm impressed that you figured out he had the wrong school."
"Well, there's no way the daughter of such a small-time doctor would ever be able to get into Ouran Academy," he said smugly.
"Kyoya, would you please find a map of all the public schools in this area?" Tamaki asked in all seriousness. "I'd like to help this man find his daughter."
Hanako sighed heavily as Kyoya and Haruhi sounded their surprise at the request. A smile found its way to Kyoya's face, and he smiled at the familiar kindness Tamaki showed to the stranger, "Whatever you say." The young man nodded to Hanako, and she approached the doctor, extending her hand to him.
Surprised and with tears in his eyes, he accepted her outstretched hand, and she pulled him to his feet. "Thank you, so much," he started to say.
Hana's grip tightened, and a whimper escaped the man, "Dr. Yabu, I'm Hanako Negida, the head of security for the Ootori Group. I'm going to need you to come with me while we get that map printed off for you."
Anticipation flashed across the doctor's face at the intimidating girl crushing his hand in hers. The hosts all laughed nervously. "Oh, that's right!" Honey recalled brightly, "Hana-chan's in charge of the security today."
"Yeah, this whole misunderstanding must have caused a big mess for her," Kaoru agreed.
"Don't worry, Dr. Yabu," Kyoya said in a mild tone that was just short of reassuring, "Hanako will get everything taken care of, and you'll be on your way in no time." Yabu gulped audibly as her sharp gaze landed on him again from the doorway, silently insisting that he follow her.
Hanako slammed her hand on the podium as a still of Yabu, taken from security footage, was presented to the security team at the end of the day. A dead silence fell over the crowd as their supervisor's sharp, caramel eyes slid over every single one of them. "Who was responsible for this?" she demanded. "The instruction for today was simple. All we had to do was match the names on the ID cards with the names on the list. Do you have any idea how bad this could have been? Assuming that this man was a licensed Ootori Medical doctor without checking his identification is absolutely unacceptable. So, what happened?"
Her eagle eyed glare caught one of the members of the school's security team fidgeting in his seat as the guard sitting next to him muttered something under his breath. "You, there," she snapped,"speak up."
"It was boring," the haughty guard who was mumbling said more loudly, some embarrassment apparent in his petulant expression. "I mean, really, nothing bad ever happens at these things, and it's redundant to check the list and scan in everyone with an ID."
Hanako's rage seemed to pierce through him like daggers as her glare heated further, "Boring? Do you understand why nothing bad happens at these things? It's because we make sure that everything that comes and goes is safe for the students at Ouran Academy. What if he had been a pervert or a kidnapper or a bomber? Never forget that these are all in the scope of possibility at a place like this. If you think it's so boring to ensure that no harm comes to the students here, maybe it's time you pursued a different line of work. This indiscretion is an example of negligence that is not tolerated at this institution. We ought to treat every possibility as a threat, no matter how unlikely you think it might be. I will submit a report to the chairman and await disciplinary action for all of us as a whole and for those directly responsible. You're dismissed."
Without needing to hear it again, they rose to their feet and slowly drained out of the room. Hanako turned off the screen with Yabu's surprised face on it and caught a few snippets of conversation as the crowd left.
"What a hard ass."
"What did you expect, man?" another officer questioned. "You know what happened to her parents."
"She shouldn't even be giving us orders to begin with. The Black Onion isn't what it used to be."
Hanako gripped her clipboard as she cleaned off the desk that she had been using throughout the day, filing reports of what was going in and out of the school and the lists of medical personnel who attended. She still couldn't wrap her head around it. Every person had been briefed well before they started admitting doctors and nurses into the school. It was the same routine every year, and each member of security had been hand picked by the chairman.
What did she do wrong? Had she not been clear enough when she went over the plan with them? Maybe she should have vetted the school's security team personally, but she would have run the risk of offending the chairman if she assumed her opinion was better than his.
"Hanako," Kyoya called from the doorway. She looked up from the desk and saw him standing against the light filtering in through the windows in the hallway. "Let's go home." Collecting her things, she followed him silently.
She didn't speak on their ride home from the school. She was too busy considering the consequences that the day would have on her progress. The chairman had entrusted the responsibility of the school's safety to her. She had committed the past few years of her life to restoring the Black Onion to its former glory, and she was just shy of accomplishing that goal. She had run the numbers with Kyoya. If she played her cards right, she could be back on top of the security industry by the time she was twenty.
It had just taken one mistake to topple the Negida family. The Black Onion had been labeled as the responsible party, and their reputation was tarnished permanently. Even after all those years of doing everything right, Hanako had never been able to bring back the respect that her family once commanded. They had been equal to the Morinozukas and the Hitachiins. Her mother had been the most well-known woman in all of Japan, and her father had been the man everyone aspired to be.
There wasn't any room for error, now. One little mistake could bring back all the criticism that the Black Onion had received at their lowest. She couldn't let that happen. She had a responsibility to her parents, to her friends, and to her subordinates.
"Stop that," Kyoya's hand over hers brought her out of her darkening thoughts. They were at home, sitting across each other at the coffee table where they always worked every night. Kyoya had changed out of his uniform and into a plain shirt with casual lounge pants. Hanako held a pencil so tightly that it looked like it was going to snap.
She could tell that he knew exactly what she was thinking. His cool, gray eyes regarded her patiently, and when he spoke, his voice was clear and washed over her with an objectivity that assured her more than any empty, supportive words could. "You're being too hard on yourself. Don't beat yourself up over it," he said. "You couldn't have done anything about it. Yabu would have gotten in regardless of who was in charge today."
"Thanks, Kyoya," she said half-heartedly, staring at the report that she had yet to write. His hand squeezed hers briefly before he let go and proceeded to get back to his own work. They spent the rest of the night sitting in silence, Kyoya's gaze occasionally returning to Hanako and reaching across the table to smooth her brow every time he saw the obvious frustration plaguing his companion.
A/N... I'm a bit ahead on my plan for writing this week, so here's another chapter. As always, let me know what you think :) Feel free to drop questions, too. What do you think happened to the Black Onion?
Next time: A family dinner. A normal Saturday ends with a not so normal dinner with the Hitachiins.