It was supposed to be a day off for both of them. For once, Hanako wasn't wearing her suit. Instead, she chose a gold colored silk blouse of Yuzuha's design that wrapped around her torso flatteringly and white pants. She also opted out of her leather lace ups and completed her outfit with rose colored suede flats and two crystal hairpins that held her frontmost section of hair back.
"Haruhi-chan!" her companions sang around her while they waited at the door of Haruhi's apartment. It was fairly early in the morning, and somehow, Hanako ended up agreeing to join Kyoya on another one of Tamaki's poorly conceived weekend excursions to the Fujioka household.
"It's not too late to go home and sleep in," she said to the unenthused young man beside her while their friends continued singing at Haruhi's door.
"As much as I'd like to, I don't think it'd be any use with these idiots." Silently, Hana agreed with him and just leaned back against the railing as the door creaked open. Turning her wrist, she checked the time on a delicate gold watch, hoping that this wasn't going to take very long. Her clubmates froze when Ranka opened the door, bare faced and unenthused by the unexpected guests.
"Sorry, we have the wrong apartment," Tamaki chirruped, hastily leading the way back to the stairs. Hana rolled her eyes and waited in place. Seeing as it was her day off, she could do what she wanted.
"Hey," Ranka called back at them. Haruhi's father passed her on his way to collect the hosts, "hey, wait a second." He herded her friends into the apartment, and Hana stepped into the doorway with them, standing next to Kyoya and in front of Takashi. "Don't act so traumatized 'cause you see me without my makeup on. Even cross-dressers get stubble first thing in the morning, which is more than I can say for any of you."
They waxed. Hana smiled to herself at the private knowledge. It was an indulgence that they all partook in, especially the twins. The only one who didn't have a technician on hand was Takashi, but he opted for a more traditional shaving experience with a professional barber.
Tamaki burst into an awkward laughter, "You're so funny! Aha ha ha. My dear Ranka, I hope this day finds you in excellent health." He offered up the pastry that they intended to gift Haruhi, and Ranka leapt into the air with surprising agility, knocking Tamaki back and claiming the box for himself.
"We have to stop letting him make the first impression," Hana noted to Kyoya as Ranka's foot found its place on Tamaki's prone head.
"You have a point, but I can't say no to his puppy dog eyes." Nonetheless, he maintained his pleasant smile when Ranka greeted them, still grinding Tamaki's face into the floor.
"Ha, ha, silly me. I forgot my manners. Please, forgive my appearance. It's so wonderful to see all of you."
"Is Haru-chan here?" Mitsukuni asked while Ranka peeked into the box.
"I'm afraid not," Ranka informed them. "She's out with the girls today. They picked her up this morning, and you know women. Heaven only knows when they'll be back."
Hikaru and Kaoru shared a look of confusion and glanced over their shoulders to address Hanako, who was thinking about what a waste this morning was turning out to be. "Hey, sis," Kaoru started.
"Why aren't you out with them?" Hikaru finished. Hana shrugged. She and Haruhi had gone on some grocery trips together outside of school, and they even met up for tea once in a while with Renge. That didn't mean that Hana knew all of Haruhi's friends personally. Despite the fact that she kept tabs on all of the people in Haruhi's life.
"Well, I guess Haruhi is entitled to spend time with her old friends from middle school once in a while," Tamaki acknowledged at the front of their group. Hanako reached forward, between the twins and over Mitsukuni's shoulder, to brush away the footprint in Tamaki's blond locks. They made to leave, again, and this time Hanako did follow the boys' lead.
"I can't believe she has friends," the twins said. Actually, Hana couldn't recall Haruhi mentioning any friends from middle school that she really spent time with anymore.
"This is why I was against a surprise visit," Kyoya voiced. It was just more time wasted, and now they had to go all the way back to the house.
"Neither Renge nor I was available for the day," Hana mused thoughtfully. "I can't think of anyone who Haruhi would be out with."
"You know, come to think of it, I'm not sure that I recognized any of her new friends," Ranka agreed with a mouthful of pastry. "But then again, you never can tell, can you? Haruhi always has made friends easily. Just imagine it, my little girl, out and about with students from Lobelia Academy."
The speed with which Tamaki circled back was nothing short of record-breaking, and the twins weren't far behind. The Host Club turned around in horror as soon as they heard. "Did you say…"
"Lo-be-li-aaah?" the club's in-house comedy troupe harmonized, and the three least involved members stood at the back with stale expressions. At, Ranka's confusion, Hana wrapped an arm around Tamaki's neck and leveraged herself up, so that she could see Haruhi's father more clearly.
"It's a long story. May we please come in?"
"Yes, please do," Ranka answered quickly, pleased, as usual, by Hanako's politeness. The hosts entered the Fujioka household in single file, taking their shoes off and remembering their manners as they passed Ranka. Hana's politeness did not extend to paying attention as her friends recounted their first encounter with the Zuka Club during the Ouran Cultural Exposition. Instead, Hanako typed out a message on her phone.
'Is Haruhi with all of you for the festival?' she sent the text to Chizuru from where she was seated behind Hikaru, not really caring if anyone noticed that she wasn't paying attention to the story.
':3' A cat face. Perfect. What was she supposed to make of that? Chizuru may as well have just told her that they had kidnapped Haruhi if she was going to be silly about it. Hana's phone lit up as another message came in, 'Relax.'
Hana's shoulders lifted and sagged with a small sigh. It hardly seemed like a time for any of them to be relaxing. Her intuition told her that there wouldn't be much relaxation on this day off. Another message came through, and Hana read across the screen, 'We just came by and picked Haruhi up. She's perfectly safe.'
That, at least, was reassuring. Chizuru would never lie to her about something like that, and as much as Hanako disliked Benio, she knew that the other girl wouldn't intentionally bring harm to Haruhi. 'Do you really have time for this with rehearsals?' Hana typed out quickly. As an after thought, she added, 'Break a leg.'
The message sent, and then Ranka began to wail, "Aah, oh no!" Hanako looked up from her phone for the first time since they sat down in the living space, and she saw Ranka pulling at his face in despair, "What if the Zuka Club entices Haruhi to do something outrageously scandalous?! Just suppose she's forced to kiss somebody!"
Mildly curious, Hanako wondered if it was commonplace for members of the general public to partake in the theater. She had no idea what Haruhi's experience was with the performance arts, but with the fuss that Ranka was making, maybe they couldn't distinguish between acts of performance and emotionally driven actions? She'd have to ask Aijima's wife about it later. Hana glanced over at Tamaki. Judging by his tomato red coloration, he didn't seem to make the distinction, either.
"As I recall," Hikaru spoke up thoughtfully.
"There was that dance party where…" Kaoru wasn't able to finish his sentence. Tamaki took it upon himself to bind the twins together with white bandages, silencing them effectively.
"Ha, ha, aren't they a laugh?" Tamaki chuckled, but it was too late. Ranka's fatherly suspicion found a target in Tamaki. Uninterested in the hole Tamaki was digging for himself, Hanako just snapped open her purse and retrieved a pair of scissors, snipping the twins free while Ranka and Tamaki butted heads.
"This," she said to nobody in particular, "is not how I wanted to spend my day off."
Tamaki shot to his feet, and Ranka fell to the mat with a thud, "We must rescue Haruhi without delay!" Finally free of their bindings, Hikaru and Kaoru picked off the rest of the tape that hung off their limbs while Tamaki ushered all of them out of the apartment.
"How were you planning to spend you day?" Hikaru asked Hana on their way down the stairs. When the group met up at the Fujioka's house, they hadn't expected Hana to be in her everyday wear, and as far as the twins knew, she didn't have anything on her schedule.
"Yeah, aren't you supposed to be attached to Kyoya twenty-four seven?" Kaoru agreed.
"Today," she informed them, "is the Pink Carnation day at Lobelia's. I wanted to support Chizuru during the show." As much as she disagreed with the way Benio conducted her club, even Hanako had to admit that the Zuka Club put on some of the best performances in Japan. They specialized in traditional arts and in modern performances that appealed to a more global audience. Akina used to take her to watch the performances. A patron of the arts, she was committed to excellence and culture, and Hana shared that interest.
When they came up to the gates of Lobelia Academy, Hanako had settled into a role of an observer. Not too far away from them, she knew, was an entrance for attendees. They were sneaking around the perimeter of the school, and Hana had to admit to some embarrassment. "I could just go in as a guest and retrieve Haruhi," she pointed out to all of them, waving her rose gold clutch to indicate the tickets she brought with her. It was the easiest and least intrusive solution, and it was quickly shot down.
"If my daughter is held captive in there, I'm not going to sit back and do nothing," Ranka argued. "But we have to play it cool. The Zuka Club is ruthless. Once you've become tangled in their web of lies, you could go bankrupt trying to get yourself out again."
Strangely enough, it was true. Hana knew that the Zuka Club was managed by ruthless fans who charged inflated costs on merchandise and withdrawal fees. Even Benio played with the boundaries of decency when she encountered her fans. It was her philosophy that being a woman allowed her more freedom with other women than what was acceptable from a man, and it was a point that Hanako deeply disagreed with. She was surprised, though, by how knowledgable Ranka was on the subject.
"How do you know so much, sir?" Mitsukuni asked for the group.
"Haruhi doesn't really seem like the type that would get involved with their kind," Kyoya remarked.
Hanako prodded his side with her purse, annoyed with his language, "That's not politically correct."
"You're right," Ranka acknowledged, "But neither did Kotoko. She'd always seemed like she was such a strong woman."
"Kotoko?" the twins asked.
"Haruhi's late mother," Kyoya elaborated, pushing his glasses up the way he always did when he was in thought. "Someone she's always looked up to very much and unconsciously attempts to imitate. There may be some connection between her and the infamous Zuka Club." Ranka shared his experience of discovering his wife's guilty pleasure, and as sweet as Ranka's flashback sounded, Hanako considered a different angle. Perhaps Benio's mother and Haruhi's mother had been acquainted, and if that was true, maybe Hauhi had more of a connection to the upper class than they had all initially thought. She'd look into it, eventually. Lobelia had far fewer restrictions on who they opened their gates to than Ouran, and it wasn't out of the ordinary for well-off commoners to attend.
"Do you keep Zuka Club memorabilia?" Kyoya asked Hanako casually. Her train of thought came to a screeching halt, and she shrugged as she considered the conversation that the frenzied hosts started.
"I wouldn't call it memorabilia." She thought about the few pictures she had framed on her dressers of post-performance celebrations with Chizuru. She never paid for anything, and she did keep the playbills from notable performances. For example, the one from Chizuru's first solo. "I have more keepsakes from Host Club events."
"That's even worse!" Tamaki and the twins exclaimed after sharing some sort of daydream, and Hana and Kyoya looked up as they realized that they hadn't been keeping with the group's conversation.
"Kyoya, order us some Lobelia uniforms right now!" Tamaki demanded. "We're going under cover!"
"Overruled!" Ranka cut in. Haruhi's father developed a favor of kicking Tamaki out of the way, and it was becoming his preferred method of silencing the overactive host. Admittedly, it worked. Hana checked her watch again, and she noted with some disappointment that the hours of the morning were bleeding away faster than she expected. At this rate, she wouldn't be able to pick up the flowers she ordered from that florist Chizuru liked. "Now listen up. To infiltrate Lobelia, you'll have to do exactly as I tell you. Exactly."
{OR}
"Am I getting paid for this?" Hana asked of Kyoya as they perused a merchandise stand just within the gates of the school. As the only two with actual tickets to the event, and seeing as Hana was the only girl in their company, they were sent in to purchase merchandise for their friends to wear as disguises.
"Well, I told you that you could spend your day off however you wanted," he reminded her, holding a shirt up to his chest as an estimation of Ranka's size.
"As long as I don't miss the show, this is all fine."
"You know that it's alright to split off. I could keep an eye on them and make sure they don't ruin the festival." He handed his card to the sales clerk, and Hanako took the bags of merchandise from the vendor. Kyoya had known that she was looking forward to the event, and it would have been remiss to have any confidence in their friends.
"I know," she acknowledged as they made their way back to the others. "I'm trying to avoid fangirls." Ah, he forgot. The small sub-section within the Zuka Club that fawned over Hanako was likely to cause a storm if they found out that she was there. That was why Hana always waited until the last second to make a discreet arrival.
"We're back," Kyoya sang out to their friends, who were going over a surprisingly accurate map of the campus drawn onto the sidewalk. Hanako handed out the shirts to each of the hosts and Ranka. They pulled the pink t-shirts over their clothes, and Mitsukuni looked over at the pair that was waiting for the others to dress.
"You didn't get a shirt, Hana-chan?"
"Obviously, she won't need to blend in," Kyoya pointed out. As a woman, the members of the Zuka Club were more inclined to welcome her to their campus.
"You're not wearing one either," Kaoru noticed.
"I'm clearly Hanako's companion for the event." Kyoya had already prepared the answers for those obvious questions, but he already had another plan in place for when they would inevitably cause more trouble.
At Ranka's say-so, they were off. They crept past the doormen needlessly, and the security guards simply nodded at Hanako in recognition when she passed. They found the rehearsal studio easily and slid along the wall to the window where notes from a piano escaped through the glass. The cast was in the midst of rehearsing the last act of the play. Benio performed the rehearsal with gusto, not holding back from an applause worthy enactment. Despite their differences, Hana praised Benio as a thespian. The other girl was talented, born to be on stage, and Hana actually enjoyed watching her perform.
"Oh, my Lord Frederick," Haruhi's jarring, flat recital grated on Hana's ears. Clearly, neither Haruhi's head nor heart was into the delivery. It was the greatest disappointment of her day. If this was the extent of Haruhi's acting ability, then what did Benio hope to accomplish? Surely, in a school like Lobelia, there had to be a student who was better suited for the role.
"My Lord Frederick," Haruhi repeated on cue. It was plain awful.
The hosts and Ranka had lined up at the window, and even Hana had been at the windowsill before she heard that first dry reverberation. Takashi sprawled out in the corner, and Mitsukuni tugged on the back of Tamaki's shirt. Hanako stood back to her full height and rejoined Kyoya. He had invested little to no interest from the start, and he wasn't about to lurk at the window with the rest of them.
"The Zuka Club is the only reason that Lobelia doesn't have join productions with their brother school," Hanako pointed out despondently. All of that talent, and this was what would become of the Pink Carnation Day performance. Well, it wasn't as if she only came for the show. She promised Chizuru that she'd be there, and she was going to deliver.
"Still want to see the performance now that you know Haruhi will be in it?" Kyoya asked with some amusement.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed," Hana admitted, standing next to him against the wall. "But the important thing is that I'm here to support Chizuru."
"Even as her father, I can't stand this!"
"Someone please make her stop."
"How many times is she going to repeat that line?"
"I think she's about to start singing."
"Would you like to step away with me for a moment?" Kyoya's question drew her attention away from the commentary that the others were making. A look of relief flashed across her face, and she nodded gratefully.
"Please." She wasn't sure how much more of that butchering she could take. With a small, knowing smile, Kyoya took her hand in his and started back towards the courtyard. She didn't think much of the action or the contact, but faintly, in the back of her mind, she was surprised by how well his hand fit around hers. "Where are we going?"
"I know you were looking forward to having some time with Chizuru, and I didn't want to drag on our suffering much longer. Can you get me in touch with the director of the theater department?" He took long, brisk strides away from their friends, and she followed along, matching his pace. She could tell by his determination to put space between them, that he shared her embarrassment. There were times and places when impropriety was nothing but that, and neither of them was as unreserved as their friends. They slipped away quietly, but with their backs turned, they didn't notice how Takashi's half-lidded eyes noted the empty space where they had been standing.
{OR}
Once they were back on the path, they slowed to a leisurely stroll. The two students blended in with the rest of the crowd quite easily, and everyone who caught sight of them in passing thought that they made a handsome couple. They seemed to forget their interlocked hands as they walked towards the White Lily Theater where the director said she would meet them. The contact only registered as natural to them, and their thoughts were occupied with comparisons between the all-girls school and their own.
"Really?" Kyoya asked in surprise as they continued their conversation. "I thought you preferred the Ouran Orchestra."
"I'm definitely biased in its favor, but I've been told that one of the visiting instructors here is something of a prodigy."
"If that's the case, then why haven't you invited them to perform for us? I'm sure our guests would appreciate a private concert."
Hana hummed thoughtfully, "Oh, I've considered it. I just decided that it was an experience better suited for personal enjoyment." They were passing by the central fountain at that point. The grounds at Lobelia were beautiful, and they both acknowledged the fact earlier. They agreed, however, that it couldn't compare with the Ouran gardens. That particular area seemed to receive stronger, fuller light than the rest of the campus. As a result, flowers in need of partial shade couldn't thrive. The powerful sunlight glinted off Hana's golden hairpieces. She looked radiant under the sun, framed by a subtle rainbow if the water caught light in just the right way. It suited her, and Kyoya contemplated that her dreaded fan club may be on to somethng.
They stopped just outside the grandiose auditorium. The woman who was waiting for them wore a mauve colored skirt suit, and she greeted them with a bright smile, "Hello, there! I'm the director of Lobelia Academy's Theater Department. I have to say, it was such a pleasant surprise to hear from you."
"Hello," Kyoya slipped into his charming persona. "Thank you for fitting us into your schedule today. You see, my companion's a fan of the theater, and we were hoping for a private tour before the production." Hanako hadn't provided many details when she called, but as soon as she dropped the Ootori name, their passage was secured. There weren't many doors that the Ootori name couldn't unlock.
"Yes, of course! Right this way," they were welcomed into the massive hall without hesitation.
"If it's possible, I'd like to see the control room. Hana tells me that the White Lily Theater has the best light and sound system. We're interested in similar technology for our own club."
With some masterful flattery, Kyoya had the woman wrapped around his little finger. In the presence of another person, they fell back into their distinct roles, and at some indistinguishable point, Hana's hand fell out of his.
"It is such an honor having one of the Ootori boys dropping by to pay us a visit," she fawned over the well-mannered young man. Hana trailed behind them, comfortable with the few paces between them while Kyoya enacted whatever plan he formulated. Through the glass panel, she could see the entirety of the stage and the orchestra pit.
"Very nice setup," Kyoya praised. "And that's the orchestra pit, I take it?"
"That's right, and just above that we have our fully-equipped digital backdrop. Here, let me show you." The woman pressed a button on the console, and a screen descended above the stage. "We can project any high-resolution image, and use it as part of the scenery, without unnecessary set changes. Isn't technology just amazing?"
"Yes." Kyoya put on an award winning smile, "I'd hate to take advantage of your hospitality, but could we watch the production from here? Hanako has something of a fan club among the students, and we were hoping to enjoy the show in peace."
The woman considered it for a moment, "Well, we usually don't allow that, but I'm sure we could make an exception for you. After all, your family makes very generous contributions to the department, and I know how our girls can be."
Hana invited Tachibana and Honda to join them, and at her insistence, the director acquiesced to an in room spa treatment before the show. Kyoya's pleasant demeanor melted away once she floated into a dazed state of relaxation, and he joined Hana on the table against the back wall. "You're at least right about one thing."
"Oh? What's that?" he turned to her inquisitively.
"It's much more peaceful up here," she stated before the thundrous roar of footsteps sounded below them. Zuka Club fans poured into the rows, and by the time the deluge came to a stop, every single seat was full. The lights around the theater dimmed, but the stage illuminated the room. Hanako watched with rapt attention as the show began.
All things considered, it could have had a rougher start. Haruhi's entrance went quite well, in Hana's opinion. She had the same qualms about the makeup department as always, but as long as it wasn't her club, she didn't care too much. Besides, she came for the talent, not the appearances. Hana flipped through the booklet that she picked up at the front of the building. To her surprise, Haruhi's name had been printed along with the cast. Maybe she would save this one, too, to commemorate Haruhi's first on stage performance.
Chizuru and Hinako made their appearances in the next scene, and Hana felt some relief when she realized that Haruhi's lines were quite limited throughout the rest of the play. It seemed that Marianne's character was more symbolic than anything, and Haruhi's lack of skill and experience didn't really affect the overall performance. There was, however, another name on the cast that caught Hana's eye. Nanami, credited simply as Nana, took the stage as Frederick's sister. To her credit, Nana certainly delivered on all of Chizuru's praise. It would have been the most noteworthy decision if not for Haruhi's addition. First year students rarely acquired coveted lead roles in these productions, but this season, two of the top roles had gone to first year newbies – Hinako and Nana. Not to mention, this was Benibara's debut as the male lead. It was meant to be an unforgettable semester for Lobelia.
Everything seemed to be going well until the final scene, in which Haruhi's character spoke for the first time. The theme of the play became clear as Hana watched, and she had to hand it to Benio, the girl was clever. A vengeful kiss. It was, at least, poetic.
"Do you still have that photo from the fair in your files?" Kyoya asked as they approached the final action.
"Yes, I do. Aijima can access them from my computer," Hana sighed with disappointment as spotlights shined down on the Host Club. She slid off the table and cleared her throat behind the stage crew members. "I'm afraid I need you to move."
The student looked between the stage and the girl looming over him, and he groaned, "They're off script. I don't even know what's happening, anymore."
"I know the feeling," Hana assured him as he rolled the chair away from the panel. Kyoya stepped up to the projector's controls, and Hana continued to watch beside him as Tamaki stormed onto the stage.
"Excuse me, one second," the technician reached across the board and flipped a switch. A piece of the stage rose up with Benio and Haruhi on the platform. Hana shot a glare at the young man and he chuckled nervously, "I'm still getting graded on this."
"Yes, please forward that photo to me immediately," Kyoya said over the phone to the homebody of Team Kyoya. Hana watched as Haruhi and Benio wrestled on the elevated platform while Kyoya projected the image of Haruhi's first kiss onto the stage.
"Chizuru should've just told me not to buy tickets this season," Hanako pointed out with annoyance as they put an end to Benio's plot. The weary stage tech set another spotlight on Tamaki, and Hanako's annoyance faded as easily as it came.
"Uh, is that okay?" the tech asked cautiously, looking between the pampered director and the two raven haired teenagers who had commandeered the room.
"Oh, I think it is," Kyoya approved. Haruhi leapt down into Tamaki's open arms, and Hana felt that they had come a very long way since their trip to Okinawa.
"Maybe it was worth the trouble after all," Hanako mused as the stage erupted into pure chaos. Tamaki buckled under the weight of Haruhi's full skirts, Ranka chased Haruhi across the stage, and Hinako and Chizuru blocked off her escape. She had to give them credit where credit was due; Hinako and Chizuru never broke character. Kyoya pressed a button on the console, and the curtain closed on that trainwreck of an opening night.
"I think that's enough excitement for one day. Why don't you go ahead and find Chizuru? I'll finish up here and catch up with you later." He pointed over his shoulder at the woman who was sipping tea from a tray offered by the two other guards. "It's still your day off."
"If you say so," she laughed a little bit at that. It felt very much like a work day at that point, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was entertaining in its own right. She waved good-bye to them before ducking out through the door and closing it behind her with a gentle click.
In Hana's absence, Kyoya turned to his staff members, "I have a job for you…"
{OR}
Hana made her way backstage, just before the hall turned into a line of dressing rooms. The hosts were already surrounding Haruhi and chattering excitedly about the play. Haruhi's dead eyed look did nothing for the heavy makeup caking her face, "Would you guys move outta the way? I just want to take this thing off and go home."
"We ended up calling a second car," Hana said as she joined them. "I'll have one of my men drive you and your father home." Caramel eyes scanned the small crowd and failed to find Ranka among the many faces. "Where is he, by the way?"
"He went out front to buy flowers for Haruhi," Hikaru answered.
"Hey, why'd you guys wait so long to put up that picture?"
Hanako shrugged in response to Kaoru's question, "I wanted to see the production. Congratulations on your theater debut." She said it with complete sincerity, and Haruhi acknowledged the compliment with an easy smile.
"Thanks, senpai. It was actually a lot of fun despite the craziness."
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Chizuru's voice carried over the Host Club. The twins inched closer to Haruhi, bristling as the actress emerged from the bustling crowd surrounding them.
"You!" Tamaki jabbed a finger towards her, aghast. Unbothered by the hostility, Chizuru waved them down, "Settle down. My interest in all of you only goes as far as Benio's endeavors and Hanako's involvement."
Hana smiled brightly at her friend and stepped forward to embrace Chizuru, "Congratulations on another job well done. Forgive me for the lack of flowers. I was preoccupied." She cast a pointed glance over her shoulder at her friends, and Hikaru and Kaoru stuck out their tongues.
"Don't worry about it. I'll meet you outside the dressing rooms once I've changed out of this costume," she gestured to her full green skirt before leaning around Hana's lithe frame to address the Hitachiins. "You two are welcome to come in and help Haruhi take all of her make up."
"Hey! No fair!" Tamaki wailed.
"Doesn't that go against your stance on men?" Kyoya's smooth voice cut into Tamaki's fruitless rambling. He stopped just beside Hanako, and Chizuru eyed him warily.
"The twins are professionals," she replied shortly. "The rest of you can wait outside." She didn't leave them much of a choice. Chizuru took Haruhi by the elbow and both twins by the backs of their shirts, and she dragged them into the dressing rooms, slamming the door behind her. The rest of them were left in the long hallway connecting backstage with the rest of the halls.
The crowd began to thin as they waited, but there still wasn't any sign of their friends. Other friends and family members found their ways through the labyrinth of halls connecting through back stage, but the Host Club patiently waited, acknowledging how much more dense the stars' costumes and makeup were compared to the rest of the cast. They dissolved into smaller conversations among themselves, discussing whether or not Hanako's reservation could be changed to accommodate more guests and if someone should go look for Ranka. The discussion got away from them, and Hanako fell silent, allowing the others to debate if it was appropriate to buy Haruhi flowers, themselves.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hanako saw a pair turn the corner. She recognized Nana immediately. The blonde girl's lower lip jutted out, and her voice carried through the hallway, bouncing from wall to wall. "Nobody's even talking about my solo!" she complained to the young man beside her. Nana's brother kept his eyes ahead as his sister prattled on at his side. He was dressed to the nines in an olive toned suit that brought out the green of his eyes. "All anyone's talking about it that girl from Ouran."
The Hosts looked up at that. None of them could place who either of them were, but their conversation had been interrupted by the noise of the siblings' conversation. "It doesn't matter what everyon is saying because you were the most beautiful girl up there," he smiled fully at her, and Nana bloomed under his attention. Hanako had seen it before, the last time she had seen the siblings, and she felt the same uneasy sensation in her gut when she watched them interact. Daichi looked up, and his hard, jade eyes met Hana's briefly before sliding to her companions.
He passed his gaze over Kyoya and Tamaki, and the hosts regarded him with respective indifference and curiosity. He came to a stop in front of them, and the rest of them seemed to fall away as Daichi regarded the two young men. A smile stretched across his face, but without a shred of humor in it, it came off as derisive. "I should've known it was you," Daichi sneered. "Only a Suoh and an Ootori could've caused a stir like this."
The two hosts shared a look of confusion, wondering if they had ever come across this person before in their lives. "I'm sorry, do we know you?" Tamaki questioned.
"You will," Daichi answered with a final smirk. "Nanami, we better get going." He took a step past Tamaki, bumping elbows with him as he did, and his sister scurried after him. The Host Club turned to watch the mysterious young man walk away. Daichi was no more than a few paces away when he called back to them, "Give that Marianne of yours a celebratory kiss for me, boys."
Without knowing why, each member of the Host Club registered a sense of unease from that farewell. Something about the way he said it sounded wrong. The way he said Marianne sent goosebumps up Hana's skin and put Mitsukuni's body on alert. Perverse was the only word that Hana's mind could settle on. Waves of cautionary pressure radiated from the three martial artists on instinct alone, and when their friends finally emerged from the dressing room, the confusion across the group only grew. The twins looked at Hana and the cousins cluelessly and followed their narrowed gazes down the empty hallway.
"What're you guys looking at?" Haruhi asked obliviously.
"What's with this tense atmosphere?" the twins chimed in together.
Hanako pushed her way to the front of the group, "It's nothing. We should get going if we want to get to the restaurant on time for dinner." She started walking down the hallway, but with her stomach churning the way it was, the last thing she wanted to think about was dinner.
{OR}
A/N... Thanks for reading! Daichi is so scummy. I'm so excited to write more. Please review :)
Special thanks to Einklley for reviewing the last chapter! I love seeing your thought process! I'll do more shout outs for reviewers on the previous chapter and this one in my next post. I got too excited to post this because I know KitCathy wanted to see more Daichi.
I really want to go through reviews and answer them directly some time, and I will do that when I get more ahead in writing the story. Honestly, thank you guys all so much for your support on this story. Reviewers, followers, favoriters, this is the most motivated I've felt to write in a long time!
What do you think of Chizuru?
Next time: A night out... Kyoya makes up for Pink Carnation Day.