It was all quite simple.
Izabera needed friends.
Well, Tamaki supposed she had friends but she needed them, the Host Club. Sure, she had Fumiko, Yuna and Ayame and they seemed to get along well enough.
Except sometimes there was a noticeable disconnect between the trio of girls and Izabera. The trio of girls would get wrapped up in some conversation or another and Izabera would just….phase out of the conversations. She kept her ears open enough to keep track of their conversations but she didn't contribute too much. Izabera seemed mostly content to sit and listen to the trio prattle on and on about things that didn't quite interest her. However, when she was in their presence, she seemed to come alive. Her snarky attitude, stubbornness and sharp wit seemed to fit much better with them versus the three young ladies.
So Tamaki was determined to make that girl their friend. Besides, her older femininity might help Haruhi become more feminine herself. At least appearance-wise, because Izabera was a tomboyish as they come. What's more, she knew about Haruhi's gender and hadn't said anything. She was nice to the girls even though she didn't think much of them.
"She's just going to yell at you," Haruhi stated blandly Monday afternoon before hosting hours started. But Tamaki was prepared for that.
Fumiko dragged Izabera in by her wrist, her mouth moving a mile per minute. Izabera followed obediently behind her with an uncomfortable look on her face. "Are you alright, Izabera-senpai?" He asked when Fumiko finally dropped her wrist. It felt wrong not to call a girl 'hime' but Izabera made it perfectly clear that she wasn't fond of that honorific. The genuine surprise on her face upset him. Like she was shocked that someone noticed her discomfort and worried for her. She quickly folded her arms behind her back and tried to give him a reassuring smile.
Strange.
"Oh, I'm fine," Izabera answered through her smile. "Sometimes my cousin's endless energy is a bit much," She shrugged a thin shoulder, avoiding his gaze. The leggy brunette was distracted when Honey waved her over. Odd how Honey designated her instead of the other way around. "I'm being summoned," Izabera said in surprisingly good nature. She kept her hands securely behind her back as she ventured towards Honey and Mori. She didn't immediately sit, opting to look down at Honey with her smile.
Her hands stayed behind her back, left hand curled very loosely around her right wrist. Honey didn't jump up like he would have normally to hug Izabera. He invited her to sit down with him and Mori, as opposed to sitting with their guests across from them. Izabera sat down smoothly, folding her hands and placing them in her lap. Tamaki kept his eye on the trio for the entire duration, noting that Izabera seemed to do more entertaining than being entertained. Not to say that she was upstaging them or anything, no, she seemed almost like an extension of them. Her charisma and ability to keep Honey's train of thought steady was quite impressive.
And the guests enjoyed Izabera's company, to the point of directing questions at her. Most of the questions had to do with her piano playing skills. Not that it surprised him. Izabera played the piano exceptionally well. Her records stated that she was a musical prodigy and a big part of him wanted to know what else she could play so well.
An idea began to form.
On a Tuesday afternoon, Izzy vowed to kill Ozawa Hisa. She didn't even know why the honey-blonde had it out for her as bad as she did. Ozawa was fairly popular but it wasn't like Izzy was trying to muscle in on her popularity. Izzy figured it had mostly to do with her relationship with the Host Club, specifically Mori. It frustrated Izzy because it wasn't like she had a special friendship or anything with Mori. If Ozawa wanted to pursue something with their classmate, why did she think Izzy was an obstacle?
And besides, wasn't there some absurd rule among the girls that they don't pursue the Host Club romantically? It would cause too much friction among them.
Not that any of them even had a chance but…
Moving on…
The point to all of this was that Izzy, in no way, deserved Ozawa's ire. Now if someone would just explain it to that airheaded bobblehead, life could be so much easier. But no one did so and that left Izzy to put up with Ozawa's shenanigans.
So that Tuesday afternoon, Izzy was minding her business as Fumiko, Yuna and Ayame prattled on about one thing or another. Sometimes she wondered why she opted to take lunch in the second year's dining hall. She supposed she could always eat lunch with…Honey and Mori. She hadn't done much to befriend any of her classmates and though she'd hate to admit it, those two were the closest ones she'd consider as friends.
But then she'd have to put up with their scrutinizing gazes directed at her wrists. Luckily the God-awful dress had sleeves long enough to hide her mottled wrists but that didn't really matter once she was in their presence. They'd seen the aftermath of her cousin's abuse with their own eyes and knew what exactly was hidden under her sleeves.
No, she couldn't spend time with them during the lunching hour.
"Yuna!" Ozawa was suddenly approaching their designated table with a great big smile. Izzy barely acknowledged her, wondering why the two seemed so friendly with one another. Yuna was such a sweet girl and Ozawa..well...she was Ozawa, after all.
Anyway...Izzy was sitting there, blankly staring off into space when she felt something cold against her chest. Blankly, she looked down at her chest to see a rather dark stain ruining her uniform dress. The dark stain dripped to her lap, making it worse. "Oh!" Ozawa's shrill voice exclaimed above her. Numbly she looked up at the girl, not at all surprised to see dark glee in Ozawa's eyes. It took a couple of seconds for Izzy to connect the dots but once she did, she was livid.
Ozawa purposely 'spilled' her cold tea down the front of her dress. How she even managed the feat was beyond her but Izzy didn't have time to think about that.
She was going to wring this girl's neck.
Maybe Tamaki could sense her murderous intentions because he was suddenly there along with Kyoya. Izzy paid them no mind as she stood to her feet. She reached across the table with every intention of snatching Ozawa up by her neck but Tamaki intervened. "Izabera-senpai! Your dress will be ruined if you let that stain sit," He reminded her, snatching her away from Ozawa. She didn't give a damn about the stupid dress! She turned to tell him just that when he wrapped a long arm around her waist and all but dragged her out of the dining hall.
What was with this group and dragging her about like she's some rag doll?
Izzy didn't fight, opting to glare when Tamaki dragged her into the vacant Hosting room. He quickly tapped a message on his expensive phone before pushing her towards the backroom. "Go on, Senpai. Change out of the dress so we can send it off to be dry cleaned."
"And what am I supposed to change into?"
"Hikaru and Kaoru are coming with an extra uniform."
To this day, she wasn't sure why she believed the blond. But even so, she allowed him to push her into the backroom, shooting her one last smile before closing the door. She frowned suspiciously but decided that she really needed to get out of her soiled dress. She busied herself with undressing, being careful with her mottled wrists. They were still fresh and bothered her quite a bit. Luckily Chi nor Fumiko had taken notice. But Izzy was sure Chi would begin to notice her always wearing long-sleeved shirts around the house when they were more accustomed to seeing her wear simple tank tops.
She heard more voices behind the door and sighed. "Tamaki? The uniform, please," She called through the door. She cracked the door open but stopped herself from reaching out. If she reached out, they would see her bruised wrists.
Damn it all to Hell.
God decided to smile upon her for once because a hand slipped through the crack, holding a bundle of clothes. She muttered a quick thank you to whoever it was and took the bundle only to pause. The brunette unfolded the clothes carefully, frown deepening immensely. She approached the door a second time, this time poking her head out. Kyoya, Hikaru and Kaoru had joined Tamaki in waiting for her. She suspected Haruhi, Mori and Honey weren't necessarily needed and hadn't been called upon.
"What did you just hand me?"
Tamaki physically jumped but the others simply turned to look at her. Kaoru and Hikaru were smiling innocently. She didn't like that one bit. Kyoya remained impassive, as usual, and she didn't like that either.
"A uniform, Izzy-chan," Hikaru said rather simply.
"Keep up," Kaoru added rather snidely.
Izzy wished she had something to throw at either one of them. Instead she gave them a nasty scowl. "Do I look blind? This is not the uniform."
"But it is, Izabera," Kyoya replied smoothly. "And I suggest you hurry up and put it on. The lunch hour is nearly over and I'm sure you would hate to be late for your next class."
"How can this possibly be allowed?" She snapped before vanishing back into the room. They heard her muttering to herself as she dressed, Italian curses mixed in with her angry Japanese. Hikaru and Kaoru grinned, utterly amused with the brunette's short temper. The door swung open, revealing an irate Izzy. She wasn't dressed in a spare dress like she believed. Instead, she'd been given something entirely different. It was Ouran's uniform alright, the boy's uniform. She was dressed in a white button-down shirt and blazer with the Ouran's emblem on the breast pocket. Instead of the slacks, a slim black pencil skirt was in its place. To finish the look, she had on a pair of sheer stockings and black mary-janes.
"Who authorized this?" She demanded hotly, eyes jumping between the foursome. "This has to be against some rule."
"Chairman Suoh okayed it once Tamaki explained the situation," Kyoya stated without a care in the world. Izzy directed her nasty glare at the blond.
"You couldn't get me a dress?"
"No, they were out of your size."
"I have a hard time believing that," Izzy huffed with her arms folded across her chest. "I know you're all up to something. I don't know what but I can tell you right now that I don't like it."
"You don't like anything, Izzy-chan," Hikaru grinned at her while waving her over. "Let's go before the lunch hour is over."
"We left Haruhi by herself," Kaoru mumbled just loud enough for Tamaki to hear. Before the blond could go off into a frantic rant about her, Izzy snatched him up to drag him back to the dining hall. Kyoya followed suit, nonplussed as usual.
Izzy had a bad feeling.
Her bad feeling was justified. The moment she stepped back into the dining hall, all eyes were on her and her impromptu uniform change. She could just hear the whispers filtering through the hall. She was going to kill Ozawa. And then Tamaki.
"My," Ozawa crooned when Izzy sat back down with Fumiko, Yuna and Ayame. Izzy openly scowled at the honey-blonde, wondering why she was still there and sitting with them. "I wasn't expecting something like...this," She smiled deviously, hiding it behind a perfectly manicured hand. Izzy wasn't fooled, staring at her blankly from across the table. Her anger managed to simmer down but she wasn't all that above reaching across the table to snatch the honey-blonde up.
"Oh?" Izzy drawled. "And I wasn't expecting to have your drink all over my dress but here we are. I'll send my dry cleaning bill to you."
"That seems fair," Yuna spoke up, giving Ozawa a long stare when she opened her mouth. "Hisa-chan will be glad to pay for your dry cleaning," She continued with a tight smile. Izzy wondered what was up with that.
"It's the least I could do," Ozawa sniffed prudishly. "Now tell us, what is up with that getup? A new uniform, perhaps?"
"Ask Tamaki," Izzy muttered rudely into her hand, not in the mood to discuss her wardrobe change.
What had she done to deserve any of this? The stares and whispers followed Izzy around for the rest of the day. By the time she made it to the Host Club, her patience for everyone and everything was null and void. In fact, she was somewhat hoping Ozawa would try to pick another fight with her just so she could have something to take her anger and frustration out on. Besides, it was Ozawa's fault to begin with.
"Berry-chan, you look nice dressed like us!" Honey all but shouted the moment she set foot in the Host room. Had he'd been anyone else, she would have glared nastily. But it was Honey so all she could muster was a very weak smile.
"It was Tamaki's doing," Izzy hummed in a bland tone. "Along with the combined efforts of Hikaru and Kaoru. Kyoya supervised," the brunette continued with a shrug of her shoulder. "Ozawa spilled her drink on my chest today."
"By accident?" Haruhi prompted as she skirted by with a tray of sweets.
"Supposedly," Izzy answered dryly. Seemingly done with the conversation, Honey bounded back towards Mori and the girls waiting for him. For whatever reason, Izzy decided to follow after Haruhi.
She would come to later regret that decision.
She tried to mostly stay quiet but everyone just had to ask questions about the damn uniform. She would have just ignored them too but she literally felt Kyoya watching her. By the time he was through with her, she'd have burst into a ball of flames. To their surprise, Izzy requested to speak to them after hours. She sent her cousin away with a quick wave and quietly waited until the last bit of girls finally left the room. The brunette's face remained stony, giving even Kyoya or Mori a run for their money. Once she was sure that no one was going to pop out of the floor or the damn ceiling, she rounded on Tamaki. Her arms were folded defensively against her chest but she pointed a finger at Tamaki.
"You tell me what the hell you're up to this instant."
"White Lily, I can assure you that I'm not up to anything."
"You're not that damn clever, Tamaki, now out with it before I hurt you."
Hikaru or Kaoru, she wasn't paying close enough attention to figure out which one, decided to butt in. "You shouldn't use that kind of crude language, Izzy-chan," his grin was crooked and his brother matched the grin. Izzy didn't see what was so funny.
Instead, she dug around in her school bag, producing a pink eraser. With a scowl she beamed the tool at his head. "I'm not talking to you right now," She hissed, ignoring his actions when he dramatically fell into his brother's arms. She rounded back on Tamaki, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I'm talking to you so out with it. The fact that you had this outfit tailored to my size is a red flag. So out with it, Capo."
Honey approached Izzy, reaching up to pull on the end of her skirt. Her head snapped down, fiery eyes momentarily dying once she caught sight of him. "Yes?" She asked in a soft tone. Honey simply offered a coffee-flavored macaroon. Izzy blinked down at the pint-sized third year. Mori stood behind, ready to swoop Honey away if his offering failed. Honey tended to think that sweets were the answer to any problem presented.
To their surprise and amusement, Izzy took the peace offering. She nibbled on the treat, humming in delight. Honey reached up to grab her hand, guiding her towards a couch. Izzy plopped down rather obediently, allowing Honey to give her yet another macaroon. He scrambled up on the couch next to her and draped himself across her lap, halting her from jumping up. Izzy was obviously aware that Honey had duped her into calming down but it was a valiant effort so she let it go. "Well?" She glared at Tamaki. It wasn't as frightening with a macaroon being shoved into her face. Hell if that stopped her though. "I'm waiting, Capo."
"What does 'capo' mean?" Honey asked distractedly.
Izzy would not be swayed. Instead she only smiled delicately at him and patted his head. "Well, white lily, you have to promise not to yell when I tell you this," Tamaki finally got his wits together, deciding that making Izzy wait any longer would cause even more problems for him. "You've become quite popular with our princesses, lately."
"I'm what now?"
"Popular," Kaoru and Hikaru chorused, dragging out the word for added effect. Izzy wasn't amused or impressed with their antics. Her expression said as much but she didn't banter with him. There was no way she was going to allow them to distract her from the problem at hand.
"More girls have come to visit the Host Club and several of them have asked about you," Tamaki quickly said before Izzy could lose her waning tolerance for them.
"Your girls are asking about me?" Izzy repeated slowly, in an unimpressed tone. "I know these girls aren't entirely bright but they do know that I'm also a girl, yes?"
"Girls can be hostesses," the twins chorused again.
"You've said that but let's not forget that I'm not a hostess. And why are these girls asking you things about me? What are they even asking you that they can't ask me?" She asked, eyebrow twitching in irritation. "They see me all the time in and between classes."
"The same reason they don't ask us certain questions," Kyoya said smartly. It was obvious that Izzy wasn't following them. She wished that they would stop being so damn elusive.
To her surprise, it was Mori who finally cleared the air. "They think you're a Host," He stated simply. She startled at his voice, shoulders visibly jumping before his words sank in. Her head snapped up, staring up at him with a bewildered look. He leaned against the back of the couch, blank-faced as usual. He held her gaze, waiting for her to jump up and attack Tamaki or the the twins.
Hazel brown eyes clouded in clear confusion flickered for several seconds. "I'm sorry, Mori, but could you repeat that?" She asked in a tight voice. It wasn't like she just liked hearing his voice or anything. It was a bonus but she really needed him to repeat his words. She was almost positive that she heard him wrong.
Mori quirked one dark brow but conceded to her request. "They think you're a Host."
The look of scandalization across Izzy's pretty features were nearly hilarious. Luckily, they all had the sense to keep their snickers and chortles to themselves. She didn't take the offered macaroon from Honey this time around. Izzy's mouth began moving, spitting out words like rapid fire. The only problem with that was she was speaking Italian. Her ranting came to an abrupt halt when Honey shoved the macaroon in her mouth. "Mmph!" She sputtered around the mouthful of sweets. She clapped her hands over her mouth and nearly coughed while chewing. "Honey-chan!" She gasped once she was finished. "You can't just shove food into people's mouths like that. It's not nice."
"But Berry-chan, we couldn't understand you," Honey turned his pouting face up towards you.
"I understand but you still shouldn't do things like that. Would you shove a treat into your guest's mouth?"
"You're not a guest, you're a Host," Hikaru grinned sadistically at her. Izzy rolled her eyes into his direction but she still opted to ignore him again. An odd look crossed her face at that moment, as if something slowly dawned on her.
"So...you're catering to their stupidity by dressing me up like this? Is that what you're doing? Did you tell Ozawa to spill her drink on me to have a reason to get me into this outfit? Because if that's the case, I'll strangle the both of you, do you hear me?" She threatened, eyes flashing dangerously. Perhaps Mori thought she would get up and follow through with her threat because his hand suddenly fell to her shoulder. He didn't add any pressure but Izzy was sure he could effortlessly keep her in place. Her eyes snapped down to the table in front of her, wondering if there was anything she could throw.
"I would never tell Ozawa-hime to do such a thing," Tamaki gaped at her audacity.
"No but you would capitalize off of it," Izzy huffed with a pout. "How did they even come to that conclusion?" She almost whined. Izzy tried to think back to all and any time she might have given the girls a reason to think she was a Host. All she'd done was sit there next to Haruhi or Honey and Mori, throwing in comments here or there. Was it because she played the piano at that damn ball? She knew she was going to regret playing at that damn party.
"Remember that day in the library, Izzy-senpai?" Haruhi suddenly prompted, deciding to step in. She had a feeling that if left to the others, their explanation would only infuriate Izzy and she really would try to strangle Tamaki. "Remember when we said that you seemed like a big sister?" She questioned carefully. Izzy's brow furrowed, wondering what the hell that had to do with anything. So what if Haruhi and Honey thought she acted like a big sister? She was older, more level headed and responsible. Qualities that apparently made for a good older sister, even though she was the youngest of her siblings.
"You're the big sister type!" Kaoru and Hikaru sung in unison for the third time. Izzy wondered if she should make the effort to tell them that they didn't need to speak simountainsly every time. Just because they were identical didn't mean they had to talk at the same time.
"The what?"
"Are you really having that much trouble following along?" Kyoya asked with a hint of amusement in his voice. Izzy eyed him with a scowl, seriously debating on throwing something. Honey and Mori were going out of their way to keep her seated but maybe she could throw her school bag? How pissed off would Kyoya be if she threw her bag at him? Was she angry enough to find out?
No, not in particular.
"I'm having trouble understanding why you guys cater to stupidity," Izzy muttered sourly before reminding herself to get back on track. "Look, type or no type, I'm not an actual host. I'm not a boy."
"Which is why we gave you a skirt," Hikaru grinned. "Besides, it would be almost impossible to trick anyone into thinking you're a boy," He shrugged indifferently. Izzy glanced at Haruhi, wondering if she took that statement to heart. As usual, Haruhi wasn't bothered by his words.
"I'm not a host and I'm not the big sister type," Izzy said in a firm tone. "I didn't agree to become a host so this—" She paused to motion to her outfit. "—is completely unnecessary and just...ridiculous. Me being a host is not helping anyone."
"It's helping Haruhi."
Izzy stared at Kyoya with a quirked brow, not impressed. "Excuse me?"
"Whenever you're with Haruhi, her customers seem to double. It's doing wonders for her debt."
"...are...are you trying to blackmail me?"
"Take it how you see fit."
"You're not very straightforward when you're threatening someone, are you?"
"It's straightforward enough."
"You're the Devil."
Kyoya, for reasons she couldn't explain, seemed quite amused with her accusation. "This is ridiculous," Izzy sighed heavily and shook her head. "I need to go home," She motioned for Honey and Mori to release her from their grasps. Honey let her go reluctantly but quickly got over it by climbing to sit on Mori's shoulders. "I'll have this dry cleaned and sent back," Izzy said while standing up. "Thank you for helping me out…even though it was more so for your gain…"
"Izzy-senpai, you're so cruel," Tamaki whined to the older brunette.
"Mm," Izzy smirked and leaned towards him, poking at his cheek. "Perhaps you're just too sensitive?" She asked with clear amusement. "Besides, I thought I told you to ask me these things instead of just making rash decisions."
"The last time you tricked me with a line like that, Senpai."
"Well look who's learning."
"She says she's not the big sister type but she acts like one," Hikaru noted as Izzy and Tamaki continued back and forth, unaware of his words.
Izzy ignorantly ignored his words.
For the rest of the week, Izzy made sure to avoid attending the Host Club. She was reeling from the fact that the girls associated her with the Host Club. The fact that she'd been seen in that damn outfit didn't help at all. It was getting to the point that girls were asking her why she hadn't come to Club since Tuesday. What's more is that Fumiko acted weird all throughout the week. Ayame and Yuna were also acting weird but Izzy wrote them off because she thought the two were kind of weird to begin with.
"Girls," Chihiro sung as she swept into the living room. Izzy was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, doing homework, while Fumiko was curled up in the recliner with a book. It wasn't unusual to find the two together but she was put off that they were practically ignoring one another. That was...out of the ordinary.
"Hi Aunt Chi," Izzy leaned away from her homework, fiddling with her pencil. She was changed out of her uniform, swathed in an oversized hoodie that most likely belonged to one of her brothers. Shinobu would turn her nose down at Izzy's attire. Chihiro could only smile at the thought. "You seem like you're in a good mood."
Chihiro's smile brightened, despite the odd tension in the room. "There will be a fundraiser Saturday night and I would appreciate it if you two would attend."
Fumiko readily accepted Chi's words, already used to these type of things. Besides, that meant she could buy a new dress. Izzy, on the other hand, frowned deeply. "Me?" She pointed her pencil at herself.
"Yes, Izabera, you are a part of this family. You are expected to attend to represent our family," Chihiro said in a firm tone. Whether Izzy wanted a part in heading the company someday, she still had to represent them like Fumiko did.
"I don't have anything to wear."
"Fufu will be glad to take you shopping with her," Chihiro replied smugly. Izzy's shoulders sank, realizing there was no getting out of this. "Try not to look so down, Izabera. You might have fun," Chihiro swept away before Izzy could protest. The brunette dropped her head backwards and groaned at her awful luck. Fumiko quietly glanced over the edge of her book at her cousin, wanting to comfort her but deciding not to.
"Why're you ignoring me, Fumi?" Izzy suddenly asked, leaning backwards against the couch.
"I'm not," Fumiko tried to say in a firm tone like her mother. Izzy wasn't the least bit convinced. She lifted her head up, leveling her cousin with an unimpressed look.
"You're a terrible liar."
"You're the liar!"
Izzy's eyebrows shot up her forehead as she quietly regarded Fumiko. It wasn't like her younger cousin to have an outburst like that. She was usually such a quiet, kind and shy girl. Whatever Izzy had done really rubbed her the wrong way. "You said you weren't friends with them, Izzy! You told me it wasn't worth mentioning because you weren't friends with the Host Club but you've practically joined their Club!"
"I didn't join their club," Izzy stated very calmly.
"Then why were you dressed like them? Everyone is talking about it, Iz! You don't realize how big of a deal this is. Girls aren't supposed to be Hosts."
"Ironic," Izzy muttered more to herself. "That outfit wasn't my idea, Fu, it was Tamaki's idea. I can't help what those morons think or do. I'm just caught in the crossfire. It wasn't my idea, none of it was. If you're going to be upset, be upset with the Host Club," She told her, waving a fleeting hand. Fumiko paled at the very thought of being upset with the Host Club. Girls didn't get upset with the Host Club. That was simply out of the question. Except for Izzy, because she always seemed upset or irritated with them. But she was just weird like that.
"Well, are you friends with them or not?"
Izzy didn't immediately reply, frowning softly. "I don't really know. I doubt it. I think they're paying attention to me because I think their Club is stupid. They're probably just trying to turn me into a swooning idiot."
"Hey!"
Izzy shrugged helplessly. "Anyway," Izzy climbed to her feet. "Why don't we get a headstart on dress shopping? You know how much I hate it."
"Perhaps Hikaru and Kaoru will lend you another dress."
"Shut up, Fu."
To their surprise, Izzy attended Club Friday afternoon. She heard a chorus of her name before she was nearly swamped by Honey, Hikaru, Kaoru and Tamaki. They crowded her, happy or amused to see her after being avoided for a week. "You guys are making a spectacle," Izzy said quietly through pursed lips. "Not that it's unusual," She added dryly.
"But we haven't seen you since Tuesday!"
"Honey-chan and Mori have."
"That doesn't count, Berry-chan."
"Ah, my mistake."
Fumiko smiled from behind, laughing softly as they fussed over Izzy. Her cousin was oblivious but Fumiko knew a budding friendship when she saw it. For whatever reason, the Host Club was coercing Izzy into a friendship. Izzy was just being rather stubborn about it. Izzy was nearly overwhelmed by their attention but somehow remained level-headed enough to remind them of the other girls. That seemed to do the trick because they quickly left her alone in favor of the other girls.
Izzy followed after Honey, plopping down next to him. She offered a small smile towards Mori, who simply nodded back at her. She turned to look at the girls, smiling more gently when she noticed a new girl sitting among them. She was rather thin with reddish brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. "Hi," Izzy leaned forward towards the girl. "I haven't seen you before. I'm Izzy," She greeted the girl, watching in mild interest when her face flushed deeply. She wasn't sure if that was a good sign or bad but Honey and Mori didn't react to it.
"I'm Machida Isane."
"Well, you seem to be in higher spirits," Ozawa leaned over into Isane, disrupting the greeting. Izzy's smile became tighter at the blonde. "I was beginning to think you would never join us again."
"Oh? Perhaps you've missed my presence? How sweet of you, Ozawa."
"It would seem, for one reason or another, that you've become quite popular," Ozawa hummed primly. Her tone of voice implied she wasn't all that pleased with Izzy's sudden popularity. Izzy wasn't all that thrilled about it either. But she couldn't deny that the girls paid her almost as much attention. It was a bit unnerving, to say the least. She wasn't actually putting on some sort of show for these girls. She was literally being herself. Albeit she was being more polite and less sarcastic but even so, she found it weird. Even Ozawa was in a good mood.
When Hosting hours were over, Tamaki threw himself at Izzy. The action caught her off guard, leaving her trapped in his wiry arms. "Tamaki," She breathed against his chest in a warning tone. "You're suffocating me."
"White lily, you finally decided to join us."
"I was bored."
Tamaki deflated but Izzy held her arms up to keep him from slumping to the floor. "Oh for Heaven's sake," Izzy said despite her grin. "Would you pull yourself together? I'm only teasing."
"So what are you really doing here?" Hikaru and Kaoru approached, reminding Izzy of slithering snakes. She wondered if they practiced their gait or if it came to them naturally.
"I just felt like it," Izzy replied tonelessly. Izzy was, by nature, rather curious. It was one of her downfalls along with her stubbornness. Being stubborn and curious was never a good mixture and often caused her trouble growing up. Her curiosity was getting the better of her. She wondered if her presence was really drawing in more girls like Kyoya stated. She couldn't understand why, especially given the new 'Big Sister' type that was now slapped on her forehead. She was nice to the girls and teased them in good nature, did that automatically make her a big sister? She thought back to her older brothers. Her brothers were nice but they often teased her mercilessly.
This school was so weird.
"It would seem even Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai's guests enjoy your company," Hikaru stated as Tamaki righted himself. He didn't move from Izzy's space and she didn't bat him away like she would have usually done.
"Except for that Ozawa girl. She's out for my blood," Izzy huffed irritability. "I'm going to end up choking that girl," She stated very firmly.
"Violence is highly frowned upon here, Izabera," Kyoya hummed smoothly, not looking up from his notebook. Izzy wondered what the hell was important all the damn time. Perhaps inventory?
"Then I'll do it off school grounds."
"Careful, before you're slapped with the 'Mafia' type next," Hikaru grinned, poking fun at the Italian stereotype.
"That's not funny," Izzy sneered at him, reaching out to pinch his ear. "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Didn't your mother teach you that?" there was a sadistic gleam in her eyes. Haruhi, who'd been cleaning her area, shot Izzy a rather amused smirk. The older brunette felt the smugness rather than seeing it and stopped torturing Hikaru long enough to look over. "What?"
"For someone who vehemently denied it, you sure do act like a big sister."
"I'm going home!"
"You're dragging this out."
Izzy sat on a expensive chaise in an equally expensive dress boutique hours after school ended. Fumiko shot her a mean glare, fed up with her cousin's nonchalant attitude. "The fundraiser is tomorrow, Iz. We don't have time to find you a dress tomorrow. We need to find one now."
"What was wrong with that black one?"
"It was plain. Izzy, you have an eye for fashion but you never use it for yourself. Were you this difficult when Hikaru and Kaoru lent you that bronze dress?"
"Yep," Izzy popped her lips rudely.
Fumiko heaved a heavy sigh. "Come on, this is important to Mama. Do you act like this when your parents take you and your brothers to some event?"
"Sometimes, yes."
"Izzy!"
The brunette let out a laugh but heaved herself up. "Alright, alright. I'll cooperate," She conceded to her cousin, nearing the racks of expensive dresses. She picked through them, frown deepening as she rejected each one. She wasn't being difficult for the fun of it...these dresses were just awful. Back in Italy, she usually left things like this to Aunt Vivi. Viviana would pick three dresses that she liked and Izzy would give her final opinion. Besides, Vivi's dresses were much better than these…
"Oh," She noticed a deep blue dress. It was odd that lately she was drawn to the color blue. It was a nice color but not necessarily her favorite. She favored green and white so her sudden preference for blue was out of the ordinary. "How about this one?" She pulled it up for Fumiko to see.
"Oh, that looks lovely," Fumiko began shoving Izzy towards the changing room. "Go on, try it on," She babbled excitedly as Izzy disappeared behind the curtain. She was back moments later, stepping out to show off to Fumiko. It was a slim fitting dress, fitting over her curves like waves. It was backless like the bronze dress but had halter top neckline instead. A slit in the dress revealed a hint of her cleavage. The deep blue of the dress complimented her hair and made her eyes pop in a more pronounced way.
"It looks wonderful, Izzy. You—" Fumiko came to a hard pause, eyes dropping low. Izzy frowned at her cousin, wondering what on Earth was the matter. "What happened to your wrists, Izabera?" Fumiko asked slowly, eyes hard. Izzy looked down at her wrists, cursing her stupidity. The bright purple bruises had finally begun to fade into an odd yellow but they were still there. They hadn't been bothering her, which is why she forgot to hide them from her nosey cousin.
"Nothing," She said, slipping her arms behind her back.
"I'm not blind! What happened to your wrists?" Fumiko demanded in an almost shrill voice.
"Shut up," Izzy hissed back at her. "I'll tell you but stop shouting," the brunette waved her hands in Fumiko's face, willing her to shut up. "At the Host's Ball….Katsu showed up."
"Our cousin?"
"Oh, who else, Fu? How many Katsus do you know?" Izzy rolled her eyes. "Anyway, we might have started to argue and I think he was going to throw me into the fountain, I don't know. I was tempted to throw him into the fountain first but…" She plainly held up her wrists, displaying the patchy bruises. "But this is his fault."
"What could you have been arguing about?"
Izzy wrinkled her nose as she remembered the argument. "He wants me to go back to Italy. He says I don't belong here in Japan."
Fumiko gaped at the notion, face slightly turning red. "He said what? Why would he say something awful like that?! The nerve!"
Izzy actually grinned at her cousin's behavior. "It's alright, Fu, you don't have to get so upset. It's over and done with. I'm not sure where he got the idea that he can decide who can and can't live in Japan but he was angry enough to do this…"
Fumiko noticed Izzy avoided answering why he felt the need to hurt her. "That's...not like Katsu."
Izzy studied her reflection in the floor length mirror, twisting and turning about. The skirt of the dress followed the movements, fluttering against her tanned legs. "You sure?"
Fumiko watched, somewhat entranced by her cousin's swaying. "Katsu has always been...reserved but he's never acted confrontational before. Every time I see him at events, he's always polite and quiet. I would never expect a bout of violence from Katsu."
Izzy finally stopped her swaying, turning around to look at Fumiko. She wouldn't expect such violence because Katsu didn't see her as a threat. Fumiko was only older than Katsu by a few months. Besides that, she didn't have the personality to run an expensive company. Fumiko was quiet, demure and obedient. She wasn't tough like Izzy and calm and collected like Katsu. She wasn't a threat, not like Izzy. She wasn't stubborn nor was she composed and no-nonsense.
"You would be surprised," Izzy commented evenly, turning back to her reflection. "Well, anyway, I'll wear some gloves but we're going with this dress," She said in an attempt to sway Fumiko's attention. She didn't want anyone else to know about this weird situation with Katsu. It was far too easy to distract Fumiko, Izzy mused, as she took the bait and went on a long winded ramble of what Izzy could accessorize with.
Izzy just let her.
Izzy felt like screaming.
She hated events like this, a bunch of stuck up wealthy people trying to outdo one another. The fundraiser was organized to raise money for one of those tropical islands that got hit with a bad flood. A very noble thing, she would say. However, Izzy wasn't stupid. These people were only attending and donating funds to one-up one another. It was more like a contest of who donated the most. It was rather frustrating but Izzy managed to keep a politely stoic face. It wouldn't do her Aunt any good if she offended business associates by scowling at them.
The associates were delighted to meet her, much to her agitation. They were all interested in meeting Masami's legacy. They wanted to meet the child of a promising businesswoman shamed by running off with an older man with children. She wasn't sure what they expected of her but they seemed pleasantly surprised by her cool disposition.
"Come, Izabera, I would like for you to meet a longtime friend of your grandparents," Chihiro appeared at her side, dressed in a pretty black dress. Izzy only frowned slightly, not sure if she wanted to meet anyone Shinobu considered as a friend. But Chihiro paid her niece no mind, directing her towards an older lady. She was dressed in a expensive looking kimono along with her hair pulled back into an elegant style. Her face was crafted into a sharp but indifferent mask. Izzy wasn't sure if she liked this woman.
"Shizue-san," Chihiro greeted coolly, bowing. "It's wonderful to see you. I would like for you to meet my niece, Izabera."
Shizue turned, eyeing Izzy like she was some of item to be appraised. "Chihiro," Shizue said after a long pause. "It has been quite some time," She offered frigidly. "This is Masami's daughter, isn't it?" She asked with her stony mask in place. Izzy almost huffed irritably, displeased that they were speaking as if she wasn't present. Or, she internally rolled her eyes, like she couldn't understand Japanese.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Shizue-san," Izzy saw an opening and gracefully took it, offering a polite but chilly smile. She mentally cheered when her Italian accent didn't bleed awkwardly into her words for once. Izzy was sure that Shizue didn't think much of her Eurasian background.
Shizue continued to stare at her, accessing her appearance. Her hard stare was finally broken, settling for something over Izzy's shoulder. "Chihiro, you remember my grandson. Izabera, was it?" She quirked an eyebrow and Izzy almost rolled her eyes. "You attend Ouran Academy, do you not?"
Izzy didn't have the chance to answer, a very slight smile pulling at her red stained lips when Tamaki appeared at her side. He seemed a little surprised to see her but clearly happy at the same time. "I do, as a matter of fact. Tamaki has been kind enough to help me settle in these past few weeks," she turned her slightl smile to Tamaki. Izzy wondered how someone like Tamaki could be related to someone like Shizue. He was just so bubbly and Shizu seemed like she could wilt flowers just by glancing at them. Before Shizue could say much else, Izzy quickly excused the both of them, nearly dragging Tamaki off in order to get away from Shizue.
"Your grandmother is lovely."
Tamaki chuckled as he tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow. He seemed almost relieved to see the brunette. "I'm sure she means you no harm, Senpai. You look quite lovely, by the the way."
Izzy only huffed. She already caught several men, old enough to be her grandfather, ogling at the sight of her cleavage. She was already through with this entire event. "Thank you, Tamaki. You look great," She returned the compliment. The two stuck together for the remainder of the night, Tamaki acting as somewhat of a buffer for Izabera.
To her bemusement (or amusement, she couldn't decide) Tamaki was able to pick up on her moods with ease. He was able to notice small tics indicating her shortening temper and patience. It was very simple and subtle, Izzy's poker face was hard to crack. Except for the slight twitch of her eyebrow. Whenever her eyebrow would twitch, he would find some reason or another to pull her away from whatever business associate had her cornered.
"It's almost over," Fumiko hummed pleasantly while Tamaki handed them each a flute of what Izzy assumed to be was sparkling cider. She was somewhat disappointed at that, wishing for a flute of her family's famous wine. The drinking age, if she remembered correctly, was different in Japan however.
"That's easy for you to say," She huffed irritability. "You're not being gawked at for being Eurasian like some rare animal."
"It'll pass," Tamaki commented simply. Izzy was quite impressed with Fumiko and Tamaki. For once, they weren't acting like morons like when they were at school. She supposed the environment was to blame. She was almost surprised by the mature personality both Fumiko and Tamaki seemed to possess. A small part of her wondered if the rest of the Host Club knew how to act at events like this as well.
"I'll be right back," Fumiko stood with a sigh. "Mama is beckoning. She probably wants me to meet someone's grandson again," Fumiko made a face before wiping it clean, approaching her mother. Izzy watched her go, snickering in delight that Fumiko was right. A young man stood with Chi, smiling cordially as Fumiko neared them.
Once her snickering died down, she glanced at Tamaki with a thoughtful frown. "Were you guys serious about me hosting?" She asked, seemingly out of nowhere. She hated to admit it but she'd been seriously pondering their words since Tuesday. She was sure that they weren't entirely serious and were only trying to get on her nerves. But a very small, nearly nonexistent part of her just knew they were being serious.
Izzy completely missed Tamaki's smile, which was an impressive feat since it was nearly blinding. "Quite," He answered simply, dialing down the intensity of his smile when she finally turned to look at him. "Ouran Academy encourages all students to join a club, you know," He added casually, hoping to reel her in subtly.
"The Host Club is an all male club," Izzy argued, although her tone lacked its' usual viciousness.
"It doesn't state that."
"Then why haven't other girls joined?"
"Because they want to be hosted."
Izzy didn't have an immediate reply and felt a smile tugging at her lips. She tried in vain to bat it away and quickly dropped her head. It was all for naught, since Tamaki witnessed the entire struggle. He smiled down at her but waited it out, just knowing her will was wilting. Her shoulders dropped almost dramatically. "Alright, fine," She finally conceded. "But only because it supposedly helps Haruhi. Lord knows you guys are just being sadistic with that outrageous debt," Izzy amended quickly, slightly blushing.
"Wonderful, Senpai," Tamaki smiled, ignoring her jab.
Izzy was almost positive she would later come to regret her decision.
TeeBeMe: Tamaki and Izzy are best friends and y'all can't tell me otherwise.
Capo - Boss