Kyoya stood back as Rene knocked on the door of Mitsukuni and Takashi's apartment. "Don't you think it's a little early to be visiting?"

"Not at all, mon ami," Rene replied. "They've probably been up for hours."

"Point taken," Kyoya sighed. "But I meant it's a little early for me."

"Oh, I thought you got plenty of sleep last night," Rene said, cocking his head a looking at his best friend curiously.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Kyoya said, "We all process change differently. This upheaval has drained my energy. I anticipate it will until I can find a sense of equilibrium again."

Rene looked bemused. "Maybe that's why I feel like I can't sit still. I need to do something to find my equilibrium too." His tone turned serious. "Some of the revelations yesterday completely shattered my world."

During their conversation, Mitsukuni opened the door. "Do you guys need something?" he asked during a pause.

"Yes," Rene announced. "We were hoping you could help us through the process of getting our names changed on our University records."

Mitsukuni smiled and waved them inside. "Of course, Takashi and I would be happy to help you with that. Tamaki—I mean, Rene, it should be easy because you haven't begun classes yet. Kyoya, yours will be a little more complicated since you will have to be sure the credits you've already earned are associated with your new name."

"I really appreciate this, guys," Rene responded. "I would be lost without your help."

Kyoya nodded his agreement, distractedly. "Thank you for taking the time."

"Is there a problem?" Takashi prodded, noticing Kyoya's melancholy expression.

Shaking his head, Kyoya replied, "It's ironic. This summer, I started planning to remove myself from the Otori registry the day after my eighteenth birthday. I even told Tachibana of my plans the morning he drove me to the apartment. But for all that, it seems so strange that I am no longer an Otori."

Takashi clapped him on the shoulder. "I understand. It's the same thing Mitsukuni and I went through. For all of us, our family name has been an essential part of our identity. Whether you decide to relinquish your family name like I did with 'Morinozuka' or you have it ripped away as 'Otori' was when your father disowned you, it still leaves a hole that must be dealt with. Don't worry, we'll be here for you just as Haruhi and the twins were there for us this summer."

"It's quite a reality shift," Mitsukuni added. "It takes time to adapt. You have to examine all your assumptions and beliefs to determine whether they fit with your new reality."

Nodding, Takashi continued, "Certain expectations that you were raised with will no longer apply. Like Rene's decision to change his name, there may be parts of your old life that you no longer want or need. As he did with the name Tamaki Suoh, you may have things from your past life that you want to alter or leave behind."

"Just remember, we are all here for you as you discover just who Kyoya Hinan and Rene Hinan are," Mitsukuni finished.

Rene flung his arms around all of them and cried, "You're the best brothers I've ever had."

"We're the only brothers you've ever had," Kyoya stated dryly, though he reveled in the close bonds he was developing with his new family.

"Don't forget the twins," Takashi added.

"And Usa-chan," Mitsukuni finished, laughing heartily.

OHSHC

"Hey guys," Haruhi said, "I'll meet you at our next class. I have something I need to do during lunch."

Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged a glance. "What are you up to?" Hikaru asked.

"It's just something I need to do, and I don't want to draw attention," Haruhi explained.

"It's not something dangerous, immoral, or illegal, is it?" Kaoru teased.

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "It's nothing like that. I just want to talk to Yasuchika and Satoshi. I don't know how the Haninozukas and Morinozukas will react to my contacting them."

"Look, they don't know you're affiliated with the Hinan family, so what's the problem?" Hikaru asked.

"Yeah," Kaoru added. "Ryo Naruse is the only one outside of Hinansho management that knows the Hinan family was your creation."

"Point taken. I still feel responsible."

The twins stood on either side of her and wrapped their arms around her shoulders. "It's not like you created the Hinan family to entice rich young men away from their families for your own pleasure or nefarious gain," they purred in unison.

"Or did you?" Hikaru asked with a smirk, waggling his eyebrows.

She swatted at the pair. "I don't have a lot of time. I'll see you after lunch." She walked away shaking her head. "I'll try the karate dojo first. That's probably the most likely place to find Yasuchika."

Haruhi had just arrived at the door to the dojo when she heard raised voices from inside.

"...care what Father says. I want to know how Mitsukuni is doing. I haven't seen him since that weekend after our fight. He didn't look good then and it worried me. Father refuses to explain what happened or why he removed his name from the family registry." Haruhi recognized the voice as Yasuchika.

Therefore, it must have been Satoshi who responded, "Are you sure she'll know? I mean, yeah, she was in the Host Club and hung around them, but were they even close? Wouldn't the twins know more since they're brothers now?"

"Father specifically forbade me from talking to the twins. He's sure they are the ones who convinced the Hinan family to adopt Mitsukuni. Hopefully, Haruhi will at least have their contact information even though the Host Club has been discontinued," Yasuchika explained.

Embarrassed at her eavesdropping, Haruhi knocked on the door. Satoshi opened the door, and without looking, said, "The dojo is unavailable right now. Come back after classes this afternoon."

Haruhi chuckled, "Actually, I'm looking for you two."

Satoshi turned around and blushed. "Forgive me. I was expecting someone else…well, anyone else."

Yasuchika pushed around Satoshi and asked urgently, "How is Mitsukuni doing? Father refused to tell me anything and forbade anyone in the household from talking about him."

"He's doing well," Haruhi assured him with a smile. "How have you been doing? Did the arm and ribs heal well?"

Yasuchika looked a little confused and then it occurred to him that she knew about the fight and the broken bones even though the families had kept it quiet, passing his absences off as minor injuries during training. "I'm fine. I hardly ever think about them."

She turned to Satoshi and asked, "How have you been? Takashi has been worried that his actions caused problems for you."

Satoshi shrugged. "It's still a little tense at home, both at the Morinozuka compound and the Haninozuka estate. Thankfully Komitsuzawa never caught wind of it and published it in his newspaper."

Haruhi suppressed a small smile, realizing that no one figured out yet that Komitsuzawa no longer owned the newspaper.

Yasuchika reached into his satchel and pulled out an envelope. "Hey, Haruhi, could you see that Mitsukuni gets this?" he asked, handing it to her.

"Of course I will," she replied, slipping it into her own satchel.

Satoshi looked around to be sure they were alone before he asked, "So, Haruhi, why do you still wear a male uniform? You're not in the Host Club anymore."

Haruhi laughed. "You've seen the yellow monstrosities they make the girls wear, and you can ask that? They are unflattering, impractical, and restrictive. This uniform is much more comfortable and versatile."

"Point taken," Satoshi confirmed.

Yasuchika glanced at the time. "The lunch hour is almost over. We need to get to our next class."

"I'll see you guys around," Haruhi said.

"Thanks for helping us keep in touch with our brothers," Satoshi replied.

"Yeah, I really appreciate it," Yasuchika added. "Maybe we could meet sometime so you can tell us what happened, why Mitsukuni and Takashi left like they did."

Haruhi looked pensive. "I'll see what I can do. You both deserve to know what precipitated these events." She pulled out her phone. "Why don't you put your contact information in my phone and then I'll know how to reach you."

Taking the phone, Yasuchika entered his information and then passed it to Satoshi, who did the same.

"Please, don't wait too long," Satoshi asked plaintively. "We've been in the dark all summer. I would really appreciate knowing what happened and why."

"I'll see what I can do. Hopefully within the next week I can work things out so we can have lunch together privately," Haruhi said. "Do you mind if the twins join us?"

Satoshi and Yasuchika exchanged glances, and Satoshi replied, "I don't mind. Our parents don't want us to associate with them, but we do all attend the same school and we will encounter one another on occasion."

"True enough," Haruhi allowed. "I'll let you know soon when we can meet. Now off to your classes because I have to get to mine."

The cousins waved goodbye and watched her walk away. Yasuchika mused aloud, "I understand why Mitsukuni and Takashi like her so much, even though she's not exactly a typical female. She's incredible."

Satoshi just sighed and nodded his agreement.

OHSHC

"Hinansho and the other Hinan investments have been doing rather well. The new events building will be complete soon so the ballroom and conference rooms will be available to rent," Kosaku thought as he prepared the quarterly reports for the Hinan management meeting scheduled for the weekend. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

Kosaku answered the phone, "Good afternoon. Hinansho accounting office. Kosaku Ito speaking. How may I help you?"

"Kosaku, this is Kyoya. Something occurred to me today and I need your advice," the caller replied.

"What can I do for you, Kyoya?" Kosaku prompted.

"Would the Hinan family be able to pay Haruhi's tuition for this year at Ouran? With all that's happened with the Suoh family, I suspect they may pull her scholarship," Kyoya explained.

Chuckling, Kosaku said, "No need to worry. Haruhi came to me this summer to discuss her tuition for this year. As much as she enjoyed the challenge of staying at the top of her class to remain eligible for the scholarship, she felt that she no longer needed it and it should be available to someone else. She contacted the school to release the scholarship and made arrangement to pay her tuition with funds she recently received. She didn't tell them that they were funds she earned as part of the management team for the Hinan family and prudent investing. She was quite proud of her accomplishment in paying for her final year herself."

"She will never cease to amaze me," Kyoya stated warmly. "How could I ever think I could be good enough for her?"

"Let me give you some advice about women. If she has deemed you worthy, don't insult her by arguing," Kosaku said. "It took my wife, Hibiki, a year to get that lesson through my thick skull. And I'm so glad she did."

"Point taken," Kyoya conceded. "I can't help feeling inadequate. I grew up around power and influence. It was part of my everyday life, along with the message that I would never measure up to my brothers. But what she has accomplished in the past year is impressive by any standards. She has never flinched or had second thoughts when faced with resistance."

"Are you sure about her never having doubts?" Kosaku asked. "I've talked to Ryoji on occasion and he has mentioned how she second guessed herself constantly…at least until the Hinan family really was needed."

"Just like her, so independent," Kyoya murmured. "Not to mention just pushing ahead to do what needs to be done, even if everything is against her."

Kosaku mused, "I've noticed that she is someone very special to everyone here at Hinansho. People seem to be naturally drawn to her because of her compassion and drive."

Kyoya chuckled. "We recognized that within minutes of meeting her. That's why she was dubbed 'The Natural' in the Host Club. She always seemed to know what to do to connect with people, even though sometimes she was rather blunt about it."

Indistinct yells and crashing in the background prompted a heavy sigh from Kyoya. "I better go help Rene. I'm not sure what he's doing but it sounds destructive."

"Think about what I told you," Kosaku prompted. "Talk to you later."

OHSHC

"Thank you for inviting us over for dinner. It was really delicious," Mitsukuni said cheerily. "I can't wait to start classes tomorrow. I feel so much better about it than I did last year."

"Ditching a tumor can do that," Rene teased.

Takashi was thoughtful. "I just wish we hadn't needed to defy our families to do it."

"Understandable," Kyoya interjected. "The best-case scenario would have been for your father to allow the surgery and you recover at home. At least you didn't have to choose between worst-case scenarios."

Mitsukuni shivered. "Definitely. I am so thankful that Haruhi created the Hinan family last year. Without that, I would have either had to forego the surgery or defy my family and try to take care of everything on my own."

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Takashi soothed, "I will always be here for you. Let's focus on the positive. At least there was a second-best scenario—joining the Hinan family and having the surgery."

"Okay, enough doom-and-gloom," Rene announced, waving his hands around as if to dispel dark clouds. "We start a new year at University tomorrow. There are so many exciting adventures ahead of us."

Mitsukuni laughed. "You're right. There's no sense dwelling on a past that never was or will be. Now we're brothers and we're here for each other."

They spent the next hour talking about their class schedules, new movies, and anything else that crossed their minds.

"It's getting late," Takashi stated as conversation was winding down. "We should be going,"

Mitsukuni piped up, "You should join us for breakfast. Takashi is making pancakes. Then we can walk to campus together."

"Great idea," Rene affirmed. "What time?"

"Since none of us have classes before nine tomorrow," Kyoya mused, "let's have breakfast at seven-thirty. That should give us time to eat a leisurely breakfast and clean up before heading to campus."

"Sounds like a plan," Mitsukuni said, chuckling as his voice cracked.

"See you in the morning," Takashi called as he closed the door.

OHSHC

"This should be interesting," Takashi thought as he walked into the journalism class and chose a seat. "Hopefully, this will give me some insight into the workings of the newspaper that the Hinan family owns. It should also help me hone my skills in documenting and reporting conclusions for forensic accounting. It doesn't hurt that it also fills one of the required core classes."

A few minutes later, the professor took his place at the front of the classroom. "If you will all take a seat, we will begin. Welcome to Introduction to Journalism. I'll be passing around copies of the syllabus. While I'm doing that, I'd like you to introduce yourselves. Please tell us your name, major, and reason for taking this class."

Takashi didn't catch a lot of the names because the speaker mumbled it, claimed to be either a Journalism major or undecided, and stated their reason as 'required.' Then one name and voice caught his attention.

"My name is Chiharu Tojo. I am a Marketing and Advertising major. I want to hone my skills in writing ad copy and marketing proposals."

"I remember her from Ouran. She was the only female member of the Newspaper Club and the one to tell me where Mitsukuni was being held," Takashi thought. He was surprised that his heart seemed to beat a little faster when she started speaking. He remembered the look of admiration on her face after he helped deal with the Wrestling Club members Akira Komitsuzawa was using to guard Mitsukuni.

When it was his turn to introduce himself, he said proudly, "My name is Takashi Hinan. I am an Accounting major and I intend to become a forensic accountant. I want to learn to write well to document and present findings." He watched Chiharu from the corner of his eye to see if she recognized him.

As soon as Takashi started speaking, Chiharu looked up from the notes she was making. "The face and voice are familiar, but the name doesn't seem quite right. I can't quite place him right now. Maybe I can catch him after class," she pondered.

After introductions were complete, the professor went through the syllabus, pointing out the assignments and deadlines. "If your essays are good enough, they may be published. We have been fortunate to partner with a newspaper. I will explain more about how that came about when we reach that section of the class. I'm sure you're all overwhelmed with information so I will release you ten minutes early to give you a little extra time to assimilate it."

Takashi took one more look through the syllabus, making sure all the assignments and deadlines were highlighted for emphasis before packing it into his satchel. When he looked up, Chiharu was standing nearby looking at him with a quizzical expression.

"Did you attend Ouran High School?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes, I did," Takashi replied with a small smile. "I remember you were in the Newspaper Club."

Startled, she asked, "How did you know? Not many people paid attention to the Newspaper Club."

He chuckled. "Well, you did help the Host Club when Akira was holding Mitsukuni."

"Oh, that's why you look and sound so familiar. But I didn't recognize the last name when you introduced yourself," she stated.

"The name change is a long story. If you would allow me to take you to lunch, I'll tell you about it," Takashi asked hopefully, standing and offering his arm.

Chiharu smiled and placed a hand gently on his arm. "I would be delighted to have lunch with you."

He smiled at her and thought, "Whoa, her touch sparked something deep inside me. I will just have to ignore it…for now."

"There's a very nice restaurant nearby that the Host Club frequents," Takashi suggested.

"That sounds wonderful," Chiharu agreed, walking beside Takashi as they exited the building. As soon as they were outside, someone yanked her away from Takashi's side.

"Chiharu, you really need to stop associating with rabble. My father may object to our union if he thinks you've been slumming. You belong with a real journalist, me. I would never be caught with the scum of the earth," a male voice growled.

Wrenching her arm out of his grasp, she replied condescendingly, "Jiro, I have told you repeatedly that I have no interest in you. Now leave me alone."

Jiro made another grab for her, but his hand was intercepted by a much larger one. "The lady said she's not interested. Now if you will excuse us…"

"Do you know who you're talking to, reject?" Jiro sneered.

Takashi looked him up and down dismissively. "Something morally bankrupt from the way you are attempting to treat a lady."

"You're one to talk. You were kicked out of the Morinozuka family after all," Jiro snapped.

"If you were a real journalist," Takashi said, "you would know that you need to get your facts straight. Otherwise, you will be spending a lot of time and money defending yourself against slander and libel suits."

"What's the difference?" Jiro sneered.

Quirking an eyebrow, Takashi replied, "Slander is spoken and libel is written. If you don't know that, you should change majors."

Turning his back on Jiro, Takashi again offered Chiharu his arm and escorted her in the direction of the restaurant.

At the restaurant, the maître d' smiled when Takashi and Chiharu entered. "How may I help you today, Takashi?"

"We would like lunch and a quiet table to talk," he responded.

"Right this way," the maître d' led them to a small private dining room. "Your waitress will be right in."

Chiharu looked at Takashi in surprise. "You seem to be very well known here."

Takashi shrugged slightly. "Like I said, the Host Club frequents this restaurant. The maître d' keeps a private dining room available for us."

"They are here often?" Chiharu questioned.

"They came to visit some weekends last year. Kyoya and Haruhi used it as a study room between challenge tests a number of times," he replied. Before he could continue, the waitress came to take their orders.

Once the waitress left, Chiharu asked, "Is that why I didn't see you around campus much last year?"

Shaking his head, Takashi replied, "No, I spent most of my time worrying about and watching over Mitsukuni."

"You did that in high school and you were still active," Chiharu stated, a little confused.

"About the time classes started last year, Mitsukuni started having headaches. He was moody and completely out of character. Everything going on with our friends didn't help," Takashi explained.

The waitress arrived with their lunch orders and then quietly withdrew.

"What was going on?" Chiharu asked with interest.

Takashi gathered his thoughts. "Kyoya's father practically placed him under house arrest. Then the twins' parents were killed in a bombing in London. Things really came to a head the week before final exams. Mitsukuni's younger brother, Yasuchika, showed up—again—to challenge him to a fight. Mitsukuni lost control and broke Yasuchika's arm and two ribs." He paused, flooded with the memories from that day and the following weekend.

"Was that fight the reason for the name change?" Chiharu prompted, picking at her lunch as she listened to Takashi.

"No, it was just another symptom of what was wrong with Mitsukuni. The following week, he collapsed after his last exam and was rushed to the hospital. The diagnosis was a brain tumor. His father refused to authorize the surgery, insisting Mitsukuni just needed to learn self-control. His father blamed the Host Club for Mitsukuni's lack of control that injured Yasuchika." Takashi pushed his food around him plate, his appetite dissipating.

"In order to have the life-saving surgery, Mitsukuni removed himself from the Haninozuka registry. He was adopted by the Hinan family, the same one that adopted the Hitachiins after their parents were killed." Takashi paused.

"I can see why Mitsukuni made the choice he did," Chiharu said softly, placing her hand gently on Takashi's. "Did you change your name because he did?"

Taking a deep breath, Takashi replied. "No. I chose to change my name because our families refused to see reason. They were so fixated on Mitsukuni obeying without question that they ignored the fact the tumor was life-threatening. It became a contest of wills rather than striving for what was best for everyone."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Chiharu continued to hold Takashi's hand, gently rubbing circles with her thumb.

Feeling the spark warming in his chest once again, he shook his head as if to clear cobwebs and said, "What about you? What have you been up to since the rescue?"

Chiharu pulled her hand back and started twisting her fingers together. Takashi was a little bemused by the disappointment he felt when she let go of his hand.

"I don't know if you knew, but I was contracted to Akira for an arranged marriage by our fathers. It was the only reason I was involved in the Newspaper Club," Chiharu admitted.

Takashi's heart sank at her announcement. "So when is the wedding?"

Chiharu laughed. "Never. There was an incident just before high school graduation. My family is good friends with the Shibasaki family and we frequent their main restaurant. One night we were having dinner there when Akira and his father came in. Akira thought Kanata, one of the Shibasaki's three sons, was being too familiar with me.

"A few days later, there was a story in the Komitsuzawa's newspaper that the Shibasaki family was advertising Kobe beef and actually selling inferior meat. As a matter of form, the Shibasaki family filed a lawsuit demanding a retraction and one month of lost revenue. They were using a new lawyer because their usual one didn't want to deal with the Komitsuzawa family." Chiharu paused to sip her tea.

"This story sounds familiar for some reason," Takashi thought.

Smiling, Chiharu continued, "Given Komitsuzawa's reaction to an imagined slight, my father revoked the marriage contract on the grounds of unsuitability and possible instability. Later, he was very glad he had because Komitsuzawa lost the lawsuit and it was for much more than the Shibasaki family originally requested.

"The lawyer credited an intern with proposing a much stiffer penalty given the Komitsuzawa's habitual nature of printing misinformation. Let's not candy-coat it—printing lies. That was the first substantial lawsuit that they lost, but not the last. I've heard rumors that Komitsuzawa lost the newspaper in a lawsuit against the Hinan family."

Takashi smiled slightly. "Actually, it was a summary judgement because Komitsuzawa refused to appear in court to face the charges of libel."

"That's right, you're part of the Hinan family now," Chiharu said sheepishly.

"I also know the lawyer's intern that suggested the more-punitive penalty in the Shibasaki case," Takashi admitted.

"Really? Do you think I could meet them sometime and thank them?" Chiharu asked. "I owe them so much for distracting Akira's family from the revoked marriage contract."

"I'll ask," Takashi hedged. Looking at the time, he said, "I have a class in fifteen minutes. I'm sorry we have to cut this short."

"I'm sorry that we don't have more time, but I have a class to attend as well. Hopefully we'll see more of each other around campus this year since Mitsukuni is feeling better," Chiharu responded.

"And we do have the journalism class together, so we'll definitely be seeing each other more," Takashi affirmed.

Takashi led Chiharu to the maître d's podium where he paid the bill and included a generous tip.

"Thank you for your patronage. We look forward to seeing you again soon," the maître d' said as he held the front door open for them.

"Well, I have to get to my video production class," Chiharu said.

"Too bad my accounting class is in the opposite direction," Takashi responded, a bit chagrinned that they could not walk together to their next classes.

Chiharu looked at him and laid a hand on his arm. "Well, at least we'll see one another in journalism class tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," he murmured. He blushed slightly at the sudden urge he had to kiss her goodbye.

She did not see it as she walked quickly to her next class, hiding her own blush at her boldness of laying her hand on his arm.

OHSHC

Takashi sat at his desk, idly twirling his pen through his fingers. He simply could not concentrate. Chiharu's lovely smile and breathy laugh haunted his thoughts. "Why is she affecting me so much more than when we were at Ouran? We started elementary school together, though it was third year before I talked to her for the first time." Memories of that awful and wonderful day came flooding back.

*****FLASHBACK*****

Takashi stood staring at the ground as the boys chanted all sorts of mean names. "I wish Mitsukuni was here," was all he could think.

Suddenly there was a pair of small feet standing in front of him, facing the crowd of jeering boys. "Leave him alone," a girl's voice declared.

"Stay out of it, Chiharu-chan," one of the boys yelled. "The dummy doesn't need you to stick up for him."

"He's not a dummy," Chiharu insisted. "He's worried about his cousin, Mitsukuni-kun, who is in the hospital." She planted her fists on her hips and silently dared any of the boys to continue harassing Takashi.

Once the small crowd of boys dispersed, bored with the game of calling the quiet boy names, Takashi looked up slightly at Chiharu and mumbled, "Thanks, but how did you know?"

She smiled shyly at him. "I heard you telling the teacher this morning that Mitsukuni-kun would be out for a day or two because he fell out of a tree and had to go to the hospital. Don't worry. I'm sure your cousin will be fine. Until he gets back, I'll spend time with you, if you don't mind."

One corner of Takashi's lips raised as he replied, "I'd like that."

*****END FLASHBACK*****

Takashi smiled at the memory. "We never did get close. It was expected that my focus would be Mitsukuni so I wasn't always aware of when Chiharu was around. It's funny, now that I think about it, she did check on us regularly, even in middle school." He frowned slightly as he was reminded of an incident involving Chiharu during their first year in middle school.

*****FLASHBACK*****

Mitsukuni and Takashi were just leaving the dojo following karate club. Walking through the gardens, they heard a girl cry for help. Takashi led the way through the hedge maze to find a third-year middle school boy laughing cruelly as he tried to rip Chiharu's dress off. Seven of his friends stood around with lustful expressions, egging him on.

Mitsukuni faced off against the observers while Takashi whipped off his uniform jacket and pulled Chiharu free. He wrapped the jacket securely around her, preserving her modesty, and thrust her behind his back. "That is not how you treat ladies," Takashi growled.

"She's just a stupid girl and I can do anything I want to her. What do you care?" sneered the third-year who stood at least six inches taller than Takashi.

"I have been taught that women are to be respected, not assaulted," Takashi replied coldly.

"Girls are nothing more than playthings and you're interfering in our fun. Get 'em, guys," he ordered his friends.

Without turning his head, he told Chiharu, "Get security."

"Oh no you don't," the bully said, making a grab for Chiharu. Takashi intercepted him and threw him to the ground.

"Get her!" the bully commanded his friends, wheezing for air.

Two of the others started after her, but Mitsukuni intercepted them and threw them to the ground near their leader. Within minutes, all eight third-years were on the ground nursing bumps, bruises, and bloody noses as the first-years stood over them, silently daring them to get up.

Chiharu returned with two security guards who herded all ten boys and Chiharu to the headmaster's office.

Yuzuru frowned at the crowd in his office. "Fighting is prohibited. You all know that. There are ample competitions available to settle disputes."

The ringleader yelled, "They started it," pointing to Mitsukuni and Takashi.

"They did not," Chiharu declared, pulling Takashi's uniform tightly around her like armor against the lustful stares of the third-year boys.

Yuzuru leveled his gaze at Chiharu and asked, "What did happen? And why are you wearing a middle school boy's uniform jacket?"

Blushing, Chiharu told the story of the attack and heroic rescue.

The ringleader interrupted. "That's not what happened at all. We stumbled across them making out and tried to stop them."

The security officer at the computer gestured for Yuzuru's attention. As he watched the screen over the security officer's shoulder, his expression darkened.

"This behavior will not be tolerated. Your parents will be called to come pick you up," Yuzuru ordered.

The ringleader started to smirk, but Yuzuru continued, "The third-years are to be held by security until their parents arrive and complete their conference with me."

Turning to Mitsukuni and Takashi, his voice softened and said, "Please escort Chiharu-chan to the nurse's office to be sure she was not injured in the attack."

The cousins bowed and took up places on either side of Chiharu for the walk to the nurse's office.

*****END FLASHBACK*****

Takashi chuckled at the memory. The eight boys were expelled and charged with sexual assault. Yuzuru fined their parents for the attack and admonished Mitsukuni and Takashi for getting involved in such an unfair fight. To which Mitsukuni responded, "It's not our fault there were only eight of them against the two of us." Now that I think about it, I never did get that uniform jacket back."

Shaking his head to dispel the memories, he tried once again to concentrate on his homework. He looked up as Mitsukuni entered the apartment and nodded to acknowledge his presence. "I'll start dinner in about an hour," he said offhandedly.

"Okay, I have some reading to do for class," Mitsukuni replied as he settled onto the sofa.

Fifteen minutes later, Takashi was twirling his pen again. "Why can't I get my mind off her? It was never like this at Ouran, not even after her help with the Newspaper Club? What's changed?"

Mitsukuni was worried as he watched Takashi fidget at his desk. "This is so unlike him. He's usually so serene, even when the Host Club was chaos." Finally, he couldn't stand it any longer. "Takashi, what's wrong?"

Looking guilty, Takashi asked, "Why do you think something is wrong?"

Smirking, Mitsukuni replied, "You've been fidgeting with your pen instead of doing your homework. That's very unusual for you. Did something happen today?"

"I can never hide anything from Mitsukuni," Takashi thought. Aloud, he said, "I had lunch with Chiharu Tojo today."

Mitsukuni got up off the sofa and walked over to Takashi. "The one we started school with at Ouran? The one who helped us with the Newspaper Club?" Mitsukuni asked, seeking clarification.

Takashi just nodded and blushed slightly.

A mischievous grin lit Mitsukuni's face and he poked Takashi's shoulder. "She's one of the girls you had one of 'those' dreams about, isn't she?"

Blushing a shade darker, Takashi said, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Hey, you're the one who told me they were a normal part of maturing. Why are you embarrassed?" Mitsukuni asked softly.

"I don't understand why I'm feeling the way I do right now. All I can think about is her smile and the sound of her voice. Just being near her gives me a warm, tingly feeling. None of this ever happened all those years we were in school together at Ouran. What's changed?" Takashi murmured.

Mitsukuni seriously pondered Takashi's question for several minutes. "You do realize that you've changed, right?" he asked.

Takashi looked confused. "Do you mean the name change?"

"No, that's not what I mean. Think back to how you were before the Host Club. Look at the ways being involved in that has changed you," Mitsukuni pointed out. "Tamaki—Rene approached you and asked you to be in the Host Club. Sure, he asked me to be involved, too. But he didn't assume that we were a package deal."

"You're right," Takashi allowed. "But there seems to be more to it than just being involved in the Host Club. Most of the time we were still seen as a single unit with two parts."

"True, that is what the first year was like. But look at the second year. Haruhi stumbled into our world, literally, and we morphed from three units with two parts each to six distinct individuals," Mitsukuni expounded.

Takashi looked pensive for several minutes, sorting through the three years of memories in the Host Club. "I think I see what you mean," he allowed. "Haruhi's perspective made me re-examine myself and the others in the Host Club did the same. I was no longer seen as a two-dimensional character, there only to serve and protect you. I had my own likes and dislikes, my own activities. She saw me as someone unique and special, which in turn, made me see myself the same way."

Mitsukuni grinned. "There's also the fact that Haruhi acted nothing like the other girls at Ouran. She's blunt, open, and matter-of-fact. I know that the flighty, swooning girls attracted to the Host Club made you uncomfortable because they were so superficial. She proved that there are serious girls out there that want to get to know a guy before making a grandiose love confession."

"You mean like that one Tamaki—Rene wrote when we were trying to help patch up things between Kanako and Tohru? I wonder if he copied parts of that from some of the love confessions girls gave him," Takashi said, chuckling.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Mitsukuni admitted.

Takashi checked the time. "Well, I should get started on dinner. Thanks for the talk. It helped a lot."

Mitsukuni clapped his cousin—brother on the shoulder. "Glad I could help. Maybe you and Chiharu could double date with Reiko and me sometime?"

Blushing slightly as he moved toward the kitchen, Takashi murmured, "I'll keep that in mind."

OHSHC

Rene answered the knock at the door and was promptly dragged into a hug by the twins. "Okay, okay. We've got all weekend," he huffed, trying to catch his breath.

"You don't know how much we've missed you guys," Hikaru and Kaoru declared in unison, rubbing their cheeks against his like a pair of affectionate cats.

Haruhi nudged the three of them into the apartment so she could close the door. As soon as the door latched, she was swept into Kyoya's arms and he whispered in her ears, "You don't know how much I have missed you."

She kissed him, caressed his cheek, and said, "It's incredible how long two weeks can feel."

Freeing himself from the twins, Rene pulled Haruhi out of Kyoya's embrace and into a soft hug. At the surprised look on her face, he responded, "I'm trying to remember to be gentle, okaa-san."

Haruhi smiled and ruffled his hair. "Good job, Rene."

Kyoya wrapped his arms around Haruhi from behind. Quietly, he said, "Rene's been having a rough week. He's even reverted to whiplash mood swings and growing mushrooms. I'm hoping this weekend will be a big help for him."

"We'll see what we can do," she said, turning in his arms and standing on her toes to give him a quick kiss.

The twins dropped their overnight bags next to the door. "So, what are the plans this weekend?" Hikaru asked.

"We're all having dinner here tonight and then doing homework for a couple hours before we settle down for a movie," Rene explained excitedly.

"Will Mitsukuni and Takashi be here soon?" Haruhi asked.

Before anyone could answer, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it," Rene announced. Throwing the door open, he admitted the missing members of the Host Club. "The neighbors are here. We can start the party now."

Kyoya chuckled. "See what I mean about reverting to his old behavior?"

Haruhi nodded, "Well, maybe a little. But you have noticed the shift, haven't you?"

"Yes, it finally hit me when we were at the home center shopping. When he asked 'okaa-san' if he could get the plush and I replied, he said, 'I wasn't talking to you, otou-san.' It dawned on me that he had shifted our roles. How long ago did that start?"

"The first time he called me 'okaa-san' was the day of Takashi's class gathering—your birthday. When I took the four of them upstairs because Mitsukuni had a headache, they all settled around me because they were tired. He called me 'okaa-san' just before he fell asleep. He's made himself one of the children rather than 'Daddy' now," Haruhi pointed out.

Watching the others interact, she continued, "Let's not mention it for right now. I'm not sure if he has realized that he's been doing it." Then she kissed his cheek before walking over to welcome Takashi while the twins were teasing Mitsukuni about whether he had grown any yet.

"Have you been settling into classes okay?" she asked, giving him a hug.

He returned the hug and said, "They're good. The journalism class is interesting."

She smiled. "Have you made any new friends?"

Takashi blushed slightly and nodded. "One."

Before Haruhi could ask for further details, Mitsukuni pulled her into a hug. "I can't believe how much better I feel this year!"

Haruhi tousled his hair and remarked teasingly, "I'm sure the fact Reiko is here this year has absolutely nothing to do with that."

Mitsukuni blushed at the implications of Haruhi's remark.

"That reminds me. Has she been able to find a place to live yet? I remember she said she was having trouble finding somewhere because everything was full."

"Yes, she did. When she went to the bulletin board to check the 'Roommate Wanted' section, she ran into someone who was about to put up a listing. Her roommate was not returning because her family had forced her into an arranged marriage during the summer," Mitsukuni scowled.

Haruhi frowned as well. "That's awful. To be forced into something like that—like she was a piece of property to be sold to advance the family business."

"I know," Mitsukuni replied. "But anyway, Reiko and the other girl started talking and decided that they were compatible enough to be roommates."

"That's good to hear," Haruhi said.

"When will we get to meet her?" Rene interrupted.

Mitsukuni looked sheepish. "Well, I was going to ask if Reiko and her roommate could join us for dinner tonight."

Rene and Kyoya exchanged a glance. Kyoya said, "I don't see why they can't join us. We planned on making a big pot of nikujaga, so there's plenty to go around."

"Hooray!" Mitsukuni cheered, pulling out his phone. "I'll call right now." He moved to a quiet corner to make the call. The other occupants of the apartment headed into the living room to relax for a little while before starting dinner.

"They'll be here in a few minutes," Mitsukuni announced. "It turns out they live in this building, just one floor up, but at the other end of the hall."

"That will be convenient for studying…and dates," Haruhi teased and the others laughed as Mitsukuni blushed.

When there was a knock at the door, Rene jumped up and practically ran across the apartment. He flung the door open and announced, "Welcome Reiko and Roommate. Please come in and join us."

Rene grabbed their hands and dragged them to the living room. Mitsukuni immediately pulled Reiko out of Rene's grasp and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Before he could ask her to introduce her roommate, Takashi said in disbelief, "Chiharu? You're Reiko's roommate?"

"Takashi?" she replied in equal disbelief. "Reiko has been saying she wanted to introduce me to her fiancé and his cousin. You're him?"

The rest of the Host Club looked back and forth between them. Finally, Haruhi said teasingly, "So, Takashi, is this the new friend you made?"

"Actually more of a re-acquaintance," Chiharu clarified. "We started school together at Ouran."

Haruhi puzzled for a moment. Then she declared, "That's why you look familiar. You helped us with the Newspaper Club incident."

"How did you know about that?" Chiharu asked, confused. "I didn't think anyone found out about what happened."

"She was there," Takashi explained. "I'll explain later, but she wears the male uniform at Ouran."

Chiharu smiled. "That sounds like an intriguing story."

"Maybe we'll all explain it tonight during dinner," Rene suggested.

"Speaking of stories," Takashi interjected, "Chiharu, I think Haruhi was the intern that suggested the punitive damages in the Shibasaki case against Komitsuzawa."

"Really?" Chiharu cried.

Haruhi looked perplexed. "There was a lawsuit I was typing up the second day of my internship that was a libel case by the Shibasaki family against the Komitsuzawa newspaper regarding the quality of meat at their restaurant. I simply made the lawyer aware of the pattern of sensationalized stories put forth by Komitsuzawa and hypothesized that they continued to do it because no one hit them where it hurt most—in the wallet."

Chiharu pulled Haruhi into a hug. "Indirectly, you saved me from an arranged marriage to Akira Komitsuzawa. I can't thank you enough for that."

Haruhi laughed. "Glad to help. That internship has had so many unexpected benefits."

Kyoya stood up and announced, "Okay, it's time to get dinner started. Rene, you come with me. The rest of you relax."

Hikaru said, "Don't mind us, we're just going to tell the story of how Haruhi joined the Host Club."

"And, if we have time, the story of the creation of the Hinan family," Kaoru added.

Mitsukuni turned to Reiko. "I think you'll like these stories."

She snuggled into his side. "They definitely sound intriguing."

Hikaru stood up and declared dramatically, "It all started when Haruhi was looking for a quiet place to study. Boy, did she take a wrong turn when she entered the Third Music Room where she was met by…"

20