Author's Note: Welcome back! I'm so excited to post the first chapter of the last story in 'The Last Straw' trilogy. If you are new to this story – you must go back and read the previous ones. You'll be completely lost if you don't.
Since the first two stories covered a year at Ouran, I'll warn you that some of the characters might seem OoC. I've been writing this timeline for a year of their lives. They're bound to change as I put them through different things than canon.
Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will.
.
xXx
.
Date Posted: 9/14/2019
Trigger Warnings: Language and Language
The Next Phase - Chapter 1: Under the Big Top
.
Recap:
Hikaru has a copy of Asagei in his hand, and they are coming this way. Interesting. He tossed it on my laptop keyboard. "What's next?"
I tilted my head to the side and waited.
"What's next?" Hikaru asked again.
"I did what I said I was going to do." I leaked it. It's over. They called my bluff and I retaliated. Simple as that.
I looked over to Haru. "I'm not giving up on us. I'm disappointed. I'm asking you to please reconsider my proposal."
They're shocked. Because I said please?
"We need some space before we can revisit this. The Ootori Conglomerate will be taking up most of my time for the next couple of months. After things calm down in the new year, we'll speak again."
I stood, packed up my laptop, and walked out of the Dining Hall.
.
xXx
.
Wednesday December 8:
Ouran Dining Hall:
"What the fuck was that?" Hikaru yelled.
"There's the bell. We'll talk about it after Host Club," Chika replied.
Hikaru couldn't contain himself, "Are you shitting me?"
Kaoru grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room. "Don't act crazy right after that article came out. People are staring."
"If you think I give a fuck about that…"
Kaoru pinched his arm, "Be quiet. You don't want to embarrass Haruhi, do you?"
.
xXx
.
Afternoon classes:
I haven't done something that fun for a while. The looks on their faces before I walked out of that dining hall were priceless. Hikaru's face covered in desperation, wanting that to be the end. Haruhi's face in shock when I told her we weren't done yet. But in those huge brown eyes, there was a minuscule amount of pride. She was proud of me for not leaking it to the mainstream press.
Of course, I didn't. I never intended to. Just like I've got plan Z in my pocket, but I'm never going to use it. I'll never even threaten her with it. That would completely destroy the entire group.
As much as those idiots think I am cold bastard, I'm not. I miss them. I miss the craziness. The chaos.
"Kyoya, what was all that?"
"All what?"
"You know exactly what I mean."
Yes, I did. Did Tamaki deserve an answer? He could pass it to the others.
"Just what I said. I did what I said I would. I exposed his medical records. All of you should know I don't issue empty threats."
"And that's it?"
"What?"
"That's it? That was the entire leak?"
Idiot. I'll spell it out for him. I sighed, "I don't know how many times I have to say this…I did what I said I would do. Because I did it, there's nothing else to do."
"So, you only leaked it to Asagei?"
"Tamaki shut up. Class is starting. I leaked it. It's done."
.
Three-way text between Haruhi and the twins:
Hikaru: Can you believe that asshole?
Kaoru: Yeah, but if he had to leak it, he did it in the least damaging way
Hikaru: Until he leaks it to the next newspaper
Haruhi: Guys pay attention to class. I'm not going to let you borrow my notes
Kaoru: You're no fun, Haruhi
Hikaru: Yeah
Kaoru: Still – I think he's done with the leaks. He said he'd done what he said he'd do
Hikaru: It's Kyoya – can't believe anything he says.
"Hikaru-kun! Kaoru-kun! Pay attention to the lecture or be sent to the Chairman's office."
He didn't give it to mainstream press. I knew he wouldn't. Somewhere, deep down, I just knew he wouldn't. No matter what has happened between us, no matter how many times I've told him no, he wasn't going to hurt Hikaru like that.
Kyoya-senpai can be a cold, ruthless bastard, but he cares about his friends. At least a tiny bit. When Hikaru had his issues last year, Kyoya-senpai went through hell to keep it quiet and get him the help he needed. I didn't think he could just destroy that. All that work that Hikaru did. All that he went through.
He's lost his chance with me…he ruined it, stomped on it until it bled, and then set it on fire, but he didn't destroy Hikaru with it. For that, I'm thankful.
Hikaru: Haruhi – pay attention in class. You can't borrow my notes.
Haruhi: What notes?
.
Satoshi keeps glancing at me. We'll talk about it at club, but I know we're both thinking the same thing. It seems like the mental health records issue is over.
.
"Get out of my way, jerk!" Why the fuck is everyone in my way today? Are they trying to piss me off? I looked up at the guy I'd just pushed aside. Shit.
"Dammit, Kasanoda, don't you know you shouldn't be pushing girls around?"
"What girl? You're wearing the boy's uniform, Shinobu."
"Duh! Did you really think I'd keep wearing that banana creampuff dress if I didn't have to?"
She stopped and looked hard at my face. "Who shit in your salad?"
"What?"
Her voice softened, slightly, "What's wrong? You OK?"
"I will be once I kill someone."
"Let me know if you need help," she called as I continued through the hall.
This time I think I might actually kill him. Sure, he gave Hikaru a pass with that stupid tabloid, but he's still after Haruhi. Dickhead.
.
xXx
.
Host Club:
Rich, crazy bastards. This is ridiculous.
"Welcome!"
Instead of rose petals falling from the ceiling, each guest was given a small bag of popcorn.
Tamaki-senpai, standing in the center of the room in the middle of a huge ring, couldn't help himself. "Ladies and Gentlemen and children of all ages, welcome to the Ouran High School Host Club Circus." Dressed as the ringmaster, he wore black pants, a white shirt with a red bow tie, and red tails. The top hat made the costume. This is going to be a long day.
As the guests walked to their host's area, the comments were as varied as the girls themselves.
"Oh, Kaoru, what a big red nose you have," Watanabe said. It was a shock the first time she told them apart, but they're slowly getting used to it. The guys were in identical clown costumes to make it even harder to tell them apart. Looks like she passed the test.
"Squeeze it, princess." She did and got a cute squeak and laughed.
"Oh, Kaoru, you shouldn't let anyone else squeeze your nose. That's for me only."
"I'm sorry, Hikaru, but the princess liked it."
"Well, no one else but me." Then they leaned over for a kiss and stopped just in time.
"Ohhhh."
Their guests are so weird.
.
I just know the ladies will love the act I do later. It will be so cute.
"Ladies, we have all types of circus food for you: popcorn, cotton candy, peanuts, Cracker Jack, and various candy. And a surprise for later."
They sat down and started to giggle. "Honey-senpai, your pink body suit is so sweet."
"Yes, and those Usa-chan shorts are cute."
I gave them my best smile. "I just know you all will love the surprise Usa-chan and I have for you later."
"Surprise? You can't tell us?"
"No," I winked at her, "but you'll see."
.
"Kasanoda, what are you supposed to be? You look ridiculous."
I'm wearing a kaki safari costume with knee high leather boots. She was staring at the whip on my belt.
"I'm the lion tamer, Shinobu-san. If you're good, I'll whip you."
"You pervert."
"Don't knock it till you've tried it."
"Asshole."
.
"Satoshi, that's a lot of balls," she said and then turned crimson. Some of these girls are so much fun.
Dressed in black pants, white shirt, and green striped vest, I was juggling five balls.
I'll let her comment go. "I'm juggling five right now, but I'll be adding more. When I was a kid, I wanted to learn how to juggle so bad, and now I can finally put it to use."
"Will you be juggling anything else today?" Same girl. Still blushing.
"Several things. You'll have to wait and see."
"Chika-kun, I can't tell what role you're playing from your costume."
He's wearing purple leggings and a tight t-shirt.
"I'll be giving a performance later, ladies. You'll be astonished."
"I can't wait."
.
"Haruhi, you look hot. What are you supposed to be?" These guys can still be rude after all the warnings.
"Shut-up, jackass," one of the others said, punctuating his remark with a slap on the 'jackass's' head. Guess they all aren't perverts.
Mori answered for me. "We are a knife-throwing pair. Haruhi is my target."
"You're really going to throw knives at her."
Mori looked at him like was an idiot. "Of course not. I'll be throwing them around her."
He was wearing royal blue pants, a white puffy shirt and suspenders. I didn't like my costume but had to live with it. Kaoru did his best to make it modest. Black leggings with a short white skirt over them. Black long-sleeved tight shirt with white vest over it. The black heels weren't very high.
.
"Damn, Kasanoda. You guys go all out, don't you?"
She had a point. From the ceiling down all the walls was a red and white striped big top. No idea where Satoshi got that.
"Yep. We like the ladies to feel transported." Hope that didn't sound too stupid. It's what Tamaki-senpai said to say.
"Well, the stuffed animals all around are a nice touch. Guess I do feel like I'm at the circus."
"Yeah, but Shinobu, this isn't for you. You're no lady."
Her face flushed and I knew I'd hit the mark. What is she going to say?
"I never claimed to be. I have more fun this way."
"Really," I waggled my eyebrows at her.
"Asshole."
.
"Ladies and gentlemen. If I could direct your attention to the main ring, our very own Honey-senpai has a surprise for you."
Here I go. I practiced last night, so I better not fall. It will be embarrassing, but I won't get hurt. It's only three meters off the ground (~9 feet).
"Oh, Honey-kun, please don't fall!" Cho-chan called.
I smiled and stepped out onto the tightrope. I heard the collective gasp from all the ladies. I'm in no danger, but they're sweet to worry.
I slowly walked out to the middle of the rope. Here's the first trick. I smiled and waived just before a front flip, landing just right on the rope.
"Ohhhh!"
"Ahhhh!"
Looking down, I saw several of them with their hands over their eyes.
"The magnificent Honey-senpai!" Tama-chan yelled, throwing his arms up and pointing a me. Wish I had some cake.
I leapt into a backflip, landing on the rope. One of the ladies screamed.
"And now for his big dismount!"
I jumped a good two meters above the rope then spun through several backflips before a perfect landing. No problem.
The room filled with applause as I heard "Oh, Honey-kun. I'm so glad you're OK." Cho-chan ran into my arms. She had Usa-chan in her hand and gave him to me, "He enjoyed it as much as the rest of us."
I smiled and grabbed her hand, "Let's go have some cake!"
.
"Don't know how you're going to top that, Kasanoda. You really don't have any talent."
"I usually don't get insulted like that, Shinobu," I said through gritted teeth.
"You don't listen much, do you?"
That chick. I've never had anyone get under my skin like she does.
"We couldn't find an animal we wanted to torture with a whip. Wanna be my lion?"
"Asshole."
.
"And now Satoshi will amaze us with this juggling talent!"
I looked around at the girls surrounding me, "I need volunteers."
"ME!" they all screamed.
I gave them a cocky smile and said, "All right then, all of you follow me."
Tamaki-senpai had wheeled out a table of teacups. This is going to be fun. I grabbed three and started to juggle as I walked to the center of the ring.
"Ladies, each of you grab a cup, line up, and get ready. We'll start at the end closest to our Ringmaster. When I say 'NOW', the next princess will toss their cup into the mix. Aim for my right hand. For every successful toss, I'll award a kiss to the talented princess."
"Ooooooo. I want a kiss!"
The cups started to get higher and higher until I was ready. "NOW!"
A cup was thrown successfully, and I incorporated it into the group. "Well done. I owe you a kiss, princess."
We repeated this until I had ten cups going around. Only two broke when the toss missed. They'll all get a kiss. They're so cute.
"Now we're going to reverse this. When I say 'Catch', I'll toss one back. We'll go in reverse order.
That didn't work as well. Four of them didn't catch, and the cups shattered on the marble floor. Oh well. Breakage was built into the budget for this cosplay and I used cups from incomplete sets.
"That was amazing, Satoshi-kun," one of the girls said when we all sat down again.
"I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I owe some of you kisses, but for being such good assistants, I'll award one to each of you."
I know they were disappointed it was on the cheek, but this isn't that type of Host Club.
.
Haruhi leaned over and murmured in my ear, "At least Kyoya-senpai isn't here to add those broken cups to my debt."
I smiled down at her. I'm glad she can joke about that. She's been through hell these last few weeks.
Tamaki walked into the middle of the ring and announced, "And now, our very own Mori-senpai will demonstrate his knife-throwing skills. Our beautiful Haruhi will be his target.
"Haruhi-chan, please be careful!"
"Don't worry. I have complete faith in Mori-senpai." I tried hard not to blush as we walked into the ring.
The target board was already in place, a bullseye and female figure outline painted on it.
Haruhi had agreed to this if we didn't use real knives. I agreed if I could demonstrate with real ones after she stepped away. We're starting with Velcro dart things. Light weight so they don't hurt if I hit her, but there's no way I will.
"Drum roll please!" Tamaki yelled. His theatrics are over the top today.
I threw six darts in rapid succession. They hit around her with no problem.
"Haruhi! Mori-senpai! That was amazing!" Keiko-chan yelled.
"Hey! Those aren't real knives!" one of Haruhi's designees shouted.
She stepped away from the circle and put her hands on her hips before replying, "Of course not. This is cosplay."
"Whatever."
Haruhi pulled the darts and walked them back to me. I repeated the performance twice more before I pulled out the real knives.
"Now it's getting real!" But he was disappointed when she stepped behind me.
I pulled out twelve knives and threw them one after the other. So quickly I had three in the air at once. They all landed centimeters away from the female target.
Shouts and applause filled the room. I turned and bowed.
Haruhi went to the target and pulled the knives for me. She walked back and handed me one. "I'm trusting you, Mori-senpai. You can throw one at me."
She immediately turned and walked back before I could stop her. Is she crazy? I'm good, but anything could happen.
"Ready, Mori-senpai!"
Might as well throw it. She won't back down until I do.
The room was silent as everyone held their breath. I drew the knife back, aimed carefully, and threw it. It landed about 15 centimeters (~6 inches) from her side.
More applause as Haruhi ran up and hugged me. I could barely hear her say, "I knew you could do it."
The hug made all my worries worth it.
.
"And now our lion tamer will demonstrate his prowess with the whip. Please direct your attention to the center ring and give Kasanoda a big cheer."
We didn't want to scare the ladies by whipping a stuffed animal, although that was my vote. I could just imagine the head coming off and the stuffing flying everywhere. Tamaki-senpai said it would lead to mental scaring. Chicken.
We settled for hay. Basically, five ladders of hay, four rungs tall. Standing side by side, they gave me twenty targets. The rungs were thin enough that I could break them with this whip.
It's a classic. Got it right after I saw 'Raiders of the Lost Arc' the first time. Got a few scars learning how to use it, but totally worth it. I'm a badass.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Kasanoda will attempt to break each ladder rung with his whip. Silence please."
Tamaki-senpai is getting way too into this.
CRACK!
"Ohhhh"
"He did it!"
CRACK!
"Damn."
CRACK!
"That's so scary."
And so on. When I was done, it was twenty for twenty. Too bad Pops won't let me use the whip when I'm out on a task or interviewing someone. Too easy to tie it back to me.
"Thank you for your showmanship, Kasanoda!"
And the crowd went wild.
"Not bad," Shinobu said.
"Twenty for Twenty and you say, 'not bad'?"
"Yeah, well, that's about as nice as I want to be to you today."
This chick. She's going to drive me insane.
.
"Wow, Chika-kun. I didn't know you could do that!"
"Thank you, princess. I've trained as a gymnast for a while and am happy to show you and all the other ladies." I'd just sat down after my performance. As an acrobat, I chose to perform on a set of rings. I'd cross-trained in gymnastics to strengthen my arms and core. Haven't beaten the alien yet, but it's definitely helping.
.
"Hey, jackass."
Shinobu was trying to get my attention. Does she really think I'm going to answer to that?
Guess not because she shifted closer and smacked my arm.
With my best shit-eating grin I snarled, "Can I help you?"
"I'll pick you up at eight on Friday. My security's covering. Dress nice, but not formal."
"Whatever."
.
As the ladies were leaving the club for the day, the comments were overwhelmingly positive.
"I was scared of that blue cotton-candy at first, but it was delicious. Such strange ideas commoners come up with."
"Can you believe Chika-kun? He's so strong."
"I think it was Hikaru that squirted me with a flower. He's lucky I found it funny."
"Tamaki-senpai is so handsome."
"I couldn't even look after Honey-senpai did that first flip. I was so scared."
"Dude, I don't think that last knife was planned. Looks like she surprised Mori-senpai with it. Wish I could get a hug like that."
"I can't believe Satoshi-kun caught my teacup. I just knew I'd miss."
"Did you see how fast Morinozuka threw those knives? There's no way I could do that."
"And then he kissed me. It was so romantic."
.
And, Sitting at a Laptop Somewhere:
Circus theme. Satoshi doesn't do well controlling Tamaki. I wouldn't have let him do that one. Looks too complicated.
And that bastard, Mori-senpai. How dare he throw a knife at my future wife. She did look hot, though.
I knew those idiots wouldn't do another sweep for cameras and mics after they found all those on the first sweep. They should realize that new locks won't stop the Black Onion Squad.
.
xXx
.
After Club Meeting:
"There's only one topic today: Kyoya-senpai," Satoshi said to open the meeting. I can't believe that after everything, Kyoya-senpai still isn't accepting my refusal to marry him.
"I spoke with him during class this afternoon," Tamaki-senpai said. "I don't remember the exact words, but he assured me that what we saw in Asagei today was the entirety of the leak. There will be no more."
"Fucking 'A!" Hikaru yelled while Kaoru slapped him on the back. "That article didn't do anything. Asagei is such a gossip rag that no one but the incredibly stupid believe it. I'm totally safe."
"I don't understand," Satoshi spoke up. "If it didn't do any damage, why do it at all?"
"My darling friend Haruhi, did Kyoya tell you how he was going to leak it?"
"No. He just said he'd give it to the press."
"There's your answer, Satoshi. She said no and didn't show up to the ball. He didn't have a choice but to leak it. The manner in which he did shows that he didn't really want to hurt Hikaru-senpai," Chika said.
"Well, I don't give a shit why. The important thing is that it's over and we can stop worrying. I'll let Mom know so she can call off the PR firms." Hikaru pulled out his phone and started texting.
"Now that that's done, what about Haruhi-senpai?"
"What about me, Satoshi-kun?"
"He said he's not giving up on you, but that he's going to give you space until the new year. What does that really mean?"
"I don't know and I'm not sure I care. I'm so tired of this whole thing. All I know is I have several weeks before he does anything and I'm going to enjoy them."
I looked over at Honey-senpai and Chika-kun. "Does this mean I can move back home? I miss my Dad and my apartment. Not that your house isn't wonderful, but it's just not me."
"We understand, Haru-chan. Don't worry."
Chika looked at me and said, "I don't think that should be a problem. Kyoya-senpai hasn't tried anything physical yet. Eiji hasn't had to stop him from doing anything except walking up to you a couple of times. I think we should install a new, steel-core door at your apartment and put on new locks." He looked over at Satoshi, "Can you get that done before the weekend?"
"Sure."
"Good. Haruhi-senpai, you can move back home on Saturday. Will that work?"
"That's perfect, Chika-kun."
"Wait a minute," Ritsu broke in. "Are we sure we can do that? She won't be protected. That asshole could do anything!"
"Like what?"
"How do we know he's just not trying to project a false sense of security?" Kaoru asked.
"Yeah," Hikaru said. "He could go back and do any of the things we thought he could do before."
"That's my point," Ritsu barked. "He could still do anything."
"But Ritsu, he doesn't have the time crunch he did before the ball. Maybe he really is going to give it a rest for a while. He has to know nothing is going to get resolved without all of us calming down."
"Haruhi, so help me, if you say you're going to give him a chance if he…"
I cut him off right there, "Of course not. He may calm down, but nothing he does is going to repair all those horrible things he's done."
"Enough of this. We can go round and round forever and still be here. He's said he's going to back off. After the leak result, maybe we can give him a small chance to prove himself." Chika looked around at all of us and glared. "Haruhi-senpai has all our phone numbers. She'll call if anything happens." He gave me a scary look, "Right, Haruhi-senpai."
"Of course, Chika-kun," I gulped.
"If any of you are still unsure, take your own steps."
"Oh, hell no!" I moaned. "I'm done with this. I'm going home on Saturday and no one is going to stop me."
"That's not what I meant, Haruhi-senpai."
"Yeah, Haruhi. We'll just have you followed or something," Kaoru interjected.
These guys are going to be the death of me. "How does that afford me my own choices and autonomy?"
"You'll never see them."
"They'll still be there."
"Haruhi," Ritsu huffed, "we all care for you. Do you really expect us to let you go from total coverage to none?"
"Fine." I threw up my hands and warned them, "I can't stop you, but I better not see any security, I better not know they are there, my daily routine better not be changed. I want to be left alone!"
"Fine."
"Whatever."
"Since that's settled, I'll text the girls and have them come back for our study group," Kaoru said as he sent the text.
I'm not moving back until Saturday. I give it until Tuesday before I see their guards.
.
xXx
.
Dinner at the Diner:
"Grilled cheese and tomato soup."
"Club sandwich."
"French toast with whipped cream."
"Honey-senpai, you're not going to order from the dessert menu tonight?"
"I thought I'd try these, Haru-chan. They sound sweet."
"Hamburger with onion rings."
"Grilled fish."
"We're going to try the loaded nachos."
"Chicken and waffles." (1)
"Are you sure, Tamaki-kun. You're not always happy with your choices."
"If I keep trying things, I'm sure I'll find a favorite, Renge-chan."
"Satoshi?" Guess the waitress is learning our names.
"I'm going to try the spicy omelet."
"Vegetable soup and some rolls."
The waitress, Hisa, left to put in our orders. I know I always leave a huge tip. Probably why she remembers my name.
We've never had an order mixed up and the check is always broken correctly. Haruhi-senpai absolutely refuses to let any of us pay for hers. Taka, Mitsukuni, Chika, and I take turns paying. The twins pay for themselves and their…I guess dates? Tamaki-senpai pays for Renge-senpai. Kasanoda-senpai's on his own. It's crazy but it works. It's not like the food here is expensive.
"Haruhi-chan, you seem more relaxed than you have in weeks."
"I am, Watanabe-chan. I received some good news today and a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
"That's wonderful. I'm happy for you Haruhi-chan."
.
Back at this strange diner. I prefer traditional food, but where she goes, I go. Surprised they haven't noticed me yet. I'm here every week with them. Guess the disguises are working.
My camera is hidden under a newspaper, and I'm clicking away. Not sure why my employer wants pictures of her, but I don't care. I'm getting paid handsomely.
.
xXx
.
Thursday, December 9:
Host Club:
"So, we went to this huge indoor dog park."
My ears perked up as soon as I heard the word 'dog'. I love Antoinette and love playing with her.
I wandered over to Kasanoda's area to hear more about it.
"Kasa just loved it. Plenty of room for her to run around and play fetch. They even had a dog pool."
"Princess Shinobu," I broke in, "where is this place?"
"Do you have a dog, Tamaki-senpai?"
I sighed and clasped my hands under my chin. "Antoinette. She's an amazing Golden Retriever. The best furry friend a boy can have."
"I'm sure she would enjoy the dog park. Kasa had fun."
I listened eagerly as she gave me the details.
.
He looks like a damn puppy. He's practically drooling in excitement. I hope he doesn't want Kasa and me to come along when he checks it out.
.
xXx
.
Public Library:
This will be the last time Eiji has to guard me at the library. He must be bored out of his skull. He doesn't even read anything just sits and watches. It can be disturbing.
"Haruhi-chan?"
I looked up and saw a smiling face. "Gorou-senpai. What a surprise. We weren't scheduled to meet."
"I know. I'm here to do some research and just happened to see you." He looked at the books and journals on my table. "That's not physics."
I let out a small laugh and said, "No. Marketing and hiring practices." He was still standing by the table. "Please sit and join me."
"Thank you." He sat down across from me where there was still some table space left.
"So, why marketing? I didn't think you were taking any business classes."
"I'm not. I had to fire two of my marketing managers and need to figure out how to replace them."
"Fire? Marketing Managers?" He looked at me in confusion. That's right. I've never told him I own a business.
"Do you know the Petto Chinmi company?"
"Pet supplies and food?"
"Yes. I own it." I went on to explain, and his eyes grew wider and wider.
"Damn. That's…cool."
.
Cool? That's what you say? Idiot. She's sixteen and owns her own company.
"Thanks. It's been a crash course in business, finance, marketing, security, human resources, manufacturing, and many other topics. It's hard to stay on top of it."
"I can imagine." Wait a minute… "Did you say you were looking for marketing managers?"
"Yes. Know anyone?"
"This is going to sound strange, but I do. My mother was let go from her job several months ago due to downsizing. It's just the two of us and things are getting tight."
Haruhi-chan was looking at me with interest, so I kept going. "It was an advertising firm. She wasn't a manager, but she was right under one."
I saw the gears turning in her head. Watching her think is fascinating.
"Can you have her send me a resume? I'll review it and pass it on if it's promising."
"Sure." My smile had to cover most of my face. "Thanks, Haruhi-chan. That's amazing."
"I'm only going to pass it on if she's qualified, but I will look at it."
She handed me a business card with dogs and cats on it. They have a neat logo. "Thanks. I'll have her email it as soon as I get home."
"Great." She switched to English. "We should practice. Do you have something that you'd like me to review?"
.
Gorou-senpai is getting better. Verb tense is correct. Punctuation almost there. This semicolon is wrong. I'm not surprised; not everyone knows how to use them.
If his mother is qualified, he's helped me solve a big problem. First, I get a good employee. Second, I'm hiring a single mother. The poverty level for single mothers in this country is outrageous.
"Here's your paper. You've greatly improved."
"Thanks, Haruhi-chan." He packed up his books and said, "I've got to get going. You'll get my mother's resume this evening."
"Thank you, Gorou-senpai. I look forward to reviewing it."
.
xXx
.
Haninozuka Estate - Library:
This resume is just what we need. Gorou-san definitely will be interviewed. I forwarded the resume to Tanaki-san and printed a copy for me.
"Haruhi-senpai?"
I looked up and Chika was right there. "Chika-kun. You startled me."
"Bookworm. You can get buried so deep in reading something, an earthquake could happen, and you wouldn't notice me."
He's getting to know me better and relax. He would have never teased me like that when the school year started.
"That's probably true. Please sit. Did you need help with your trig?"
"Not tonight. I wanted to talk to you about something else."
"OK." Now what? More security stuff? It better not be.
"When the Ootori Company leak came out and then after the Announcement Ball, we all were talking about how many shares we'd picked up. Remember?"
"Sure." I leaned back in my chair and probably looked really confused.
"You said you didn't know how to buy stock, and it got me thinking. Now that you own Petto Chinmi, you have more money than you've had before, even if most of it is going towards the debt."
"That's true. My bank account has never looked this good." I keep nowhere near my salary but having the extra money has helped both Dad and me feel secure.
"You should make that money work for you."
Work for me? "What does that mean?"
He shifted in his seat and crossed his legs. I could feel a rich bastard subject coming. "It should be invested carefully so that it can earn interest and dividends."
"Chika-kun, I have no idea how to do that. I wouldn't even know where to start."
"That's where I come in. The finance firm the Haninozuka's use is the best in the country. I'd like to make an appointment for you with my investment manager so you can start learning and see where you can invest your money."
"That's a generous offer, Chika-kun, but the money I have to invest is a drop in the ocean compared to yours. There's no way he'd want to take me on as a client."
"He'd do it if I asked him."
What is it with these guys that they always want to arrange special treatment for me? I sighed, "No. No special treatment. It's a good idea, but I should be placed with someone at the bottom of the ladder."
"I can do that."
.
I do admire her wish to do this herself. Unfortunately, with the very small amount of money she has to invest, no one in our firm would agree to manage it. She'd end up in some sub-par financial firm and not make near what she would at mine. I just won't tell her that.
I got the days next week that she would be able to go and said I'd make the appointments. I'll take her there and I'll meet with my manager while she meets with hers.
"I'll call tomorrow and let you know the times. It's never too early to start investing."
"Thank you. Without you, I'd have never thought of it."
"I'm sure you would have. Some of this stuff we talk about does rub off on you."
"I guess you're right."
"Until then," I got up and grabbed some magazines off the shelf, "These will help you get the basics before you walk in."
"Great. More studying."
"You can do it, bookworm."
.
xXx
.
Friday, December 10:
Host Club:
Today I'm tutoring. It's settled into a rhythm and is getting easier. There are two sessions each Friday. Subjects are dependent on who signs up. Today is English and world history.
We spoke in English the whole time. "You're understanding conjunctions much better now."
"Thank you, Haruhi-senpai."
While waiting for their next question, I let my mind drift back to lunch. Tanaki-san thought Gorou-san's resume was good enough for an interview. We'll be talking to her on Monday after classes.
"Earth to Haruhi?"
I came back to reality when one of the guys was waiving his hand in front of my face. "I apologize. What's your question?"
.
Antoinette will love the dog park. She'll run and play and fetch and say hello to all the other dogs. What a fun day out that will be.
The guests are leaving and she's standing by herself. "Haruhi! Haruhi! Haruhi!"
I couldn't contain myself. I was running around her as she stood there. I wanted a hug so bad…
"Yes, Tamaki-senpai?"
.
Whatever has got him going, it must be good. Haven't seen him this excited recently.
"Antoinette is going on an adventure!" He's still hopping around me.
I grabbed his hands as he came around again.
"Tamaki-senpai, please stand still. You're making me dizzy." He stopped and panted to catch his breath. Does he realize how alike he and Antoinette are?
"I'm so sorry, my darling friend. I just had to tell you. I'm so thrilled! It will be fantastic!"
"Where are you two going, Senpai?"
He looked over at Ritsu and Shinobu-san. "Kasanoda took Shinobu-chan to an indoor dog park. Her little Kasa loved it." He started jumping up and down again. "Can you believe such a thing exists? She said it had toys and a pool and big spaces to play fetch and lots of other dogs to play with."
"Sounds like dog heaven, Senpai."
"Yes!" he shouted, still slightly jumping.
At this point, Renge came over. "Are you talking about the dog park, Tamaki-kun?"
"Yes. I can't wait to take her there. We're going Sunday."
Hmm, dog park? That's an interesting idea. I should learn more about it.
"Senpai? Do you mind if I come along?"
"Oh, Haruhi, I'd love it if you came along." He pulled me into a hug and spun me around. He regresses when he's excited.
"Tamaki-kun," Renge said as she lightly slapped him on the arm, "put her down. You didn't ask."
"I'm sorry, Haruhi."
"It's no problem, Senpai. It is exciting news."
"I'll pick you up right after lunch."
"I'll be ready." I looked around and saw all the guests gone. "We should start straightening up."
Since my debt had been paid, I no longer do the cleaning. We're each responsible for our own areas…Taking the cups and plates back to the kitchen, etc. The club hired cleaners to come in at the end of the day and finish.
I try not to think too much about it. It's been over a year, but sometimes I still get angry at that whole mess.
"Haruhi-senpai?"
"Yes, Chika-kun?"
"Our appointments with our financial managers are Wednesday at lunch. Can you be dismissed from the class before lunch? It will take longer than the lunch hour to have the meetings."
"I don't see a problem with that. I have literature that period and we're in the middle of a research paper. There won't be a lecture that day."
"Perfect. We'll go in my car. We can each meet with our managers."
"I'm looking forward to it."
.
xXx
.
Haninozuka Estate:
"Haru-chan! I've got great news for you!"
"What is it, Honey-senpai?"
"Remember you asked if I could get recommendations for a new CIO?" I nodded. "Would you like Kato Keigo?"
Kato-san? He came over to give me an independent assessment. I'd wished he was available. "He'd be perfect, Honey-senpai, but I don't want to steal one of your employees."
"You're not stealing. Security and I discussed it. Kato-chan doesn't have anywhere to go here. As second, he won't be promoted to first in IT security for a while if ever. His boss isn't going anywhere."
"If you're sure."
"I am. Kato-chan told me that he wants to work for you and is excited for the challenge of your security upgrade. Isn't that terrific!"
"Yes, Honey-senpai, it is. It's such a big relief."
"Great. Let's call Kato-chan down here and we'll talk about it. What kind of cake do you want?"
.
xXx
.
Himura (Shinobu's) Compound:
"Shinobu-sama, are you sure you want to do this?"
"Absolutely. He took me to a fucking dog park and then to a noodle stand. This is exactly what I want to do," I answered Kono, my personal security head.
"Darling, was security arranged?"
"Yes, Dad."
"Yes, Sir," Kono spoke up. "I personally went there two days ago and arranged everything. There will be no problems. I assure you."
"Fine. I'm sure Ryuu-san and I will talk about it when you kids come home."
"Dad, I'm not a kid."
"You'll always be my kid. Deal with it."
.
I watched Father and Daughter interact. I've enjoyed protecting her since middle school. She's a prickly young lady with her softness well hidden, but he'll always see her as daddy's little girl.
I cleared my throat, "We should leave if we're going to be on time."
"Make that jackass wait. Doesn't matter to me."
"Shinobu…" her Father warned.
"Fine. Whatever."
"Have a good time."
"I will, Dad. Don't know about him."
Himura-sama gave me a look and I nodded. The Kasanoda heir would not be in danger, I will ensure Shinobu-sama doesn't kill him.
.
I pulled on my helmet and started the engine. Love that purrrr. My security kept up with me as I shot out of the gate. They're used to it by now.
.
xXx
.
Kasanoda Compound:
"What are you wearing, son?"
"That Shinobu said to dress nice, but not formal."
"So, you went with a navy suit?"
"Yeah…so?"
"Nothing."
He never gets this dressed up. Just because she told him to? Maybe they're finally realizing they're good for each other.
We both looked towards the gate as we heard several motorcycles pull up.
"Now what is that chick up to?"
.
I walked out to the front gate and stared. What the actual fuck?
"Well, son, good luck," Pops said as he patted me on the back. I heard him laughing as he walked back into the house. At least he wasn't going to stand out here while I went through this.
"Kasanoda! Get your ass over here. Let's go!"
Shinobu and three security guards were dismounting from their Hayabusas. I couldn't fault her taste. The Suzuki AEM Carbon Fiber Hayabusa is the world's fastest production bike and they screamed. I'd gotten mine up around 200 kph (~125 mph). Would have gone faster but wasn't out on the open road. You can only go so fast through town and not get arrested even if your dad is a yakuza head.
"Jackass! I'm waiting!"
Shit.
I strolled up to her and gave her my best 'what the fuck' glare. She just smiled back and tossed me a helmet.
"Get on. You're riding on back."
"No fucking way."
If her eyes could produce lasers, I'd be dead. "Yes, fucking way."
I finally realized what she's wearing and had to fight the drool. Scarlet leather pants with a black stripe down the side, hanging just on her hips. Black boots with spiked heels. Tight, and man do I mean tight, red jacket. Didn't come down to her hips. That stripe of skin I could see was creamy and looked soft, even if I could see a slight six-pack.
Oh, shit, am I in trouble.
"I'm not getting on that thing dressed like this. You said dress nice!"
"Yeah. So. Don't I look nice?"
"You look like a walking decency violation."
"Why, thank you Kasanoda. I think that was a complement."
Yeah, it was. She's so fucking hot.
"Whatever. If you expect me to go, you'll wait while I change."
"Get going!"
.
He walked back to the house and I turned to Kono, "He's walking funny, isn't he?"
Kono just rolled his eyes. He's used to me and my mouth.
I didn't want to let him change but figured I should. If the situation was reversed and he made me go without leather…I'm playing with him, not trying to yank the respect of the yakuza out from under him.
We'd been waiting almost ten minutes when I turned to Kono and said, "What do you think is taking that diva so long?"
He just smiled and pointed.
I whipped my head around and saw…Fuck…
All black. All black leather. Skintight black leather pants with black leather motorcycle boots. Steel-toed. Black leather jacket hanging open. Black leather sleeveless shirt underneath. Skintight. I could see every ripple, every muscle. I had no idea he had those. Leather gloves. He'd even pulled his hair back with a leather strap.
Oh, shit, am I in trouble.
Top it all off with that shit-eating grin. "Does this meet your approval?" And then he slowly turned around. That ass looked delicious.
"Whatever." I tossed him the helmet again. "Get on."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Asshole."
.
xXx
.
Driving through town:
I can feel his hands on my hips. His thumbs stroking my bare skin. Does he even realize he's doing it?
.
Her skin is so smooth. Surprised she hasn't stabbed my hands yet.
.
I'll speed up and scare the shit out of him.
.
She's going faster. If she's trying to scare me, it won't work. I've got nerves of steel.
.
His thighs are getting tighter around me, but he's still not scared. A little faster.
.
Yeah, she's trying to scare me. Or is she trying to get me to hold her tighter? I can do that.
.
Finally. His fingers are digging into my hips. Feels real good.
.
Where the fuck are we going?
Then we pulled up in front of the bar. This chick is crazy.
"You've got to be shitting me," I said.
"What, you chicken?"
"Fuck no."
"Then come on."
We got off the bike and she tossed her keys to security. Giving me a smirk, she said, "They don't fit in these pants."
Yeah, nothing else is going to fit in those. Damn.
Her head of security, Kono, spoke softly behind me, "She likes embarrassing you, Kasanoda-sama, not killing you. We've assured your safety."
Well, no shit. My father would crush their entire syndicate if anything happened to me. I'm not worried, just annoyed. Still… "Thanks, Kono-san."
I followed her up the steps. Damn that ass.
On the outside it was a run-down dive-bar. This was to her syndicate what the noodle shop was to ours. A place to do business away from the compound. There'd be a couple of locals in here, but the rest would be her syndicate muscle.
It would have been suicidal from me to come here by myself, even if our two syndicates are at peace.
For Kono-san to assure my safety meant they knew we were coming.
This will be fun.
.
xXx
.
Haninozuka Estate:
"Thank you so much, Kato-san. I look forward to a productive working relationship with you."
"I as well, Fujioka-sama. Your security upgrade will be a fun project."
"I'm glad you see it as fun. I'm happy to hand it off. It looks like a nightmare to me."
He chuckled and shook my hand.
"See you Monday afternoon, Kato-san."
"Definitely, Fujioka-sama."
After he left, I turned to Honey-senpai, "Thank you so much. This is perfect."
"Glad to help, Haru-chan."
"I'll send an email to Tanaki-san and ask him to have Kato-san's employment package ready for signature on Monday afternoon. He can start working Tuesday morning."
"Our employees always make sure their subordinates can do their jobs if they need to take over. It's no problem for him to leave so quickly."
.
xXx
.
Inside the bar:
I walked in first. Every one of my guys should know the heir when they see her. Sure enough, they stood and bowed. As they straightened up, they saw him. They all knew him by sight too.
I nodded and headed for the bar, Kasanoda following. He wasn't as nervous as I thought he'd be, but he'd know we'd assured his safety. He's with me and it's a huge dishonor if I allowed something to happen to him in here.
The bartender gave us a nod and said, "Himura-sama, Kasanoda-sama, what can I get you?"
We're going to be here a while, and no one gives a shit about age rules in this place. "Two beers."
He popped the caps and handed them over. We took them and I turned to watch Kasanoda.
Calm and cool. He looked around like he owned the place, just a little less lord-like than I looked. As he should.
.
"Nice place."
What a dump. Dark and dingy, it was clogged with smoke. I might have been wrong about the locals. I see nothing here but yakuza muscle.
They're drinking a lot and playing pool. Stacks of bills on the sides of the tables – heavy betters.
The TVs are high-end. Eight of them showing various martial arts, boxing, motorcycle racing, and sumo wrestling. I make a bookie in the corner for that.
It's hard to smell anything over the smoke, but there's a greasy layer over it. Fried food. Guess we're eating here too.
"Come here often?"
"Thought you might like it. It suits you."
Chicks, man.
I'm standing with my back to the bar and my elbows propped up on it behind me, taking in the guys and even a chick or two. They're all staring. They all know me. They're all ready to protect their heir if I do something stupid. This could turn into a complete clusterfuck if I don't mind my manners.
"Sit at the bar or a booth?" she asks. Which would be safer?
"Booth, but you sit with your back to the room."
"Whatever."
We slid into one in the corner, and I had my back to the wall. No gun. No backup. But I trusted Kono-san. I had no choice.
"Can you believe Tamaki-senpai? He went apeshit when I told him about the dog park. He's weird."
"Yeah. I've met his dog. They're like twins."
She snorted, "She's a golden, right?" I nodded. "No way I'd want to be around that much happy energy."
"I know. He's hyper enough on his own but used to be a lot worse."
"Impossible."
"Not kidding. Haruhi's been working on him. Helping him get rid of the cover personality and be more himself." I glanced around the bar and then back to her, "Dating Renge has helped too."
"Renge's got some nerve when she wants it. She's strong and doesn't take any shit. I don't know Haruhi that well."
"You should try to get to know her. She's the most loyal friend you'll ever find. I'd do anything for her."
Her eyes got hard. "Including dating her?"
"Nah, we're friends, and we like it like that." I smirked, "Besides, she dated Kyoya-senpai for over a year. Even I don't want to cross that guy if I don't have to."
"No shit? Kyoya-senpai?"
"Yeah. They broke up about a month ago. It was horrible. Gigantic clusterfuck. And she's still trying to distance herself."
"So that's why he left the Host Club. I wasn't buying the business excuse."
"Didn't want anyone to know." I narrowed my eyes at her, "Get it?"
"Shit. I know how to keep a secret."
"Good."
.
So far, no problems. Like I told Himura-sama, I'd come here a couple days ago and warned security. Flashed the kids' pictures around, told everyone they were not to be bothered, to leave the Kasanoda heir alone, he's an invited guest. Cleared each of them for a beer, but only one. Shinobu-sama has to drive back. They won't be billed for anything.
This is the first guy she's gone on more than a couple dates. Considering her father and Kasanoda-sama are considering a marriage contract, that's a good thing. I, along with the rest of her security, were worried she'd just up and kill him. That temper of hers.
.
My beer was empty and so was his. "I'm switching to Coke. Want one?"
"Sure."
I leaned out of the booth and got the waitress's attention. She came over quickly, "Yes, Himura-sama."
"Two Cokes and menus."
"Right away." She took our empty bottles and left quickly. No one wants to piss me off.
"Menus?"
"Yeah. Did you think I was going to make you eat outside at a noodle stand?"
"Probably be less of a health risk."
"Asshole."
"Here are your drinks and menus. Let me know when you're ready to order," and she took off again, but kept her eyes on the table.
"Is there anything on this menu that won't rip the lining off my stomach?"
"It's decent. We don't feed our guys crap."
"I'm ready," he said, and I flagged down the waitress again.
.
This food is actually decent. I'd eat here again if I was allowed in. Just like our noodle restaurant, it doesn't look like much from outside, but the food is good. We don't feed our guys crap either.
"You better be enjoying that. You eat like a pig."
"It's edible." I looked around the bar again and said, "You think I'd waste manners on a place like this?"
"Whatever."
She wasn't eating like any dainty princess. That burger was sloppy, and she uses a disgusting amount of ketchup.
"Would you like some fries to go with that ketchup?"
"Shut up."
We ate in silence for a bit and then she said, "When we're done here, wanna shoot some pool?"
"I'll warn you, I'm a shark."
"Yeah, big guy? How about you put your money where your mouth is?"
"You wanna bet?" She grinned. "Sure, but no money."
Oh, that smirk. This is going to be ugly. "If I win, I'll pick you up and take you to and from school for a week, and you'll be riding on the back of my bike."
Yeah, right. "Fine. If I win, the same goes, but you have to wear that stupid yellow dress."
"You want me to ride on the back of your bike in that banana thing?"
"What? Are you chicken?"
"Hell, no."
.
xXx
.
Playing Pool:
Those leather pants. I could stare at his ass all day. When he bends over to shoot, his leather tank top rides up and there's this strip of skin. Shit.
.
Does she realize how far down her shirt I can see when she bends over to shoot? Fuck, she's not wearing a bra under that red leather halter top thing.
.
Shit. I can't believe I lost that game to him. His pants and that grin were distracting me. Good thing it's best of three games.
.
There it goes…and I fucking missed. Now we're one-to-one. That body is the center of everyone's attention, even if she's the heir. How can any guy not look…and think…
.
She had an evil chuckle. "I won. You're on the back of my bike all next week."
Fucking great. The worst is, I know she'll be arriving at peak traffic and staying for Host Club every damn day.
.
xXx
.
Arriving back at the Kasanoda Compound:
Pops and Tetsuya. Fuck. Pops and Tetsuya were standing there when we pulled up.
"Did you two have a good time?"
"I did, Kasanoda-sama. Not sure about Asshole here," she said as she jerked her thumb at me.
"Ritsu?"
"It didn't blow," I barely managed not to sound like a brat. I tossed the helmet back to her.
"You look good on the back of her bike, Young Lord."
Fucking Tetsuya. And Pops was trying so hard not to laugh. Then Shinobu broke in, "You'll be seeing more of that for a week, Tetsuya-san."
Pops quirked an eyebrow and asked, "Ritsu?"
I waived my hand at her. "It's your stupid bet."
"I beat his ass at pool. He has to ride to and from school all next week on the back of my bike."
"You're kidding?" Pops sputtered as he lost it. Huge belly-laughs echoed around the Compound.
"Nope." She turned to me, "See you Monday morning, Asshole."
"Whatever."
.
xXx
.
Dad's on the Phone:
Kasanoda: "When they pulled up, I almost lost it. She had him on the back of her cycle. He looked so embarrassed."
Himura: "She told me about that. Hope it didn't scar him for life."
Kasanoda: "Nah, he'll get over it. You won't believe the bet they made!"
Himura: "What was it?"
Kasanoda: "She won the pool game and now he has to ride to and from school all next week on the back of her bike."
Himura: "I need pictures of that."
Kasanoda: "I had my security send over the video of them pulling up to the house. Those two are made for each other."
Himura: "Do you think they'll ever pull their heads out?"
Kasanoda: "Best we can do is wait and see, but they're headed in the right direction."
Himura: "I'll watch the video. Talk to you later."
Kasanoda: "Good-night."
.
xXx
.
Author's Note:
Welcome back! This is the third installment in 'The Last Straw' Trilogy. Hope it meets your expectations.
I've been busy for the last couple months. I have a complete outline. I know the ending. I know all the events, and I've got the first 6 chapters done. It will be more cohesive.
Do you think Kyoya's really done with the leak? I basically wanted him to leak it somewhere so it wasn't an empty threat, but have it not be damaging. If it was, he'd never have another chance with her. Besides, Hikaru is his friend.
Who ate what at the diner? You know Satoshi, Tamaki, and Honey. Care to guess the rest?
(1) Not sure where all my readers live. Chicken and waffles are a growing craze in America. I have no idea why. It's literally fried chicken on top of waffles. I've never tried it. Being vegan has its perks.
So, will Kyoya really give her a break? Is she safe moving home?
What about that hot date? I've been biting at the bit to write it. We all know I can't write funny, but I try so hard with those two. Also wanted to show them getting closer.
.
Next Chapter:
Haruhi and Tamaki go to a dog park. She hires some people. Another cosplay.
And…Haruhi gets a new job, and the Hosts discuss and upcoming event.
.