When I get to work I'm greeted by my boss in the back.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I'm sorry Kairi. I know you were supposed to bake tonight, but Mr. Suoh called in a reservation. And like always-"

"He requested I be his waitress," I finish for him. "It's fine. I mean, it's thanks to him I can attend Ouran AND keep this job. I'll go change; I have a spare uniform in my locker."

"Thank you! I'll make it up to you."

"There's no need-"

"But I want to! Say, isn't today Aiko's birthday?" I nod my head. "How about when you bring her this weekend you bring your uncle too and I treat you guys to a meal on the house. I won't charge you."

"Oh no, I-"

"Please! I insist. Please let me do this. If you'd rather, then think of it as my birthday gift to Aiko."

"Well, when you put it that way-"

"Yay! I can't wait! I'll give you an extra-long break so you can eat with them."

"Thanks. Now, I believe I need to go change and get ready."

"Work hard."

"I always do," I reply as I leave.

Near the end of my shift Chairman Suoh comes in. Like always, I'm the one to greet him. However, this time, instead of various men and women with him, he's here with his son Tamaki. Ah hell. Fucking great. Now he knows where I work. At least they're at the end of my shift and I can go home when they're done.

"Hello. Welcome to Bits and Bites, Mr. Suoh," I cheerily greet them.

"Please, as I've told you before, call me Yuzuru," Chairman Suoh responds.

"And like always, I feel like I'm not showing the respect you deserve when I call you that."

"Kairi?" Suoh calls out. "This is where you work?"

"Yes Suoh. I work here."

"Please, princess, call me Tamaki."

"Ok. I'll call you Tamaki if you stop calling me princess," I say exasperatedly.

"Ok!"

"Now, I'll show you to the VIP room, if you'll follow me Mr. Suoh."

"Yuzuru," Tamaki's father insists.

"Alright. This way Yuzuru," I give in. I know there's no point in trying. I've tried resisting before. It leads nowhere, I end up calling him Yuzuru anyway, and I'd like to get home at a reasonable hour tonight.

I take their orders and leave.

Once they finish eating, I return to clear away their dishes.

"Kairi?" Chairman Suoh calls.

"Yes?"

"Your boss informed me your shift is over once we leave, is that correct?"

"That would be correct."

"You live quite a ways from here do you not?"

"I guess you could say that."

"As I thought. It's decided then. Tamaki, you are to escort her home."

"Huh?!" Tamaki and I exclaim at the same time.

"Really, it's fine. I don't need a ride," I try to plea.

"Nonsense. Since your shift is over anyway, Tamaki wouldn't have to wait and you won't have to take the bus home," Yuzuru insists. I can tell from his tone I'm not getting out of this.

"Very well," I reply. I turn to Tamaki. "If it's not too much trouble, Tamaki would you mind giving me a ride home?

"It would be my pleasure," Tamaki replies.

"Excellent. I look forward to next time, Kairi," Chairman Suoh says as he leaves.

"Um, I have to go change and grab my stuff, so it'll be a couple minutes," I tell Tamaki.

"That's ok. I'll be in the front with my limo."

"Of course. Pardon me," I say I walk to the back. Of course it's a limo. He's rich as fuck. Why wouldn't he have a limo? Fuck.

I change and grab my stuff. I say by to my boss and promise to bring my uncle and Aiko with me Saturday. I walk around to the front where Tamaki is waiting. He opens the door and helps me in. Ah fuck. I'm so nervous. What if I break something? God, why me?

Tamaki climbs in behind me and tells me to tell the driver my address. I give the driver and address and we head off. At first I'm too nervous to even look around me. After a couple minutes I finally venture a look up and see Tamaki staring at me intently.

"Do you need something?" I ask him.

"Sorry," he replies when he realizes he was staring. "I was just curious."

"About?"

"You."

"Yea, I figured that. What specifically about me? I can't help you if you aren't specific."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, I assume you have questions. And since I know how your dad is and I get the feeling you're like him, I'm gonna end up answering the questions anyway. So I'll spare us the trouble of fighting and just answer your questions. I'll try to answer them as best I can."

"Ok, well, for starters, what did you mean earlier today when you said you and Haruhi are the same age?"

"I mean exactly that. We're the same age."

"Then why are you in class 2A?"

"Because I'm a hell of a lot smarter than people think I am. When I took the entrance exam, I placed higher than anyone my age. My scores were equivalent to those of people who are at the top of their class in the grade above me. Because of that, Chairman Suoh put me in class 2A. He wanted to put me in 3A's math class but I refused. I'm already a grade above my age, I don't need to be in a math class 2 grades higher. Does that answer your question?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. What else do you want to know?"

"Earlier you spoke like you knew my father well. How do you know him?"

"Well, years ago, someone I knew ate at Bits and Bites and thought Chairman Suoh would like it so they recommended it to him. He went, I was his waitress, he seemed to like me, and ever since he'll only go when I work and always request I'm his waitress. It's actually quite annoying sometimes. There are days, like today, where I suddenly get put on waitress duty last minute because he calls in a reservation."

"Where are you normally? When you aren't a waitress?"

"The kitchens."

"Like, as the dishwasher?"

I chuckle. "No. Like a chef and baker."

"What?! You cook and bake there?"

"Yea. It's not that big of a deal, even though everyone seems to think so. They tell me I'm the youngest person to ever be qualified but I think they're just being nice."

"No, that's no small feat! I've never heard of anyone your age be able to cook in any high class restaurant! That's amazing Kairi!" At this Tamaki hugs me.

"Off. Now!" I order him. He must have remembered the incident with Haruhi earlier 'cause he let go. "Thank you, I guess. I still don't think it's all that big."

"That's a very big thing. Why haven't I heard of it in the news or something?"

"Because I keep a low profile. No one outside of the company knows. I have no intention of anyone else finding out either, so please don't tell anyone."

"Ok. I'll keep quiet."

"Thanks. Now, any more questions?"

"Hmmm." Tamaki thought for a moment. "Oh! What did Kyoya mean earlier about your family situation?"

I froze for a moment. Crap. I hadn't anticipated he'd ask me that. Fuck. I guess I'll have to go with the cover story. "He was probably talking about the fact that I live with my uncle and his daughter."

"Why is that something to be ashamed of? I live in a huge mansion alone."

"Really? You don't live with your father?"

"No. I'm considered the bastard child so I don't get the privilege of living in the main estate. If it weren't for the fact that I'm dad's only child, let alone son, I wouldn't even be allowed to live in any of the estates."

"Wow. That must be tough. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I don't mind. It just means I can have sleepovers without having to worry about my parents."

"If you don't mind me asking, where's-"

"We've arrived, Master Tamaki," the driver announces.

"Thank you," Tamaki replies.

"Well, I guess any other questions you might have had will have to wait. Thank you for the ride. Otherwise I would have had to walk all the way home. Thanks. I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school?" I say as I get out and start to head inside.

"Ok. Bye Kairi," Tamaki calls out as I close the door.

Once inside, I lock the door and let out a big sigh. God. That was difficult to listen to. I wish I could just tell him. He'd be so happy. God damnit. Fuck you dad. Fuck you world!

"Who was that?" Uncle asks.

"Hey. It's just a classmate. He was dining tonight and since he was my last customer he offered me a ride home."

"Alrighty then. Aiko just laid down. If you go now you can still tuck her in."

"Ok. I'll go do that."

I walk into our room and walk over to Aiko.

"Hey munchkin. I hope you had a great birthday. You can tell me all about it tomorrow morning, but for now you need to sleep," I say as I tuck her in and check the closet. "No monsters today. Sleep tight."

I kiss her on the forehead and walk out. As I close the door I hear her say, "Nighty night."

I walk into the kitchen to make Aiko's and my lunches for tomorrow and myself something small to eat. Uncle is sitting at the table.

"Hey, so for Aiko's birthday, we get to eat at Bits and Bites free of charge. It's a birthday gift from boss. I was already forced to promise to bring her Saturday so he said he'd give me an extra-long break so I can eat with you guys," I tell Uncle.

"That's nice of him. Aiko will be excited."

"Right? That's why I don't want to tell her until Saturday morning. Otherwise we'll never hear the end of it."

"That's true. Ok. I'll keep it a secret."

"Thanks." I eat the toast I made and stand up. "Do you need any help tonight?"

"No, I'll be fine. You go and sleep."

"Ok. Night. Love you." I kiss him on the cheek.

"Love you too." He kisses my forehead.

I head to bed and while lying there I thought about everything that happened today. God. Tomorrow will be a little awkward around Tamaki. Well, here's to happy times.