A/N: I've changed the past couple chapters quite a bit, so if you read them before July 16, 2018, I suggest you reread them. ^^ Thanks!
The Shadow Queen
Chapter 17:
Visit
Kaede
No. No. No. No, no, no, no.
Shoot.
I put my back to the door.
They knocked. "Kaede? We know you're in there!"
I swung around, calmly opening the door a crack. The Host Club stood there. My eyes shifted to Ootori, who made eye contact with me. Shoot. "Do you guys have a death wish?"
"Kae-chan has an amazingly black aura!" Honey-senpai said.
"W-well, Kaede... we need your help on something," Tamaki stuttered.
I looked to him, and glared. "Whaddya want, you pests?"
"Y-you see-" the twins started.
"Kaede, the bakas riled up a gang and they're chasing us, and we need your help to chase them away, " Haruhi said, monotone.
Before going outside, I glared to the bakas (who fainted in fear) and asked, "Where are the people who caused you guys to bother me?"
Everyone pointed to an incoming hoard of people with bats and sticks.
"How the hell...?"
"Long story."
They stopped, seeing the radiance of the Host Club. "We'll kill you!" said what seemed to be the boss.
"I'll take care of the pests, you guys go inside; Haruhi and Sachiko's first."
"Aw, what?!"
"I'll throw the bakas who oppose me into that gang."
And they ran inside.
"Ara, ara... those little ... got a pretty lady to guard 'em," the boss stopped right in front of me.
"Oooo!" the pervs said in delight.
I cracked my knuckles and glared. "Good thing I'm bored. Who wants to get murdered?"
"Ha? You little thing?"
"GAH!"
"Boss?! IS HE DEAD?!"
"Kaede, do you have any earl gray tea?"
"Kaede, do you have any instant coffee?
"Kaede, what do you have?"
They all asked, "Kaede, this," and "Kaede, that." What was annoying was... it was beautifully in harmony.
"You guys made me deal with a freakin' gang! Like I'd serve you anything!" I shouted, annoyed.
"But, but, but..." Hikaru started.
"...you're the host!" Kaoru finished.
I punched them.
I looked at the time. "Gah, I have tennis practice."
When I looked back at them, they were ready and standing up. "Okay, let's go!"
"If you guys follow me, even Haruhi and Sachiko will be hurt."
"Ah! Haruhi!"
"Hey, what about me, you idiots!"
Kyoya
"Let's trash this place," the twins said together, menacingly.
Shirai had gone to her practice, telling us we could stay here; I assume it's because she's lonely and didn't want to come home to an empty house. She told the girls they were in charge.
"I wouldn't recommend that," I told the twins, who found bats in the closet.
"She doesn't know, does she?" they said.
"If you guys trash this place, I'll get your guys' mom to bash your heads in," Shirai's voice rang about the room.
"Ah! Kaede!" Tamaki said. "You have cameras on us?!"
"Gah! Mom!" the twins swiftly put the bats back in the closet.
"Yes, I have a camera here and an intercom," our heads turns to a camera that was mounted on top of the TV. "Haruhi, Sachiko, get those bakas in their places."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The camera shut off.
"I have an idea!" Honey-senpai said. I can see Shirai's point on how uncontrollable the club really is. "Let's visit Kaede!"
And so... we all actually went, with the consent of Haruhi and Sachiko. They had forgotten about Kaede's earlier threat on not following her. I would've reminded them, but this is much more interesting.
"Shh...," Tamaki shushed the twins up.
"Why are we hiding in a bush?" I asked. "This doesn't count as visiting."
"C'mon, let's go up to her!" Honey-senpai, with amazing strength, pushed us into the open. Nobody saw us.
We all stood up and brushed off dust. Then, a ball whizzed right next to Tamaki's left ear. "GAH!" I saw a small burn on the earlobe.
"Kaede, that was way off!"
"Sorry, I felt like something was in that direction."
"OH MY GOODNESS SHE KNOWS."
"No, look," Haruhi said, pointing. "She hit a snake."
"GAH! WHY IS A SNAKE THERE?!"
"Oh hey look, I found bigger pests." Shirai pointed at us.
"It's the Host Club, eh? The pretty boys of the school are Kaede's friends? I'm surprised you guys aren't dead yet," the girl next to Kaede said.
"Trust me, we've all thought about that," the twins voiced our thoughts.
Suddenly, Shirai lost balance. I quickly caught her before she could fall.
I put the back of my hand on her forehead. "She's burning up," I said.
"That's weird, anime heroines never get sick twice," Tamaki commented.
"We can take her home!" Haruhi said, going up to the girl. "I have her house keys."
"Oooo... Kaede and a bunch of pretty boys in her house all alone..." The rest of the tennis club put their hands on their mouths with disturbing looks.
"Hey! I'm a girl!" Sachiko squeaked.
"C'mon, we gotta get her in bed."
"Oooh!"
"STOP IT!"
Third Person
The group went back to Kaede's house, with Kaede half-conscious in Kyoya's arms.
"How come Kaede always gets sick?" Haruhi asked Kyoya, who's usually the most informed. They walked to her bedroom, talking.
"She doesn't sleep that often, I assume," he said, laying her down on her bed. "She overheats herself when she's stressed." He tenderly brushed the hair off of Kaede's face and took off her glasses. He put a blanket over Kaede's unconscious body. "She's an idiot when it comes to taking care of herself." Haruhi observed as Kyoya's lips contorted to a smile as he watched over Kaede.
"I'll make some rice porridge for when she wakes up," Haruhi said, deciding to leave the two alone. She walked to the living room, thinking to herself. Does Kyoya, perhaps, love Kaede?
"HARUHI!" Tamaki said, jumping into her arms. The twins held clothes and makeup in their arms, and the third years were playing with Kaede's kendo and judo equipment.
"What is it, senpai?" Haruhi asked, annoyed. She looked around at the chaos that ensued around her. "You do realize that she'll kill you guys when she wakes up?"
"We were trying to help clean, but we found some interesting stuff to play with," the twins said, going through her coat closet.
"So now you're just digging around for stuff," Haruhi sweatdropped. She heard a loud noise come from the third years. Did they drop something?! She was reminded about her past predicament with dropping things.
"Kae-chan's so little!" Honey exclaimed. They had bumped into a bookshelf, making a photo fall from the shelf. It was a picture of small Kaede, both eyes revealed, with pigtails on.
"She's so cute!" Tamaki said, taking a look. "Almost as cute as Haruhi!"
The twins looked at each other mischievously. They looked through the bookshelf, searching photo albums and yearbooks. Haruhi noticed, sweatdropping.
"What are you guys do-"
"FOUND IT!" the twins exclaimed, holding up a photo album victoriously.
"Found what?" Honey asked, curious.
They held open the book for the others to see. "IT'S SMALL KYOYA!"
It was a picture of a young Kaede, grinning, holding up a small black notebook. She was on top of a box, Kyoya reaching for the notebook. The next photo revealed a laughing Kyoya and Kaede on the floor, having fallen from the box.
"How unexpectedly cute..." the others sweatdropped.
"Oh, guys, she's waking up!" Haruhi called.
Everyone rushed to her bedside.
"Oh, hey, I got a fever," Kaede said, her eyes barely open. Kyoya stood next to her head. She grabbed his hand, looking to his eyes with a red face.
"Shirai?" he asked.
"Ootori...you like...Haaa..."
"Haaaa...?" the Host Club all said.
"Haruhi..."
"Haruhi?!"
"'s contacts."
"KYOYA (SENPAI)! SHE'S SICK! DON'T KILL HER!"
