Happy Valentine's Day! (Or S.A.D. if you're like me ^_^)

BizzyLizy: Thank you for reading and reviewing! :D Hope you like the... shipping materials in this chapter lol.

Hope you all had a lovely day. :) Thanks for the follows and faves!

"You're here." The figure standing by the window turned. Emi stepped closer to see who it was: Megumi Enomoto. The second year, the big Kaoru fan, and the one who'd pushed Emi down the stairs.

I should have known.

"I can't believe Ryuu is actually Ryoko," Megumi said with a hand on the windowsill.

"You have some good video editing skills," Emi said.

Megumi laughed, but it was dry and forced. "You're trying to play it off like I'd edited it? Well, if that's the case, then I can pull really hard on Ryoko's hair right? It's not like a wig will come off."

Emi swallowed. There was a heavy rock in her stomach, and a chillness that penetrated through to her bones.

"It's disgusting, really," Megumi said, watching the video on her phone.

Emi's hand curled into a fist. "You have no right to say that. You don't even know why. You don't know anything."

"I know one thing." Megumi showed Emi her phone screen. "You don't want anyone else to know about this."

"What do you want?" Emi said, slapping Megumi's phone away.

Megumi smiled as she tapped her phone against her cheek. She turned back to the window, gazing out at the courtyard below. "I want you to break up with Kaoru."

"What?" Emi's jaw dropped. Of course it was something like that. Was Megumi fresh out of a shoujo manga? Couldn't she come up with something original? "But-"

"If you don't, I'm sending this out." The phone dangled in front of Emi again. She pursed her lips and snatched Megumi's phone, then pressed the red delete button. Megumi just rolled her eyes and took it back. "Do you think I don't have a backup, Mazawa? I'm not stupid."

"Well, clearly you are, because if I break up with him, he'll know something's wrong. He'd figure out that you're behind it, because Kaoru's not stupid. The Host Club isn't stupid. And in the end, you'll be the one paying the consequences."

"Nice try." Megumi folded her arms. "You think I'll fall for that?"

"Fine. I'll go break up with him right now." Emi spun around. Her heart was pounding too loudly.

"You're supposed to make it seem natural," Megumi said.

"And how do I do that?" Emi glanced back at Megumi's frown.

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Exactly."

Megumi grit her teeth. "Then, just stay away from him and the rest of the Host Club."

"Isn't that even more suspicious? Why are you doing this anyway? Do you enjoy making people suffer? Watching them suffer and knowing you're the reason why?"

"You're acting all high and mighty because you're family's rich, and your boyfriend's rich, and everything is perfect in your life, right?" Megumi said, eyes narrowing and face flushing.

"What's with you and being rich?" Emi said. Megumi had said similar things the last time too. "Money isn't everything."

"Yes, it is. If you don't have money, you don't belong here. Your family has no standing. You can't do anything. You can't buy anything. Money is everything in our world. Because my family doesn't have money, I don't belong here anymore!" Megumi took in a deep breath, tears forming. She rubbed at her eyes.

The two were quiet for a few seconds, except for the occasional sniffle from Megumi. Emi drew a line in front of her with her toes, cleared her throat, and looked up at the second-year. "So… you're really just upset about becoming poor and taking it out on others?"

"Ugh." Megumi hid her eyes with her arm. "It's none of your business."

"You are trying to blackmail me," Emi said.

"So you want to blackmail me back?" Her arm fell, revealing red eyes and nose and trembling lips. "Fine! My family's poor. We lost a lot of money on some stupid business deal, and now there's not enough to pay for Ouran's tuition. I'll probably have to switch schools. I'll lose all my friends, and everyone will know me as that girl whose family was dumb and poor!"

"From what I remember, your friends seemed really nice," Emi said, fishing a handkerchief out. She held it out towards Megumi. "I'm sure things will work out."

Megumi harrumphed but took the handkerchief. "I hate you, Mazawa."

Emi smiled. "I know. The people at Ouran aren't so petty, I think. I'm sure they'd remember you for who you are, not based on your family's wealth. At least, I know the Host Club would."

The second-year stared at her feet and then bowed. "I'm sorry, Mazawa. I won't spread the video, and I won't tell anyone about it either."

The rock in Emi's stomach was lifting up, becoming lighter and softer. "R-Really? You'll delete that backup you have too?"

Megumi nodded.

The rock was gone, and Emi smiled. "Thank you, Enomoto-senpai."

In Music Room 3, Tamaki was telling the rest of the Host Club about an incident that had happened a few moments ago.

"I walked into the classroom because I forgot my pencil," Tamaki said, holding his Kuma pencil up high in the air. "And there was someone standing at the window. She turned and was like, 'You're here.'" At this point, Tamaki mimicked the motion and the higher-pitched voice. "It was all very mysterious-like!"

The Hitachiin twins burst into laughter. "Who was it? Who was it?" they said.

"I think it was Megumi Enomoto." Tamaki rubbed his chin. "I wonder who she was waiting for?"

"Hey, where's Emi?" Ryuu glanced around. His sister was usually here by now.

Kaoru stood. "I'll go-"

The door opened and Emi came in. "Hey, what's up?"

"Where were you?" Ryuu ran over.

"I went to the library." Emi gave them her most charming smile. She was still debating whether or not to tell them. The problem had been dealt with, so it didn't seem necessary. But where had Megumi gotten the video? It looked like it'd been recorded from outside of Ryuu's bedroom window.

He needs to be more careful, Emi thought. I should tell him so he's more careful. But then he'd worry a lot. I guess I could consult Kyoya-senpai, but as smart as he is, even he isn't invincible. If this has something to do with the family crap that's been happening, I don't want to drag him into it. Kaoru even more so.

She still hadn't come to a decision by the time the Host Club ended for the day.

"Hey Emi," Ryuu said, coming down the stairs to the living room with his phone in his hand. "Michi said she wants to meet you, to consult you about… girl things." His cheeks flushed pink.

Emi raised her eyebrows. Girl things? Michi was older than her. What was there to consult? "Sure. I want to meet her."

"Do you want to get lunch with her on Saturday then?" He began typing on his phone.

"Okay." Emi smiled. She was finally going to meet Michi and find out just what kind of person her brother had fallen for. This is going to be interesting.

"Emi-san!" Iwao greeted her on Wednesday with a bouquet of roses. "For you."

"Oh, uh." Emi shook her head, nudging the flowers in his direction. "Thanks, but no need."
"Please accept them. If you leave them with me, they'll die in a day." He held the roses out with both hands and a small smile.

Emi exchanged looks with her brother. They'd determined that the Horiyukis were suspicious and should be avoided. He shrugged and swiped the flowers from Iwao. "I'll take them," he said and continued forth.

"Wa-Wait!" Iwao said. "They're for Emi-san-"

"Thanks." Emi smiled at him as they brushed past. "I'll try to keep them alive for more than a day."

They encountered the Hitachiin twins at the shoe cubbies. Kaoru was looking at a letter, but when he saw Emi, he quickly crushed it in his palm and stashed it in his pocket.

"A love letter?" she said with a smile.

Kaoru smiled back. "Something like that."

"Looks like Ryo-chan has an admirer," Hikaru said, smirking.

"Not me. Emi," Ryuu said as they turned to walk to their classroom. "Same creep as before."

"Horiyuki?" Kaoru said.

"If he's bothering you Emi." Kaoru glanced at his brother.

"We can beat him up for you," Hikaru said.

Emi grinned. "Always reassuring, but I don't think that'd solve the problem."

"Violence isn't the answer." Ryuu held a finger up in the air.

"As if you haven't resorted to violence before," Hikaru said. "Or threats of it anyway."

Emi giggled and elbowed her brother, who rolled his eyes. "So true."

Not quite trusting Iwao and not knowing what else to do, Emi took the flowers and scattered them in the garden behind the school. After school, she had to cancel her usual plans of hanging out with Kaoru.

"I'm going to meet Michi-san!" Emi said.

Kaoru smiled. "Ryuu's girlfriend?"

"Woah woah woah." Ryuu lunged towards where they sat on the couches and gripped the back of it while peering at them. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Michi-san." Emi beamed, clapping her hands together. "I can't wait. Also, I'll get to see more of embarrassed you, Ryuu."

"You shouldn't take joy out of my embarrassment." Ryuu sank to his knees.

"What's going on?" Hikaru said, returning from helping Haruhi with the tea.

"Emi's meeting Ryuu's girlfr-"

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"When?" A smirk crept up Hikaru's face. He rested a knee on the couch to look over the back at Ryuu's red face. "Wow Ryuu, look at you go."

"This Saturday," Kaoru said.

"For lunch," Emi said.

Hikaru snickered. "I wanna meet this girl too, Ryuu." He poked Ryuu's head. "Where are you gonna meet? What time? Noon? Tell me and I'll be there."

"I don't want you there." Ryuu released the couch and proceeded to bury his face in his arm.

"Why? It's about time we met her anyway," Hikaru said.

"You don't need to meet her." Ryuu's voice was muffled by his sleeve.

"A lunch date?" Haruhi entered with the tea.

Hikaru's eyes lit up. "Wanna go, Haruhi?"

She shook her head. "I'd rather study."

So Hikaru turned to his next compatriot, who was pacing around near Kyoya murmuring to himself. "Tono! Do you want to meet Ryuu's girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Ryuu glared at the Hitachiin twin.

"Oh, but you wish she was, right?"

He blushed an even darker crimson and ducked his head back down. Emi giggled, while Tamaki dashed over.

"I'd love to!" Tamaki said, already sparkling and dazzling in excitement. "When? Where? Who?"

"Saturday, lunch, so probably a restaurant around here."

"Damn you," Ryuu grumbled.

"If you guys want to go so much," Haruhi said, planting a hand on her hip, "at least ask if the girl wants to meet you."

"Go idea Haruhi." Hikaru leaned over the couch. "Ask her, Ryuu. If she says yes, then you have to let us come."

"Why do you want to meet her anyway?" Ryuu said in a low mumble but he pulled his phone out anyway. He sent a message to Michi, asking if she wanted to meet his "annoying, even richer, sorta friends, who act like jerks sometimes."

"There, happy?" Ryuu tucked the phone away. "She's at work so she won't reply right-" It buzzed in his pocket, so he dug it back out.

"Yes! I'd love to meet your friends!" She wrote back with an abundance of smiley faces. Ryuu sighed and dropped to the ground. It was over. She was going to meet his rich, handsome friends and fall in love with one of them and he would be forever alone.

Tamaki clapped his hands together, dashing about informing the other Hosts about the new Saturday plans. Well, Emi thought. That just made things even more interesting.

They were meeting at a nearby family restaurant that none of the Host Club - save Haruhi - had ever visited.

"Just a warning," Ryuu said to Michi before they entered. "They're a bit weird."

She giggled. "I've always been curious as to what kind of friends you have. I'm glad you invited them, but could I talk to your sister first?"

Ryuu could feel the Host Club plus his sister staring at him from within the restaurant. He nodded. "Yeah sure." He glanced at the door and waved at Emi. Kaoru wasn't standing too far away. Ryuu opened the door and she clanked out. "I'll wait inside," he said and stepped in. "Come on, Kaoru. It's girl's talk or whatever."

"It's so nice to meet you," Emi said with a broad grin.

"It's nice to meet you too," Michi said. Her smile looked different. Emi tilted her head in analysis, but couldn't place her finger on what had changed.

"So what did you want to talk about?"

"Oh." Michi clapped her hands together, and the tension in her eyes lightened. "I was wondering if you knew how to make chocolate."

Chocolate? A second later everything clicked. "Have you never made chocolate? It's not that hard. I'm making chocolates with friends this-" Emi blinked as another realization hit. "Oh wait, Ryuu will be there. Uh. This is for Ryuu right? And other people?"

Michi nodded, a sheepish smile forming as she scratched the back of her head. "Just Ryuu. Maybe my coworkers. I'm not very big on Valentine's Day, so…"

"Do you want to make them together then?" Emi would have to make some special chocolates for Kaoru anyway, when her friends weren't around. "On Friday or whenever you're most convenient."

"Friday sounds great." Michi pulled her phone out, so they exchanged numbers and emails. "You can come to my apartment." Emi bit her lip to contain the growing smile. The two entered the restaurant together and joined the crowd at the round booth in the corner of the room.

"You realize we won't all fit right?" Ryuu stood in front of the table, which already crammed the seven Hosts.

"We can do this!" Tamaki said, hitting the table.

"It's okay!" Honey climbed into Mori's lap. "Now we can fit one more!" Michi giggled and grabbed two chairs from a nearby table. Kaoru tugged on Emi's sleeve, so she slid into the booth next to him. Ryuu sighed and sat down.

"I can't believe you've never been here," Michi said.

"Our parents don't like us eating out that much," Ryuu said. "Especially at places like these."

"I heard it could give you cancer," Tamaki said in a conspiratorial whisper.

"No it won't," Haruhi said, which led to Tamaki pestering her for recommendations.

Kyoya was staring intently at menu with a small furrow of his brows, while Honey kept flipping to the dessert section to examine their small cake selection. After everyone had placed their order, they went around the table introducing themselves.

"You're a third-year?" Michi said when Honey was done. He nodded with his usual bright beam. "How old are you?"

"I'm eighteen already," he said.

"Oh." She blinked a couple times then smiled. "I see. You look very young for your age." Honey giggled.

"Michiko Goto," Kyoya said when they were done, looking at his black notebook. "Born in Sendai. Skipped five grades. Considered a prodigy. Attended Tokyo Uni-"

Ryuu shoved the notebook towards the second-year. "Okay, Kyoya. Maybe keep your creepy omniscient-ness to yourself?"

Michi chuckled. "How did you know all that?"

Kyoya pushed his glasses up. "I have my ways."

"Creepy right?" Ryuu said to Michi, who just laughed.

"So Goto-san," Tamaki said, leaning forward. "What do you do?" As Michi explained her researching job, Emi watched Ryuu whose gaze was glued on Michi. His eyes were lit with a soft sparkle, something she'd never seen before.

Emi smiled. Ryuu's finally in love. Maybe he'll be able to better understand now. A warmth rose from her stomach to her chest, but there was a sharp twinge that followed it. For a moment, she was tempted to nudge her brother so he'd turn and look at her. That's weird. Why…?

Kaoru's hand slipped into hers under the table, and they smiled at each other. She leaned against him, feeling their shoulders touch. I wonder if this is how Ryuu felt when I first started dating, if this is how he feels now.

It's a little bittersweet, isn't it?

The food was better than they'd expected, and Emi got a taste of Kaoru's parfait. They talked about Ouran and what it was like. At one point, Michi asked how they all knew each other if they weren't all classmates.

"We're in the same club!" Tamaki said with his usual enthusiasm. "It's the H-"

"Ah!" Ryuu waved his arms in the air. "Don't tell- I mean, it's not like it's a big deal or anything."

"You're the one making it out to be a big deal," Hikaru said, sipping his iced tea.

"What is it?" Michi looked around.

"Ryuu-chan's just shy," Honey said, and Mori nodded. Michi giggled at the Ryuu-chan part and Ryuu's subsequent blushing.

"It's the Host Club," Haruhi said.

"Yes!" Tamaki sprang to his feet and proceeded to explain the club's purpose and activities and how absolutely splendid it was to bring a smile to the girls' faces.

"There's a club like that?" Michi's eyebrow rose.

"Unbelievable, right?" Haruhi said, deadpan.

When they were finished, Ryuu walked Michi home, and Berty picked him up minutes later. He returned with his face red and ran straight to his sister.

"Emi," he said, "how do I get Michi to fall in love with me?"

When the twins walked into class on Monday, Kaoru was reading a piece of paper. He frowned and balled it up before shoving it into his pocket. Hikaru sighed, leaning further onto his palm.

"Did you see that?" Emi said. Ryuu shrugged. As the two sat down, she tapped the younger Hitachiin's shoulder. "Hey, what's up?"

He smiled at her. "Not much. You?"

"Hey, she's not bad," Hikaru said to Ryuu. "Kinda quiet, but pretty. And smart. Probably too smart for you."

"Shut up," Ryuu said with a glower. Class began, effectively silencing them. The Host Club meeting today was centered on their Friday plans to celebrate Valentine's Day with their guests. Since this time Honey didn't have a cavity, they were free to accept as many chocolates as they'd like.

At the end of the day, when everyone was packing up to leave, Emi approached Kaoru. "Are you…" She paused. Her current question might seem accusatory. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Kaoru picked his schoolbag up. "Not really. What is it?"

I knew that wouldn't work. Emi bit her lip. "What are those letters you keep getting? And you keep crumpling them up too. They're not love letters, right?"

He stared at her for a second, then he sighed. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled the one from today out and handed it over. She unfolded the paper. It read: "Break up with Emi Mazawa! Or else!"

"It's probably just a crazy fangirl," he said with a shrug. "Don't worry about it."

"No." Emi shook her head, looking over the letters cut and pasted on again. "A fangirl wouldn't threaten you, Kaoru. They'd go for me."

Emi ran through a list of possible suspects: Megumi Enomoto, her friends. That was it. No one else knew they were dating. Hikaru? No, he wouldn't threaten his own brother. Ryuu was too preoccupied with Michi, and the other hosts had no reason to do this.

It has to be someone at school.

"Emi? Hey, Emi." Kaoru waved his hand over her face. She blinked and looked up at him. He took the paper back, balling it up once again. "Don't worry about it. It's probably nothing."

"It's not nothing, Kaoru," she said, grabbing his sleeve as he threw the paper ball into the trash.

"Ready to go?" Ryuu said.

"Do you have any more of those letters?" Emi held a hand up at Ryuu. "I'll bring it back, and my dad can have it analyzed."

"What letters?" Her brother glanced between the couple.

"Emi," Kaoru said, eyebrows creased and a growing small pout.

"Please, Kaoru. It might have something to do with the Horiyukis and the crazy stuff that's been happening to our family," she said.

He sighed and hung his head. Then he opened the school bag and pulled out several crumpled up sheets of paper. "I keep forgetting to throw them away." She opened one of them, and Ryuu did the same. They were identical. The placing, the shade, and the style of the letters were the same. Emi ran her thumb over. It was smooth.

"They're photocopies," she said. "Do you have the original?"

"What's going on?" Hikaru said, joining the group.

"I'm heading out first then," Haruhi called from the door.

"See you tomorrow Haruhi!" Tamaki waved.

"We'll go with you, Haru-chan!" Honey and Tamaki followed the first-year out the double doors.

All the letters were photocopies. "Good to see they're not wasting that much time on you," Ryuu said. "It'd be crazy if they cut and glued letters every single time."

Kaoru chuckled. "Yeah. That's why I said not to worry about it."

"Our fingerprints are probably all over them," Emi said, "but maybe Dad can still find something. Like the type of the paper, the ink."

"Sure," Ryuu said, crouched beside her with the papers scattered in front of them. "Let's just go home."

They gathered them up and stuffed them inside their school bags. Emi gave Kaoru a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks," she said.

"F-For what?" he said, eyes larger than usual.

She smiled. "For telling me and for trusting me."

He smiled back and brushed her bangs aside to kiss her forehead. "Anytime."

Get your magnifying glass! It's detective time!

Thanks for reading! :)