Ch. 5 Meet the Host Club! You are now banished from the host club!
I gulped and tried to mentally prepare myself for whatever I might see beyond those doors – the entrance to music room 3. Club activities had yet to start but I had come here with Haruhi hoping we could get some real studying in before his customers arrived.
Hikaru and Kaoru had somehow made it here before us so it was just Haruhi and I standing outside the door.
"You sure you want to do this?"
"Meet the rest of the weirdoes behind your transformation? Yeah, why not?" My voice was a pitch higher then normal revealing my nervousness. I cursed myself in my mind.
"If you're sure." He said before pushing the doors open. The first thing that greeted me was a strange onslaught of roses and I became quickly confused as to how that could possibly work. Did it only happen the first time someone opened the door or every time? I didn't have much time to think about it before I was met face to face with the club itself.
"Welcome to the Host Club!" They chorused.
"Oh, its just you." Hikaru and Kaoru turned away from me just a tad, but enough to make the statement that they didn't care.
"Now, now gentleman! That is no way to treat a lady!" Another familiar voice exclaimed with a very princely like air. "My dear princess, forgive me for their rudeness." The next thing I knew my hand was being grabbed and amber eyes met amethyst. I knew this face, there was only one person I had ever met with purple eyes.
"I think I've met you…" I muttered while awkwardly removing my hand from his grasp.
"Wait, you're that poor American girl!" He exclaimed releasing me as his more childish personality returned. Yup. No doubt about it. It was the same guy. He was kind of a difficult one to forget.
"So you've accomplished your goal!" He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his eyes. "Beating the odds, its such a miracle!"
"Please tell me you got this whole 'poor' commoner' stick too." I whispered out of the side of my mouth to Haruhi.
"Yup." He replied flatly, clearly annoyed with it.
"Boss you know this girl?" The twins brought their attention back to the interaction do to the new development.
"Yes you see it's quite a tragic story –" and so he rambled on with Dramatic hand gestures and all while I hid my face with my hand and Haruhi gave me a comforting pat on the back.
When I did look up to see if he was still yammering – as if the whole world couldn't hear that he, in fact, was – I saw another familiar face in the crowd. A short blonde with the most adorable brown eyes that looked like he had flowers just floating around his childish figure. Next to him stood his polar opposite; a very tall, dark haired silent, masculine looking male.
They were also an unforgettable pair.
I found my hands fiddling with my messenger bag that had been strapped around my shoulder.
"Hey wait a second…" I muttered, undoing the bags latch and whipping out my sketchpad -I always carry it with me. I flipped back to the picture I had drawn last year of a young elementary boy and the teenager. The more I looked at it the more my memory got jogged. "Your that boy from the candy store!" I showed them what I was talking about.
They all came closer to the outstretched picture to get a better look. The faces in the picture were still blank but the structure itself was so similar that it was easy to see the similarities.
"You drew a picture of them?" Hikaru said.
"Are you stalking them or something" Kaoru finished the thought.
"What?!" I turned my head so fast to face them that I was surprised I didn't get whiplash. "No way! I don't even know them! Besides how could I stalk them when I'm half way around the world!" I exclaimed, angered and flustered by the matter of fact accusation.
"I don't know, sounds like something a stalker would say." They said together shrugging their arms so casual and glancing at me through half raised eyes. I could see it there, they were so happy to be getting a rise out of me. 'so this is what they meant by toy….uuuuughghhhh!'
Brushing off the twins, guessing that the biggest blow to them would simply be to ignore them until they got bored with me, I refocused my attention to the previous matter at hand. In doing this a new thought struck me.
"Wait a second… You let an elementary student be part of the host club? Isn't that like child labor or something?" I questioned.
"Oh, he's not an elementary school student." A boy with a netbook and glasses spoke for the first time. Something about him seemed very cold, and calculating, and very intelligent. "That is Mitsukuni of the Haninozuka clan. He's the oldest of us all."
"The oldest?!" 'you've got to be kidding me… how can HE be the OLDEST? He looked so adorable and childlike…he even acted like one!' I observed as he cradled a small bunny and seemed to skip around the tall stoic boy next to him.
"Man you sure do yell a lot" Hikaru grumped.
"Hey I'm getting a lot of surprises today so cut me some slack." I snapped back at him. 'So much for ignoring them.'
"Although I'm assuming you already know most of us I believe its time we got these introductions over with. We have to open up for our other customers and it'll do our business no good if we're just standing around here talking to you." 'wow, blunt much.' I thought.
"Brilliant thought Kyoya!" Tamaki exclaimed. "Let me have the honors." And putting on the same demeanor he had when I first bumped into him a year ago he began to tell me who everyone was.
"That over there is Mori, the strong silent type." 'Well that explains a few things about him…'
"Hani next to him is the boy Lolita type." 'I'm still not over the fact that he's the oldest..."
"Hikaru and Kaoru are the mischievous types." 'Figures.' I thought bitterly rolling my eyes in my mind or did I actual do that?
"Then there's Kyoya the cool type." 'He seems to be the only normal one… but I don't trust that look in his eyes.' I gulped at the thought.
" And of course I'm Tamaki, the princely type." He finished. 'So he acts like a charming prince to attract customers for the host club huh?' I thought back to how he was exactly like that when we first met.
"Okayyyy why did you just tell me your 'types'?" my question completely got ignored as Tamaki began talking about beauty and purpose of the host club, being extremely charming, yet still obnoxious the entire time.
"He's even on the job when the host club isn't even going on." I commented to myself. 'That act will never work on me again you can believe it.'
"Come on," Haruhi said walking towards his table. "I'll get you caught up on as much as I can before any costumers arrive.
And essentially that's what happened. Customers flowed in fast but Haruhi was still helping me study. When some of his already 'regular' customers showed up they were surprisingly okay with it. In fact they were asking if Haruhi would tutor them sometime. However, although they did spend time awing at his kindness, it didn't take long for them to feel like they weren't getting enough attention. I still had a day and half's work to be caught up on.
"Well I guess we'll just have to do it tomorrow…" I said, biting the end of my pencil. Of course I'd try learning the material by myself but I'd need to double check with Haruhi to make sure I was doing it right.
"That would take entirely too much time." Kyoya popped out of no where. "You're being a hindrance to Haruhi." I opened my mouth to object the statement but he just cut me off. "If you really want Haruhi to get his customer quota then you should allow him to pay attention to the customers he's trying to reel in. I suggest scheduling a time after school for him to help get you caught up."
"Well." I said as nicely as I could. I had a feeling that didn't want to get on this guy's bad side. "I'm assuming you know how much time club activities will take up, isn't tee any free time in there?" Despite speaking as politely as possible I couldn't stop myself from trying to catch a peak at the netbook he seemed to constantly be holding. He easily adjusted the angle out of my sight and I gave the smallest of pouts.
"I'm afraid the Host club has a lot of events scheduled this week, there's a dance coming up over the weekend as well so he'll have to be preparing for that."
"Wait what's this about a dance?" Haruhi questioned. "I'm sorry sempai but I don't know how to dance…" He admitted a bit sheepishly, causing his current visitors to swoon.
"Oh don't worry Haruhi, we'll be sure to take care of that. Unfortunately the purposes for which this girl finds you in need of no longer stand." He flipped his netbook closed.
"Hey I'm not just here to get caught up okay? Haruhi is my friend. And kind of my rival." I shrugged the last part to myself.
"Well if school is what you want to get caught up in ask a teacher, or maybe look for a tutor. And I suggest that if you aren't going to be visiting with one of the hosts then perhaps you shouldn't be here." 'Wait, was this guy trying to kick me out?'
"I'm not so sure if that attitude is very good for business." I chirped up in my defense. You may be wondering if I'm usually this abrasive with people and in all honesty, no I'm not. Normally I'm a very bubbly and kind person but for some reason I felt on my guard around these guys.
"In all due respect Miss Gray, you can't exactly afford any of what we sell and you are hindering our business by taking up Haruhi's time." 'So that's is, this guys just looking for a profit and there isn't one to be made in me.' I took a closer look at his eyes despite the glare from his glasses blocking out the view.
'No, that's not it. There's something else, he doesn't want me here because he's worried about something. But how could I possibly pose any kind of threat?' This was certainly something for me to ponder over later.
"Kyoya knock it off, it's my debt and I'll take care of it as it goes, I don't mind helping her out tomorrow." Haruhi stood up and moved closer to our conversation.
"Whoa, I've never seen Kyoya try to chase someone away so harshly before." Kaoru voiced from one side of Haruhi, Hikaru magically appearing on the other.
"I know, maybe she should just leave." He voiced.
'When did they get there? Oh never mind… I'm never going to figure out how this place works.'
"You guy's knock it off!" Haruhi was still trying to get a hold of the situation while I was just trying to catch up.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"Mommy don't be rude to our guest! She's a friend of Haruhi's." Tamaki glided over to Kyoya's side.
"Mommy?…wait don't you guy's have tables with customers that you should be entertaining?" I questioned quietly. It appeared Hani was the only one still doing his – oh never mind.
"Why would you make Bee-Chan leave? Can't she stay and enjoy some cake?" The childish host interjected. I stared at the child and just wanted to hug him for how cute he was, I could see why girls gushed over him – he was just so adorable!
"As previously mentioned, if you bothered to listen to the conversation, she's trying to get some tutoring from Haruhi, not be a guest. Perhaps she can come back later if she has different intentions."
"Hey you're making it sound like I'm using Haruhi! He's my friend." Something seemed to click within all of their heads when I said that – well, except for Tamaki's.
"You're a good friend of Haru-chan?" Hani asked.
"Well… I'm not sure. I mean I would consider him a good friend of mine… whether he returns that opinion is up to him to decide." I answered.
"You do, do you? You consider HIM a good friend." Hikaru rested an elbow on my head and Kaoru was right behind him with the phrase, "How much do you really know about HIM?" Something about the way they were phrasing their sentences seemed weird, like they were double checking something.
"Well, yes" I said, exasperated and also a bit hesitant. "That IS what I just said."
The next thing I knew I was outside of the Host clubroom and the twins called after me "Please stop distracting our hosts! Come back some other time okay?" Then the doors were closed and I was left sputtering outside the door.
"Hey wait"! I pounded my fist against the door once. "What the heck just happened." I muttered to myself. There was something they were keeping from me I was sure.
"What are you doing?" I turned around slowly, still in a bit of shock over what just happened. Then I was face to face with Kirito. I raised a hand numbly.
"Oh hey. Didn't think I'd be seeing you around anymore." My voice wasn't unpleasant just, stating my thought.
"Ugh, don't go into that host club, those idiots are beyond irritating."
"You, have issues with the host club?" I asked.
"Not all of them just those twins, they annoy me to no end – our mothers are friends so I've been forced to interact act with them ever since we were little. Brats." I had one or two things I could point out about him that matched his description of the twins, but at the same time I couldn't say he was wrong about them.
"I can relate." I stated. Then a thought popped into my head. "Hey um, would you mind helping catch up in school? I know it's probably an inconvenience to you, see I've been sick for the past three days and I know you're an upper classman so you probably know this information…"I left the rest of the question hanging.
"Man you DO talk a lot." I shot him a look and he rolled his eyes. "Fine, but what's in it for me?"
"Ummm… the pleasure of my company?" I tried. I didn't really have anything to give him and hoped he'd appreciate the joke.
"That's not much. If anything you should be grateful for my company, which means you owe me double." And there his jerkiness goes. "Buuuuttt I don't really have anything better to do considering my own club duties are off for today." He tilted his head for me to follow and I had to jog lightly to keep up with his stride. "Just to let you know, I'll collect your payment when I figure out something of yours that I want."
I gulped…
I think I just made a deal with the devil.
No way. I thought, trying to shake off my bad feeling. He couldn't be THAT bad.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
East Library:
For someone to help me catch up Kirito was the right man for the job. I could see why he was in class 2-A and I assumed he must have been ranked as one of the top in his class. I had almost gotten caught up by the time the library was close to shutting down. Most of the kids had cleared out hours ago because they had better things to do and I had expected Kirito to leave too, but he didn't.
I was finding him surprisingly bearably and actually a little funny. After my current laughter had come down he got a little more serious.
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you, why aren't you wearing the school uniform?"
I blinked at him a few times, trying to see if that was a serious question. When he didn't start cracking up and saying it was a joke I decided to respond honestly. "I'm on the scholarship program and I can't afford the uniform… I though you knew that."
His eyes almost popped out of his head and he seemed to be looking at me differently then before. "Wait slow down here. YOU'RE one of the scholarship kids? You mean one of those poor people? " He jumped away from his seat and distance himself from me before he started pacing back and forth. I felt a more insulted by that then by anything else he'd said to me. His voice seemed tinged in disgust and discomfort when he mentioned 'poor people.'
"First off, middle class is not poor. Second off, yeah" I giggled a little at that trying to lighten the mood. "I thought the uniform would be a dead giveaway. How could you not pick up on that?"
"Well –" he sputtered. "I don't know! I though you rebellious! I didn't think you were smart enough to be an honor student!"
okay, I take back my last statement. THAT was by far the most insulting thing I'd heard him say. I just stared at him with an open mouth my face clearly displaying the feeling.
"Well can you blame me? I mean you got lost all the time! How could someone be that stupid?" Then a thought popped into his head and he glanced at me suspiciously and started backing away. "Unless it was a ploy for my attention!" He accused.
"Hey! Getting lost doesn't make you stupid it just makes you directionally challenged!" I stood up so I would appear more level with him, but he had a good 5 inches on me. "And who in their right mind would ever want YOU'RE attention!" I shot back. "In case you didn't realize it you're kind of an ASS!"
" An ass? Heh." He let out a small laugh at the end of the sentence. "You clearly haven't met my fan club. You have no idea who I am do you little miss rags?"
"Clearly not. I didn't think you'd be so prejudice against someone just because they have less money then you. Looks like I expect to much of people." I didn't even care to know who he was I just so upset. Not only was there a literal wall dividing me and my only friend here, but I had been exiled from the host club for something that I didn't even know I did! And now this! Screw his help! I'd figure the rest out on my own. I hastily picked up my study materials and didn't even have to push myself past him because he moved out of the way as if I had been on fire.
'You have GOT to be kidding me! He can't dislike poor people THAT much!' This was exactly why I need Haruhi's friendship, it was hard enough relating to people whose childhoods' had been completely different then me NOT only by how much money they had but also the very country and customs they were raised in! At least Haruhi and I had the scholarship and middle-class status in common, it was easier to relate to him.
I'd be darned if they were keeping me out of the host club for long. Whatever they were keeping from me – I'd find it out so they'd have no reason to deny me anymore!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXXOOXOX
After host club duties were over Haruhi decided to confront the club.
"What was that all about earlier Kyoya? Hikaru, Kaoru? Why'd you kick her out like that?"
"Yes Mother I was wondering the same thing. You have clearly upset our daughter and Papa is not happy with that." Tamaki joined in attempting to hug Haruhi but was intercepted by the twins.
"Don't you get it? Haruhi's friend doesn't know that Haruhi is really a girl. If she finds out it may get around and then Haruhi wouldn't be able to be part of the host club." Kyoya knew that would get Tamaki on his side. "Especially because she considers Haruhi such a good friend, if she finds out Haruhi was keeping this a secret from her, we don't know what she'd do to get revenge…"
"You're most certainly right! Mother always knows best, Haruhi, I forbid you from spending time with her! Oh but Haruhi should still have feminine influences! Papa is so conflicted!"
While Tamaki was having a debate with himself the twins took the time to point out another fact to get Haruhi on their side.
"If you can't be part of the host club then how will you pay off your debt?" They said in their typical unison fashion. Haruhi froze – she HAD originally intended to pay them back before becoming 'the host clubs dog' but in all honesty she had no idea how to do that.
"Bee wouldn't go blabbing that I'm a girl, she isn't like that." Haruhi defended. "Maybe I should just tell her."
"No! If you are getting such thoughts as to just let the secret out you are most certainly forbidden from seeing her again!" Tamaki exclaimed, coming out of his previous debate.
"You can't tell me who I can and cannot be friends with, just because I owe you a debt doesn't mean you decide every aspect of my life."
"Mommy, our daughter is going through a rebellious phase!" He turned around and cried onto Kyoya's shoulder.
"Oh brother…" Haruhi sighed. Well, she did mention how she didn't care if she was considered a boy or girl, and she honestly didn't care which one Bee thought she was. In addition, she didn't think Bee would say anything to anyone if she knew about it – what worried Haruhi was Bee finding out while they were in front of other people and getting surprised thus, revealing it by accident. That was one of the main reasons she just wanted to tell her!
She tried to slip away and get out of the madness but was intercepted by the twins again.
"You aren't going to go sneaking around and telling Bee the secret are you?" They questioned.
"No. I'm just going home." 'Although the next time I see her privately I might mention it.' She thought.
Then she could hear the snap of Tamaki's finger echoing through the room.
"Then it's decided!" he proclaimed. " Someone will be with Haruhi at all times so she doesn't tell Bee! That girl is not to be trusted!"
"What? Hey! You can't just follow me around everywhere!" she protested. Before Tamaki was staring at her with sparkling eyes, gripping her shoulders lightly.
"Oh Haruhi, I know you don't understand but that girl can just not trustworthy! Trust you're father, she's no good for you!"
"Get off me!" She shook away and made her way to the exit.
"Soooo we starting the watching plan tomorrow or?" Hani asked.
"Just go after them." Was Kyoya's response. So Haruhi's escort out of school that day ended up being Mori and Hani, not nearly as bad as what she had been afraid of getting.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
"Hey Hikaru, before we head back home I have to get a book at the library." Kaoru mentioned as they walked through the halls.
"Sure, but can we make it quick?" He asked. "I'm dying to get home."
East Library: 1 hour later
"Have you found the book yet?" Hikaru called over to his brother, his fingers drumming against the table while his head lay on the smooth wooden surface.
"Not Yet Hikaru, it's a big library okay?" Was the response.
"You checked the computers didn't you?" Hikaru couldn't keep out the bored tone he had. He was bored out of his mind. Of course he loved his brother like… well like his brother and of course his only friend, but they'd been at school all day and he was itching to get home. It wasn't something to fight about, in fact he and Kaoru had never had a fight their entire lives, but that didn't mean they never got slightly annoyed at their own individual quirks.
The two were very different people, and thus could get on each others nerves at times – never anything major, just the occasional 'hurry up' or 'stop that' kind of thing.
They used to never understand why people had such difficulty seeing the difference when they could look at each other and see completely different people. Kaoru had a lot more patience then Hikaru and thought things through while Hikaru tended to act on emotion alone. They DID have very similar traits when they felt certain things but at their core they were different; that was one of the reasons they used to be mystified that no one could tell them apart. Until they came to the conclusion that people were just play things, stupid little toys.
"Yeah, it's supposed to be on this shelf somewhere, can you check the other end?"
"Sure thing." At least it was something to do. Hikaru sat up and lazily pushed the chair away from the desk, doing a quick pivot of the heel and heading over towards the other end. The closer he got down the long shelf the close he got to a very pleasant girlish laugh followed but what sounded to be a male's.
He rolled his eyes. 'Some stupid couple lost track of time in the library.' He thought before he got close enough that his vision was granted access to the source of the laughter.
Immediately after he saw Bee he hid. 'Maybe I can get some proof that she really isn't to be trusted, then we can make sure she never comes to the Host club.'
Turns out he didn't have to do much looking or listening, because the very next thing he saw was Kirito Chi.
"What's she doing with that bastard? More importantly what's he doing hanging out with her…he hates commoners. " He thought allowed. 'I knew it! She must be working with him to plot against the host club!'
Kirito Chi. The only reason he and Kaoru were forced to interact with him was because their mothers had been close friends. Up until they were old enough to protest and actually be taken seriously they were forced to interact with him. Of course they just pulled classic pranks and put the kid down but the fact was, Kirito seemed to be up for the challenge. Although he never got as good as the twins it was a constant rivalry that Kirito had been reluctant to let go.
Although normally Hikaru and Kaoru bested him, there was something about Kirito that was off, as if he wouldn't let it rest until he was the last one laughing. Hikaru didn't doubt he'd go to any lengths to ruin the twins happiness.
For example Kirito had never had an interest in the host club until he found out the twins were part of it. Then he tried to get it taken away – he tried to get anything taken away from them that he could. When that didn't work, he made his own host club – they weren't allowed to be called 'Ouran High School Host Club' as that name was already taken and Hikaru had never cared enough to learn their real name. Although it was never as extravagant as Tamaki's, - because they didn't have... well Tamaki – it still generated a lot of attention.
Generally the female population of the school would enjoy each club for its own merits going to one of them one day and the other the next if they felt like it. They were fans of the different host's and their members respectively.
There were very few that actually acknowledge the rivalry between the two clubs themselves and chose to pick sides of their own, but for the most part, it was all just there for everyone to enjoy. The Ouran Host Club never really minded, but Hikaru and Kaoru felt that Kirito DID in fact mind. They had never been concerned about him before, but with this most recent development Hikaru felt left with a cause for suspicion.
That was, until Kirito became surprised that Bee was an honors student. In all honesty, Hikaru found the argument a little amusing. It was fun too see Bee get riled up – even more fun seeing her diss Kirito. When Bee stomped out of the room Hikaru felt he didn't need to be suspicious, especially if the slight tears in the eyes had anything to say about it.
Man was he glad he wasn't the one who had to deal with those tears. He felt sorry for whatever suck did.
He had noticed Kaoru's presence join him half way through Kirito and Bee's argument and asked him on his opinion after both of them had left.
"It might have been an act." His twin mentioned. "You sure they didn't see you?"
"I'm pretty sure, besides, I would have heard if one of them told the other to get into a fight."
"I think we should still be cautious. If Kirito gets his hands on the information that our newest host is a girl, who knows how he'll twist the information to try and rip the club apart." The younger of the two cautioned.
"Good point. Do you think she could fake tears though?"
"Hikaru, we fake tears all the time."
"True but we use that stuff," He waved his hand to represent their fake tear drops. "And you and I were both watching, she didn't put anything in."
"She could just be a good actress."
Hikaru shrugged at that. He didn't even know why he was trying to prove Kaoru wrong. 'Examining all the bases.' He thought.
"You didn't even try looking for the book did you." Kaoru stated after a brief pause.
"I was spying on the enemy."
"Kirito isn't close enough to our league to be considered an enemy." Kaoru mentioned. It may have seemed a little too rude for him to say about a normal person, but not many people really liked Kirito and Kaoru was no exception.
"I was talking about that foreign girl."
"Oh. I don't think we need to worry about her too much. Lets just get home already."
"Yeah… sure."