It took a few minutes longer than normal to reach the kitchen, simply because Tamaki insisted on looking into every nook and cranny, oohing and aahing over the littlest things while the rest were content to gaze about at the artwork on the walls.
Delicious, sweet scents wafted down the hall, accompanied by the sound of mixing and cursing. Hideo was nowhere in sight, having been on the receiving end of Jun's wrath more than once before. He knew when it was time to duck-and-cover. Merry lead the way, trailed closely by an over-excitable Tamaki and an expectant Honey. Haruhi bought up the rear, sighing constantly.
Merry rounded the kitchen's corner, ducking as a kitchen knife flew overhead to embed itself in the opposite wall. The Host Club gawked a little as Merry continued on, completely unfazed that she was almost beheaded.
"Good morning, Jun-san."
The chubby, sweet-faced woman rounded on Merry with a snarl, flour covering her apron and one cheek. "It is not a good morning, you little monster! You give me five minutes – five minutes! – notice that we're having high-end company and you need a cake baked practically yesterday and Hana-chan still needs all of those cookies for her school bake sale and,-oh-ho? Who might these gorgeous young men be?"
Merry sighed at the woman's abrupt change in attitude. She pointed at each boy in turn. "Tamaki, Kyoya, Haruhi, Takashi, Honey, Hikaru,-"
"Wrong!" the twins shouted, arms crossed over their chests. Merry ignored them.
"-and Kaoru. They're members of the Host Club at Ouran."
"Host Club?" Jun purred, sidling over to Merry and nudging her ribs playfully with an elbow. "I never knew Young Miss had so many handsome suitors! You never tell me anything juicy!"
"Well, she is simply adorable," the twins smirked, suddenly at Merry's side and sandwiching her between them. "How could anyone resist?"
Jun tittered, waving a hand in front of her face. "Do I need to inform Young Miss of the ways of courtship?" she teased. "And twins! Like a two-for-one special! Teehee!"
Merry's eyebrow twitched. "Ran," she warned.
Jun paled, her usually rosy complexion turning ashen. "No need to go that far, Miss Merry!" A timer behind her went off and she jumped a few feet in the air. "Ah! My brownies!"
"Yay! Brownies!" Honey cheered before he blinked at Merry. "Can I have cake now, Merry-chan?"
Jun, who'd placed the brownies on a cooling rack, glanced over and practically melted as she gazed at Honey. "How adorable!" she cooed, rushing over to stare up at the senior perched on Takashi's shoulder. She barely reached the taller senior's armpit. "Do you like sweets? Jun-san can make you anything you want!"
Honey cheered. "Cake! Cake! Cake!"
"It's almost finished. Would you like some brownies in the meantime?"
"Yes, please! If that's okay with Merry-chan, right Takashi-kun?"
"Aa."
Merry shrugged. "It's fine with me. I'll show the others the rest of the house unless they're hungry right now?" The other Club members mumbled negatives. "Are you happy to stay here, Takashi-san, Honey-san?"
Jun cut in before they could answer, shooing Merry out the door. "They'll be fine! I know how to take care of growing young men! Show the others the rest of the house and I'll have something ready in time for lunch. No allergies? No? Good."
"I entrust them to you, Jun-san," Merry smiled before exiting the kitchen and winding her way back to the main foyer.
She glanced over her shoulder at the remaining five. "Any place you'd like to see in particular?"
"Your room!" the twins immediately shouted in tandem.
"You seem awfully enthusiastic," she deadpanned.
"Well, we're curious, right Hikaru?"
"Right you are, Kaoru. A lot can be said about a woman by three things," Hikaru explained, ticking off his fingers. "Her handbag, her car, and her boudoir."
Merry chuckled. "Is that so?"
"He forgot 'her wardrobe,'" Kaoru said wryly.
"That falls into the 'boudoir' category," Hikaru explained before lifting his brother's chin until their faces were inches apart. "No need to be so snarky, Kaoru. I knew I should have let you snuggle up to me last night. You're so crabby when you don't have enough sleep and you sleep best by my side."
Kaoru blushed and looked away. "That's embarrassing, Hikaru."
"Ew! Boy cooties!"
Merry turned to see a rather green looking Hana, dressed casually as she'd been playing at the park with friends. Her knees were scuffed, but bandaged already. "Did you have fun with your friends, Hana-chan?"
"Yup!" she grinned, showing off her recent missing front tooth. "Daisy said he had some stuff to do so he went home already."
Merry nodded, not bothering to remind Hana that the driver's name was 'Daisuke' not Daisy. The brat would continue to call him that out of spite. Daisuke was the newest addition to the Watanabe staff, preferring to live off grounds because he valued his privacy.
Merry had gotten to know the man as he chauffeured her almost daily since she had started at Ouran. She found him to be colourful and polite once he relaxed.
"Oh! How precious!" Tamaki cried, kneeling in front of the child. He flashed her a winning smile and held out a perfect rose he'd been hiding somewhere on his person, handing it to Hana. "I never knew this castle had a Princess as adorable as you."
Hana's cherubic face squashed into an uncomfortable grimace as she stared at Tamaki. "You're weird, Mister."
The Host blanched before huddling in a darkened corner, whimpering.
Hana looked up to Merry. "Who are they, Mer-aneki?"
"You remember Kyoya, right?" Merry pointed him out. She ignored the puzzled looks flitting between her and Kyoya. No doubt they'd figure out that Kyoya had visited her alone without their knowledge soon enough.
"Yeah! He called me a Princess!" she flushed happily, skipping over to Kyoya and waving enthusiastically in his face. Tamaki's wail of despair was ignored. "Hi! Do ya remember me, Mister?"
He smiled benignly. "Of course. I'm afraid Jun-san hasn't made any cookies yet, though there were brownies."
Hana's eyes lit up. "Brownies? Really?!" She squealed happily.
"Still warm and gooey, too. Best go and steal one before they're all gone," Merry reminded.
"Bye-bye Mer-aneki! Bye-bye Mister! Bye-bye weirdos!" Hana disappeared in a flash towards the kitchen faster than an ordinary four year old should be able to, chanting 'chocolate' over and over again.
Tamaki emerged from his cultivated corner and opened his mouth but stopped when Merry held up a finger.
"Wait for it," was all she said.
There was a short pause before Hana's shrill scream of dismay echoed from the kitchen. "Argh! My brownies! Hands off, weirdo!"
"What was that?" Haruhi asked, peering around.
"That would be Hana-chan meeting Honey-san," Merry provided.
"Oh. I never knew you had a little sister."
Merry's gaze slid to Kyoya. He truly didn't mention visiting last weekend? Interesting. "Hana-chan is Jun-san's niece. No blood relation to me."
Haruhi blinked. "Oh."
"Shall we continue?" Merry smiled, leading the way up to the right wing of the mansion.
She ascended the stairs, taking her time. The remaining Host's shadowed her steps.
"You don't see many houses like this one here in Japan," Haruhi suddenly spoke up.
"European merchants purchased this land over a hundred and fifty ago. Back then the land was used mostly for storage and agricultural purposes. When the merchant's guild collapsed at the turn of the century, the house was built by the new property owners who had a fondness for the 'grand cottage' look. The Castillo's were a well renowned family back then. They came from old money and settled here permanently after the Second World War. When the family went into bankruptcy about eighteen years ago my father purchased this house at auction."
"The Castillo's were in the leather trade," Kyoya stated, fast mind sorting through the information given.
Merry nodded. "They were among the international best for years, but when the economy turned bad people stopped buying and things went downhill rapidly."
"You seem to know a lot about this place," one of the twins piped up.
Merry shrugged. "This place has history. It's only fair that someone at least knows it." She stopped in front of a set of double oak doors. "We're here."
The twins made to speed past her but she whipped out her arms to halt them, hazel eyes cold enough to freeze the Host's in place. "You will not touch anything. You will not help yourself to anything. If you are curious, ask me. Failure to comply will result in me kicking you out of my house to never return. Is that understood?"
They nodded quickly.
Merry eyed them all for long moments, as if searching for a lie, but eventually lowered her arms and pushed the doors open, revealing a large, brightly lit room with sparse but comfortable looking furniture.
The boys filtered inside.
"Eh, ours is bigger," the twins said in bored, unimpressed tandem.
"I should hope so," Merry purred, latching onto the innuendo and laughing lightly when they flushed faintly.
"Ugh, History," Haruhi muttered in disgust as she caught sight of the textbooks on Merry's bed.
"Not my best subject, which is probably why I'm still reviewing," Merry smiled.
"If you need help I'm sure Mori-sempai will help you out. He likes History."
"Mori?"
"Oh. Takashi-kun. Mori is his nickname."
"Interesting. I never knew. Have I been inadvertently offending him?"
"Nah. He's pretty easy-going about that stuff. I think he likes it, actually."
Merry smiled softly at Haruhi. "I'm glad."
"Hey! What's through this door?" Tamaki crowed, pointing enthusiastically at another set of double doors neighbouring the main entrance. Curious, the twins emerged from her wardrobe and Kyoya turned away from his inspection of her cluttered dresser-top.
Merry approached and suddenly the others were crowding, itching to see what lay behind the wood. She flipped the lock, the hidden thumbprint scanner recognising her and allowing her access.
She opened the doors and led the others inside.
Jun peeked out of the kitchen door, glancing left and right, her hands wringing her apron. "Looks all clear," she sighed with relief.
Honey and Takashi glanced at each other.
"Is everything okay, Jun-san?" Honey chirped cutely.
Jun tottered back to the small table the boys were seated at, a piled plateful of brownies between them. She sunk into a creaky chair with a small grunt. "Yes, Honey-kun. I just wanted to speak to you boys alone."
"Alone?" Honey raised his brows. He didn't start shovelling sugary sweets into his face, which showed he could sense whatever Jun had to say was serious.
Jun nodded. "Yes. I wanted to talk to you about Young Miss."
"Merry-chan?" Honey shifted a little. "We don't really know Merry-chan all that well, right Takashi-kun?"
"Aa."
"Feh!" the older woman immediately dismissed. "That girl doesn't know what's best for her. She needs friends her own age for once. People she can count on and not play those manipulative business-y mind games with. How can such a brilliant child be so dense? It's unfathomable…"
"When we first met, I thought Merry-chan was a very cold person. But now I think she's just lonely," Honey said sadly.
Jun nodded gently. "Her frigidity is a defence mechanism. She truly does have a kind heart or else she wouldn't…" she trailed off, misty eyed before shaking herself. "It pains me to see her acting so indifferent to everything around her when she actually feels everything so much deeper than anyone else I know." She sighed, suddenly looking much older than what she was. "She's been through so much for one so young. You young heirs and heiresses have so much pressure put on you. So much…"
"Are you asking us to help Merry-chan, Jun-san?" Honey asked, bright eyes serious.
"I guess I am. I don't think she's realised yet how much you lot are actually affecting her. In a good way, too," she said, smiling lightly. "Especially that Kyoya boy. She had the strangest expression on her face when he left last weekend."
"Eh? Kyo-kun came to visit Merry-chan?" Honey perked up, sharing a glance with his cousin. "We didn't know that, right Takashi-kun?"
"Aa."
Jun blinked. "Oh. I just assumed you all knew. You all seem so close, is all. He really didn't say anything?"
Honey shook his head. "Kyo-kun is a mysterious person, but he acts funny around Merry-chan. They're both more alike than they think. Merry-chan kinda acts like Kyo-kun used to, before he joined the Host Club. Merry-chan just needs someone who will be there for her, and not take her for granted, I think. Like we do for Kyo-kun!"
Jun tweaked Honey's nose. "You're awfully perceptive underneath all that cuteness, ne? Young Miss may seem like a complex person, but I think she just needs friends. Good ones. She's so busy trying to please everyone else that she neglects her own needs, and I think she's forgotten how to act her age. She still refers to everyone unfailingly as '–san' for Kami's sake!"
"We'll help," Takashi rumbled, nodding resolutely.
Jun sagged with relief. "Thank you. Maybe I can see her smile again."
"What happened to make her act like this?" Honey murmured, young face pinching. Takashi's brow was furrowed.
Jun brushed a lock of brown hair behind her ear nervously. "Well… Young Miss had to-"
"That's enough, Jun." Hideo walked into the kitchen, posture stiff and expression carefully blank as he stared at the chef. "It's not our place to be saying any of this."
"Oh stop it, Hideo," Jun sniped waspishly. "You're worried about her too. Don't deny it."
"I'm not denying it, but Miss Merry's personal life is her own business. If the time comes and she wishes to share her past, it will be on her own terms, not because she felt forced to address any unfair misgivings."
Jun had the decency to look chastised. Her hands twisted into her apron again. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, Hideo. It's just… you know how she is. She's so young."
The butler strode forward, reaching out to tenderly wipe the smudge of flour off one of the chef's round cheeks. "We can only do our best to try and be there for her, Jun."
The chef gave a watery smile and a small nod.
Honey and Takashi glanced between the two staff members, unsure of what to do. They already felt like they were intruding on something private.
Honey did the only thing he could think of to try and break the awkward atmosphere. He began shovelling his face full of brownies. With his cheeks bulged he smiled at a shocked Jun. Hideo was blinking a little quicker in surprise while Takashi relaxed into his chair a little more, already used to Honey's behaviour.
"So good, Jun-san! Can I have some cake now, please?"
Jun shook herself and giggled lightly. "Of course, Honey-kun."
She rose to take the cake from the oven when a small brown haired blur crashed into Hideo's back, sending the butler tottering forward unsteadily.
The young girl seemed a little dazed, confused as to what stopped her running but that quickly disappeared as she stared at Honey whose cheeks were filled with fresh chocolate brownies.
The plate in front of him was almost empty.
Hana looked horrified as she pointed accusingly at Honey. "Argh! My brownies! Hands off, weirdo!"
She dove forward, intent on shaking her treats out of the older boy as everyone else scrambled to pull them apart.
:D Need I ask?