"Haruhi! Don't forget, you can grab my arm anytime!"
Haruhi turned to Tamaki who had just shouted out the comment when a plastic skeleton head fell from the ceiling. "Uh, thank you?" She said tentatively, not quite sure why she would want to grab his arm.
"Haruhi, you're not scared? You don't have the urge to grab any one of us?" asked Hikaru in disbelief and disappointment. He shouldn't have been in disbelief though. After all, she was practically fearless.
Kaoru whispered into Tamaki's ear, "Oh, I wonder what perverted thoughts Tono is thinking of right now."
"Haruhi, you better stay close to us, he might try something in the dark with you," Hikaru said, pulling Haruhi close to him and Kaoru.
Tamaki turned red and started a squabble with the twins as Kyoya and Haruhi walked ahead, trying to find the center of the maze in the redecorated gym. The students of the Ouran elementary division had redecorated the massive facility into a haunted house. "I think it's here!" Haruhi yelled, relieved to see that the end was near.
The twins and Tamaki stopped their quarrel and ran past Haruhi and Kyoya and turned in the direction Haruhi had indicated. Haruhi and Kyoya soon heard the twins whistle in awe while Tamaki gave out orders for the Hitachiin brothers to lug the treasure chest back out of the maze.
Kyoya sighed and walked briskly to where the others were. Haruhi jogged to catch up. The two saw through the darkness that the twins had successfully gotten the chest onto their backs while Tamaki was giving directions to exit the maze. "Ok, now, all we have to do is run through the cardboard. With the weight of the chest, we should be able to run through it sufficiently."
Haruhi was incredulous. Was the blonde seriously thinking that? Kyoya sighed and walked past the twins and the blonde to run his hand along the wall. Not understanding his actions, Haruhi decided to direct the group's flashlight at the wall Kyoya was patting. "Ah, here it is," he said in a few seconds, nodding his approval at the light Haruhi had offered.
She then saw Kyoya flick a switch. The group heard a motor as the area beneath the twins' feet shook. Soon, a part of the floor was descending. It was an elevated platform. Haruhi, Tamaki, and Kyoya stepped onto the platform where the twins were already standing on. "How did you know that was there?" Haruhi asked Kyoya.
Kyoya pushed up his glasses as he folded his arms. "They told us that if we found the chest, the switch would be there to take us to the basement where the assembly is to be held."
"The elementary festivals get better every year, don't they, Kyoya?" Tamaki said happily.
"They're still shabby though," the twins interjected as they finally arrived at the assembly room. "I mean, look at the horrible color schemes they used for the assembly room."
"Oh, Kyoya-san!" said a cheerful voice when the platform finally stopped moving. "What a pleasant surprise!"
Kyoya turned to see that the CAM president was standing a few feet away to congratulate them on the win. "I'm afraid I can't stop and chat with you. I must be going to help out with the volunteers out there. We have to make sure that we retrieve all the people left in the maze upstairs. Afterwards, I'll look for you. I promise. After all, we haven't had our daily chat in awhile," she smiled. "Why don't you boys take a seat in the front row. I'll need two representatives of your group to stay backstage though. The assembly shall commence shortly. I hope…" she laughed.
Thirty minutes later, after Haruhi had endured much harassment from the twins and Tamaki in the front row of the growing audience, Momo stepped onto the stage and called for silence in the large assembly room. "May I please have two representatives from our winning treasure hunt group stand backstage please?"
Kyoya, Hikaru, and Kaoru pushed Haruhi forward as Tamaki jumped up. Haruhi stuttered a no that fell on deaf ears as Tamaki grasped Haruhi's hand and dragged her up the steps to the back of the stage. As the two stood off to the side, Haruhi reached into her pocket just to give herself an assuring pat. However, she noticed that she had pocketed one of the flyers she had been passing out earlier. She took out the folded piece of paper and read it. Her eyes widened at the information on the sheet of paper. Tamaki looked over and smiled softly. "Poor girl, right?"
Haruhi nodded as she read how the Halloween festival's proceeds were to help pay for a mother's medical bill for a lifesaving procedure. The mother had an eight-year-old daughter named Michiko. The Ouran elementary school division had thought it was appropriate to have the proceeds of the festival help pay for the procedure because it was the mother and daughter's favorite holiday. "So if the 5,000 dollars was yours, what would you want to do with it? Pay off a part of your debt?" Tamaki asked, watching Haruhi carefully.
"No," Haruhi said slowly. "I'd want to give it to the girl, to help pay her mother's medical bill."
Haruhi became silent in her thoughts. "Mother," she whispered as Momo stopped talking. Haruhi and Tamaki looked up as they heard the audience clap. Suddenly, Momo called out, "Would the two representatives of the Ouran Host Club please come on stage?"
Tamaki and Haruhi stepped onstage. Haruhi blinked against the bright lights of the stage and walked over with Tamaki to where Momo stood. Momo smiled and said a congratulation and handed them a check for 5,000 dollars. Tamaki accepted it with a smile. Haruhi looked away, feeling her heart twinge. Did the Host Club really need that money? Everyone was rich, except for her. If she didn't need that money, the others didn't need it either.
Tamaki tapped her shoulder. Haruhi turned to him in surprise as he held out the check to her. He nodded and smiled. Haruhi instantly understood what he meant. "But is it okay? Won't Kyoya be mad?"
"Hey, the Host Club exists to make girls happy. I, Tamaki Suoh, will defend that belief with everything I have."
Haruhi took the check with slightly trembling hands and turned to Momo. She looked back at Tamaki once again, who gently pushed her forward to the CAM president. Haruhi took a step forward and cleared her voice to say, "As a representative of the Host Club, I would like to donate this check to help with medical bills of Michiko's mother."
Momo eyes widened. She smiled gratefully at Haruhi as she beckoned someone from the other side of the stage forward. It was a little girl who ran to Haruhi and hugged her ferociously. Tears were streaming down the little girl's face as she cried, "Thank you so much for helping my mother! It means so much to me! Thank you, thank you!"
Haruhi felt tears on the rim of her eyes as she hugged the girl back. "I think I know how much it means to you," Haruhi whispered into Michiko's ears as the audience clapped and cheered.
Tamaki watched Haruhi wipe her damp eyes as she leaned against the wall back stage. Haruhi turned to Tamaki and said, "You knew all about Michiko since the meeting when you first suggested this, didn't you? That's why you were so adamant about this."
Haruhi looked down briefly. She was aware that the older boy was watching her silently. She looked back up at him and smiled serenely as she said softly, "Thank you."
Tamaki blushed at the sight of the bright, brown eyes and that heartwarming smile. He felt his heart beat fast. What was this? Did fathers feel this way whenever their daughters looked so cute? "Haruhi!!!!!" He yelled, hugging her to his chest tightly.
Haruhi at first struggled against this usual turn of events, but she stopped as she thought about what Tamaki had done for her. She felt him loosen his grip slightly to hug her gently. Tamaki wasn't just a flamboyant, somewhat idiotic host that he always seemed to be. There was much more to him.
Haruhi smiled as she leaned her head against his chest. What had happened on stage made Haruhi proud to be a part of the Host Club. It reminded her that there was possibly a true meaning to Tamaki's madness.
"What are you doing?!?" an angry voice suddenly said.
Tamaki and Haruhi jumped apart as they realized it was Hikaru. The twins and Kyoya were standing by the door to the back stage area and the three were staring at Tamaki and Haruhi. "It's not what you think!" Tamaki cried, waving his hands in desperation.
"Grr…" the twins growled as they approached the Host Club King slowly.
"Haruhi, you better watch out for Tono! Don't forget he's the S&M king!" Kaoru said in an undertone.
Haruhi turned to Tamaki slowly. "Huh, S&M king…So that's why I felt so at ease just a moment ago.…He had manipulated me…" she said as she walked towards Kyoya who stood by chuckling.
"Wait, Haruhi! No!!!" Tamaki cried as the twins pounced on him.
On the other side of the Ouran campus, Hunny was 'entertaining' his brother Yasuchika, or otherwise known as Chika, after their daylong practice with the karate club in the school dojo. Next to them, Mori and Satoshi were enjoying themselves, sipping tea outside the dojo. "Again," Chika said in an undertone. "Why are you still here?!?! Go hang out with your Host Club," he yelled at Hunny.
Satoshi turned and smacked Chika with his kendo practice sword. "That's no way to speak to your brother, Yasuchika! You should be ashamed! Your older brother came here to train with you today since his club gave him a day off!" Satoshi sighed, exasperated. "What are we going to do with you?"
Satoshi sighed again. But suddenly, he sat up straight with his tea in hand and turned to Mori. "Taka! As the last samurai in Japan, what do you suggest I should do with Yasuchika?"
Mori reached out and ruffled his younger brother's hair. "You are doing fine," he said in his low voice.
"Really!?!" Satoshi said, eyes glittering with admiration for his older brother.
"Chika!!! Are you okay?" Hunny cried, crouching over Chika's slump body on the ground. "Oh! I know what will fix you up quick! Cake!"
Yasuchika bolted up at the word 'cake' and yelled, "No! Get away from me, you alien!"
"Yasuchika, how rude!" Satoshi said, smacking the poor boy in the head yet again.
Chika put his hand to where the bruise from his beating was to appear. Tears started to well up in the boy's eyes. "Why are you so mean to me, stupid Satoshi!" he sobbed before he ran away from the others.
"Ah! I'm sorry! Wait! I said I'm sorry, Yasuchika! I really didn't mean it!" Satoshi yelled, chasing after him.
Hunny sat down and picked up the unwanted slice of cake. "I think Bun-bun would like some, don't you think so, Takashi?" Hunny asked.
"Yes," Mori replied as he handed Hunny a fork.
Onii-san a term for a older boy
-chan a term of endearment
bozu kid, squirt, etc
senpai an honorific for an upperclassman
onechan term for a older girl
lolita rough translation is someone who is good looking and looks like a little kid.