Disclaimer: I don't own OHSHC

Uhh... I just remembered that this is set in the Winter... soo... forgive me for my stupidity of putting Haruhi and Takumi in like t-shirts and jean shorts! I won't make that mistake again! Promise!

Thanks for understanding! Enjoy!

Chapter 6: Takumi's Definition of Romance

I started pacing the floor. My feet moving faster than light, and my mind racing the same. I knew everyone was watching me, but I ignored them. Takumi was coming to the Host Club today, and I needed to act differently. But, acting differently would affect the other clients. I stopped my walk, as the school clock rang.

"Haruhi?" asked Tamaki-senpai. "Are you alright?"

"Is it three already!" I checked my watch and sure enough.

"Yes, but clients never come promptly on time." said Kyoya, pushing up his glasses. He checked his folder and smiled. "But today, we have a special guest. And she is always on time."

It was like magic words that made the door open. My heart was in my throat, and I could barely push out an "Irasshaimase!" A face came out from the hallway, and pushed the door open the rest of way. Takumi was standing there with a smile on her face. I looked at her, and stiffened. She wasn't wearing her school uniform. Instead she was wearing a white sweater, long gray corduroy pants with a red belt, and white sneakers. It gave me goose bumps, she looked just like a model. Takumi walked right passed me and headed to Kyoya.

"Kyoya, am I too early?" she asked. He shook his head.

"No, you're right on time. As always." Takumi smiled at him. "No client ever comes promptly on time."

"Really that's a shame," laughed Takumi.

"Mom... what is she doing here?" asked Tamaki-senpai. He grinded his teeth as he said this.

"I wanted to thank Kyoya for finding Haruko so, I agreed to be a guest today." Takumi devilishly cackled, obviously enjoying Tamaki-senpai's anger.

"We thought that you didn't want to see her anymore." The twins asked.

"What?"

"The note," said Mori-senpai. "On the napkin."

"She said that you never wanted to see her again," said Honey-senpai. I felt like dying and killing them at the same moment. Takumi hung her head but then looked up with a face of surprise. A devilish grin crossed her face but, she hid it quickly.

"Yes, but Kyoya still did what I asked him to, right?" she said. The weight of that moment just seemed to disappear. I relaxed my shoulders and looked at Takumi. I knew she made some kind of connection in her head. "Now, Kyoya whom did you designate for me?" The room mood changed with those words.

It is obviously going to be me, I thought. She wouldn't like the Honey-senpai's loli-shota type or Mori-senpai's wild type. Kyoya wouldn't designate himself. Hikaru & Kaoru, just no. And Kyoya wouldn't do that to Tamaki-senpai.

"Tamaki, I ask you to be polite." said Kyoya, closing his folder. Takumi, Tamaki-senpai, and I stared at each other. We all had the same thought.

"You picked HIM!" All three of us yelled at the same time. All Kyoya did was push up his glasses and nodded.

"Well," Takumi fixed her sweater. "I don't have a problem with it." Takumi walked over to Tamaki-senpai's area. That was the first time I noticed, but Takumi's clothes were different.

"Takumi-senpai," I said, walking over to her. "Your clothes are usually black aren't they?"

"It's true that dark colors trap in heat more, in this cold season. But, I thought I should look better today." She looked up at me. "Right Haruhi-kun?" I was a bit embarrassed for reasons, I don't even know myself.

Soon, the room started to fill with girls. I was herded back to my designated table, away from Takumi. I know that I kept looking back at her. Many times, she looked as if she was uncomfortable. Her arms were always crossed, and she was leaning on one side of the couch. Always facing away from Tamaki-senpai and whoever Princess he was talking to. There were only one or two times when she would sip her tea.

"Haruhi-kun, is something the matter?" asked a brown haired girl. I turned back around to her.

"Gomenasai," I apologized. "Nothing is the matter."

"You keep looking back at Takumi-senpai." said the brown haired girl.

"I know. It's just, her clothes are very cute."

"You're right about that, Haruhi-kun." The brown haired girl looked back at Takumi-senpai. "I don't know why, but she's changing."

"Changing?" I asked.

"Look at her." She pointed to Takumi. Takumi was now engaged in a conversation with a Princess. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but she looked happy. "Usually, she wouldn't be here, or talk to us. That's why it was a big shock to see her at the party." I turned back to the brown haired girl. "I've known Takumi-senpai for a while now, we went to the same elementary school. She was always by herself in the back of the room, with a book or something. And, she would never wear any other color but black. Whatever is changing her, it's obviously good."

I looked back at Takumi, a laugh chased a smile onto her face. I looked right at her eyes and felt at peace. Like it was alright to have these feelings for her, no matter what anyone said. Then, just for a second, our eyes met. There was something, I don't know what it was. Sparks were shooting at us. When she blinked, the sparks disappeared and left me feeling cold. I had never felt this way before. It was both invigorating and annoying at the same time. Like a roller coaster of feelings I couldn't put into words.

But two words, changed the entire mood of the room.

"That's stupid..." I heard Takumi say. Tamaki-senpai was holding onto a red haired Princesses hand, and trying to calm her down.

"You're saying my feelings for Tamaki-kun are stupid!" The Princess cried.

"No," Takumi stood up and looked down on the Princess. "I'm saying that you're 'love' is stupid."

"Takumi-senpai," said Tamaki-senpai. "What is wrong with a maidens love to a man?"

"Nothing. It's not about men and women loving each other." This surprised Tamaki-senpai. I assumed he was looking for another answer. "It's about basing your 'feelings' on just his looks."

"It's not just his looks! Tamaki-kun is a kind, caring, charming, funny, prince!" The red haired princess yelled at Takumi. My grip tightened on the chair.

"Where was he born?" asked Takumi. The Princess froze and pulled her hand away from Tamaki-senpai.

"What?" she asked, fearfully.

"Where was he born?" Takumi asked again. The Princess looked around the room before spitting out.

"I-I-I don't know."

"Tamaki-kun, where was she born? Meaning, has she told you?"

"I don't know, and no." He trailed off. Tamaki-senpai backed off into a corner with death and decay all around him.

"That is not love." Takumi blurted. "Love is when you know someone and accept them for who they are." I froze. "This is flirting. This is not going to help your love life. In fact, it may make you feel worse about yourself. These are boys that you want but, you can never touch. And thinking, I could never get boys like that. What you need to do is stop wasting your time, and your money--" I could hear Kyoya's pencil brake. "And just get out there. Find a guy that you love! You really love!"

"But, I love Tamaki-senpai!" cried the Princess. "I can't just stop."

"No, you can't that's true." Takumi went down to her level and put her hand on her shoulder. "You can find a guy that truly loves you, someone that wants you. Only you, and no other girl."

"Will I be able to...?"

"If you look for him. You'll find him."

"You'll know when you find him," I blurted out. Everyones eyes flew to me, and it started to make me nervous. "Because... when you look in his eyes, you'll see his soul. And when he smiles, you can't help but smile too. When you make him happy, you feel like you are on top of the world." I saw Takumi stare in awe of me. Even Tamaki-senpai looked at me with surprise. "And no matter what anyone says, you feel it is alright to be with him."

"Exactly," said Takumi softly.

"She's right!" exclaimed a blonde haired princess. She stood up and banged her hand on the table. "I'm in love with someone!" Everyone gathered around her, asking who. "Katsura Tomi!"

All the girls were shocked at this name. After that, everyone started naming the person that gave them those feelings. It was like a stampede when all the girls stomped out of the third music room. I looked around, all the Host Club was in awe. Then I noticed a face on Tamaki-senpai. I could only describe it as, both angry and annoyed with a hint of jealousy. This face was staring right at Takumi.

"How dare you say that we don't give love here!" He yelled at her. Takumi only blinked, leaned back on the couch, and sipped her tea. "We, as Hosts, show all of our love to our guests! That is our duty! The smile on the face of maidens."

"Who is it, Haruhi-kun?" asked Takumi, ignoring Tamaki-senpai completely. His face was in shock as he returned to his dark corner.

"Huh?" I asked. Takumi turned around on the couch and looked at me.

"You're in love." My breathing stopped, and my heart pounded. "Who is it?"

"Haru-chan, is in love?" Honey-senpai questioned. "How can you tell Takumi?"

"What he just said, all those feelings, are coming from someone who is in love."

"Haruhi... are you... in love?" asked Tamaki-senpai. He stood up and walked over to me. His hands gripped tightly on my shoulders, and commenced with shaking me. "Who is it? Who! Who! WHO!"

Then I did something that scared me as well as everyone in the room, I laughed. My laugh was bouncing off the walls, and echoing in my heart. Tamaki-senpai let go of my shoulders and stood back. I grabbed my stomach and fell to the floor. Tears began to well in my eyes. I rolled around on the ground, ignoring the stares. I heard someone else join in the laughter. Takumi's laugh rang as high as mine. It felt like we now connected on and whole new level. I looked up at her with tears on my face. Her smile reached me and filled my heart with light.

"What are you guys laughing about...?" asked Tamaki-senpai.

"Haruhi-kun is truly in love." Takumi laughed a bit more then, checked her watch. "I have to meet someone. I hope you and the one you love are happy." She bowed to me, and headed out of the room.

I stood up and brushed myself off, still having giggles inside me. The entire Host Club looked back at me with questioned faces.

"Haruhi...?" asked Tamaki-senpai. "Why were you laughing?"

"Because," I said loudly. "I am in love!" I laughed again, and spun around on my heel.

"You're not yourself anymore." Mori-senpai stated.

"Looks like I am changing too!" I laughed. I said this mostly to myself.

"Takashi is right." Honey-senpai walked over to me and took my arm. "Who is he, Haru-chan?" I smiled, wanting to tell them. In my heart I knew that, I couldn't breath a word.

"I'm going to be late. I have to be somewhere." I said, tugging free of Honey-senpai.

I ran toward the door, and left the Host Club in awe. I was smiling, and happy. For the first time, I felt like dancing. I could admit it to myself now. I could say it loudly if I wanted to. I love Takumi! The thought pounded in my head. I ran quickly to change into my Haruko clothes. A voice rang out from the girls bathroom.

"Haruko, are you in here?" I heard a light happy voice say.

"Takumi," I said. I quickly jumped out of my boys uniform.

I pushed open the bathroom stall door and Takumi stood there with a bag of candy and a smile. She gave me a small piece of candy. Normally, I wouldn't eat them. But, I unwrapped it and savored it.

"That friend of yours, Haruhi-kun, is in love," she stated. She took a piece of candy out and chewed on it. I looked at her and all the happy feelings just vanished. Haruko and Haruhi were still two separate people to her. "And he has been helping you sneak out with me, from the Host Club. Right?" I froze.

"Sort of." I shoveled the rest of the candy in my mouth.

"Oh really?" Takumi leaned down to my level. "Do you know who is in love with?"

"No, but I can tell you he isn't the only one," I blurted. Takumi stood back and blushed. She stared at me with unblinking eyes.

"Haruko... are you saying--" I took Takumi's hand, and pulled her out of the bathroom.

"Let's get out of here." I smiled at her. Tears began to well in her eyes. A large smiled followed.

"Yeah," she said airily. "Let's get out of here." Her grip tightened on my hand.

To be continued in Chapter 7: Haruhi's many firsts.