"You're going to the host club!" Hana giggled. "Oh, this is wonderful! I've always wanted a friend to go there with!" She linked her arm with Amelia's, nearly dragging her towards Music Room 3.

Amelia couldn't help but laugh at Hana's enthusiasm. "Is the host club really such a big deal here?"

Hana nodded vigorously. "Oh, yes. It used to be much larger, but Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai graduated last year. They're at Ouran University now, but they still visit every Monday and Wednesday!" She paused and blinked a few times. "Wait, today's Wednesday!" Hana let out a squeee of excitement, running towards the crowd of girls at the door. "HONEY-SENPAI AND MORI-SENPAI ARE VISITING TODAY!"

"WE KNOW!" The crowd screamed back, giving a collective squeee.

Through it all, Amelia hung back against the wall, watching bemusedly. She felt a slight concern for the health of her eardrums.

They act more like fans than girls with crushes, she thought. They don't seem to be that possessive at all.

She pulled out her phone, and typed a little note in an email to herself. She'd add it to the file later. As she put it back in her bag, cursing the pocket-less yellow monstrosity she was wearing, the doors opened.

For a moment, the room seemed white - but as her eyes adjusted to the brightness from the many windows, a swirl of rose petals blew out the door and into her face.

Shit.

Amelia sneezed. Then she sneezed again. And again. And again. She missed the host club's announcement, and her sneezing drew only the attention of Hana.

"Oh, Amelia-kun, are you alright?" Hana asked worriedly.

Since when did I become Amelia-kun?

Amelia waved her off, feigning a smile. "Oh, I'm fine! I'm just a little - achoo - allergic to pollen! It isn't - achoo - that bad!" Amelia coughed a few times, and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Well, if you're sure…" Hana trailed off, and Amelia saw her looking longingly towards Tamaki, who was already surrounded by a crowd of girls.

"Go ahead!" Amelia said, searching for a handkerchief. "I just need a moment."

Hana ran off.

Amelia cursed in her head, still looking for that damn handkerchief.

"Here," Kyouya offered, holding out a scrap of white silk.

Where did he come from…? Amelia wondered, accepting it with a muffled "thanks."

She blew her nose, and dabbed at a few more tears. "I didn't realize there would be flowers, sorry… Oh no, now I've got this all dirty. Is it okay if I give it back tomorrow, once I've washed it?"

Kyouya gave her his patented host smile. "Give it back whenever you like." He stood up, immediately becoming more businesslike. "I've prepared a table in the back for your observations. Let us know if you require our assistance."

Amelia took the offered hand, thanking him.

"Oh, and I see you've taken my advice. Your accent's much less noticeable now."

"Thank you, Ootori-san," Amelia replied, wondering why she had to try not to blush.

She made her way to the corner, where there was a small, wrought-iron chair and a matching iron table. She pulled out her laptop, opening up a new document which she labeled "Host club." As her fingers flew across the keyboard, her eyes scanned the room, noting behaviours and faces.

Tamaki had the most girls crowding him, Hana among them. The Hitachiin twins were performing something that looked suspiciously like… incest… but of course, she wasn't here to judge. Fujioka Haruhi was crossdressing as a man and was fairly crowded as well, and for a moment, Amelia wondered what that was all about, but soon moved on. Takashi Morinozuka was sitting next to Mitsukuni Haninozuka and… looking right at her?

Amelia froze as she met his stormy grey eyes.

He's… really, really, really cute.

She blinked, hoping that it was just a trick of the light.

Mori was still looking at her.

She blinked again, a blush threatening to rise to her cheeks.

Snap out of it, Amelia, she scolded herself, tearing her eyes away. Uncomfortably, she brushed a piece hair behind her ear, forcing down the oncoming blush. You're here to do work, not crush on guys. Crushes are bad. Crushes are awful. What would Arthur say?

She turned her eyes, instead, towards Kyouya, who seemed to be having a much more intellectual conversation with a girl. His "scholarly aura" was turned on full blast, after all. He caught her looking and raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. She flashed him her I'm-not-doing-anything-wrong face before looking down at her laptop.

Hosts: Suouh Tamaki. Fujioka Haruhi. Hitachiin Hikaru. Hitachiin Kaoru…

Despite her attempt to immerse herself completely in her work, Amelia couldn't help but feel a little lonely. Was she pathetic? She was literally sitting in a corner on her laptop, a thirty-first wheel, watching others enjoy themselves without experiencing any positive emotion at all.

It's a little bit pathetic, she admitted. But I can't say I'm not used to it. Just not on this scale.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over her. Amelia looked up, feeling a prickle of fear when she saw Mori towering before her. She didn't realize he was so tall… he must've been over six feet, with dark hair and eyes, and was holding… a chicken? Where did that come from? Amelia took a moment to appreciate the image he made, like an enormous grizzly bear who happened to be loved by all the small forest creatures. That led to an image of Mori in a bear suit and - let's not go there, Amelia told herself firmly. That's wayy too cute to imagine.

With a surprising gentleness, he placed the chicken on the seat opposite her. "Piyo-chan will keep you company," he said, patting the chicken on the head a few times. It chirped in response, nuzzling his hand.

That's… really, really, really, cute. Oh god.

Amelia couldn't help but blush, despite her efforts, and gazed up at him. In the background, she heard some girls going kyaa and talking about moe. "Thank you, Morinozuka-senpai. I'll make sure to take good care of… of Piyo-chan." Her voice was just above a whisper.

Mori gave her a single nod, patting Amelia on the head as well. Her blush deepened. Is he always this kind? She wondered. Why was he carrying around a chicken to begin with?

"Takashi! Come and eat cake! There are strawberries ~" Honey called, with tiny flowers twinkling around his head. He was perched on the edge of a couch, looking over at them and hugging a stuffed rabbit. I still can't believe he's a university student.

"Aimee-chan, do you want cake too?" I guess I'm 'Aimee-chan'? Confused and a bit flattered, Amelia called out a polite refusal.

"Remember to reduce your cake intake by 90%, Mitsukuni." Mori said as he turned and left, leaving Amelia alone with her laptop, her blush, and a chicken, who decided that no, it didn't want to be on a chair, thank you very much, and settled into Amelia's lap instead.

She looked down at the chicken (Piyo-chan, her mind reminded her), who returned her gaze with beady black eyes before promptly falling asleep.

That was… unexpected.

Amelia had no idea what to make of the situation. Was no one else fazed by this? Tentatively, she ran her fingers along the chicken's back. It's much softer than I thought it would be.

She felt oddly touched by the gesture, and petted the chicken a few more times before going back to her work.

"Aimee-chan is pretty, ne, Takashi?"

"Ah."

Kyouya scribbled something in his notebook, an unreadable expression on his face.