Chapter 4

Halloween was a little under a week and a half away and of course Tamaki had just decided today that the host club would theme it's activities for the day. True, Kyoya should have anticipated this, but, he had been so busy lately that it had slipped his mind.

Not that he would allow that to ever happen again.

And, of course the twins had done nothing to make today easier. At the beginning of the club they had taunted Tamaki about looking like a girl. This had culminated into photo shopped pictures of him cross dressing. Tamaki had been in his gloom corner until Haruhi had decided she had enough and coaxed him out.

Only Tamaki could appreciate being told that he looked lovely as a girl...

Now Kyoya was rushing around (as much as he ever did) ordering costumes and searching for the appropriate decorations to with with each host. It had been decided that each host would be a separate classic horror monster.

Tamaki would of course be Dracula. The twins would be Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Honey would be Dorian Grey. Mori would be Frankenstein. Haruhi would be a werewolf. Leaving Kyoya to be the devil. For the costumes Lady Hitachiin could be counted on. However, finding a way to incorporate the decorations into each hosts area would be another story. There would be finding the right tea sets, delicacies and any unique pieces of memorabilia to complement the stations.

To top it off a certain green-eyed, brunette kept sneaking into his thoughts. Well to be honest she had not really left. She was like a ghost he was seeing his decisions through.

Which is absolutely ridiculous, I only spoke to her for less than half an hour. I meet her once and suddenly find me judge myself through her! Rubbish.

Suppressing those thoughts, he closed his notebook and decided to take a break. He stood up from his couch, stretched and considered a cup of tea. His was on his way to the snack area when he heard someone being tortured.

At Tamaki's wail and the twins evil laughter he decided a walk was what he really needed. He grabbed his ipod and quickly escaped the room. Switching the contraption on, he started a downloaded lesson of German and plugged the ear buds in. He began his trek at a brisk pace and headed down the stairs to the exit.

Even with his head filled with noise his mind still managed to drift to her...

He closed the drawing pad and tapped the edge against his chin. This was most definitely something not intended for eyes other than the owner's. Not that he was bothered by that. He was used to having as much knowledge available (and even some that technically wasn't supposed to be) at his disposal.

Returning it to its owner was a given, but, how was another story all together. Right off the bat he knew he wouldn't be delivering it in person. Firstly, because that was not the way he did things; that is why he had servants. Secondly, he was almost positive she wouldn't want to see him.

He still didn't see anything wrong in how he had behaved. He had been polite, courteous and just slightly flirtatious. The study he had discreetly run on his client base indicated 98% found this blend perfect. She on the other hand had seemed insulted and oddly disappointed. As if she had expected more...

Well, what was done was done, he would simply move on. The only remaining issue was how to return the book to her.

I will wrap it for certain, I don't want anyone else looking in it... no what am I thinking SHE wouldn't want anyone else looking in it.

But, he felt an odd weight in his chest and acknowledged he didn't want anyone to know her thoughts. They were personal, something only she and he knew (and she would never be made aware that he knew.)

In the end he not only personally wrapped it but also got up early and placed it on her desk.

What was I thinking? I have well paid servants that know better than to poke their noses where they don't belong. Anyone of them would have been well suited to delivering the pad.

Before he knew it he had made his way to the entrance to the maze. He was in no mood to wander around in there so instead he searched the outside for a small bench near the outer edge that was surrounded by a small crop of trees.

There she sat shuffling through papers, scratching and highlighting and crumpling them than adding them to a ever growing pile beside her.

Normally, he would have found another place. Left her to her... whatever the hell she was doing. But, he felt a tug not on his heart, but, on his mind. After what happened yesterday, what he saw in her drawing pad and now the mess she was making on the lawn, understandably his curiosity got the best of him.

He pulled out his ear buds and walk toward the bench. "You're going to have to pick that up."

"I am fully aware of what I'm going to have to do. There is no need to point out the obvious." She replied tartly not even looking up.

Yeah, that wasn't the smoothest thing to come out of my mouth, but, the attitude did seem a bit extreme.

"Don't take your frustration out on me. I'm not what's ticking you off. What are you doing by the way?"

"Oh, sorry I'm just frustrated. I'm searching for a club to join. Honestly, a perfume club? And, how morbid is this an obituary club? Jeez, I'm about to call it quits for today. This load is killing me." She started to pick up her things, her eyes drifted to the mound of balled up papers. "I don't suppose there is a garbage can nearby."

"No, the closest one is just inside the entrance of the arts building."

"Multiple trips it is than." She began to gather the papers into her arms.

"Not if I help you, but, you have to do me a favor." Kyoya was thinking on his feet. "Tamaki decided a little over an hour ago we were going to theme our host club activities with separate Halloween themes for each host. You brainstorm with me while we clean this up. That's all I want."

After all who better than an artist to help set the stage?

"That sounds like a deal! So fill me in or maybe just one at a time." She said excitedly.

"Well, Tamaki is going to be Dracula."

"I can see that, the whole "seduce you with his eyes" probably made him giddy. Well, wine goblets of course, doesn't mean you have to serve wine. Probably chilled pomegranate tea would do. Thick curtains, a black walnut table and chairs, preferably with deep red or burgundy cushions. Oh, and..."

She really did have good ideas. They were finished cleaning up and she still was pouring out ideas.

"Alexis, I know we don't see eye to eye, but you are terribly informative. Could I impose on you to go back to the club with me and keep brainstorming?" I definitely need a break if not an assistant.

Alexis eyed the still daunting stack of clubs she had yet to review, sighed and replied. "Only if you help me pick a club. Sorting through them has been fighting a tidal wave. I lose more ground the farther I get."

"That will be no problem, I'm actually very well versed in the clubs and their pros and cons. Shall we be on our way than?" he extended his arm and though she looked at it oddly at first she toke it.

When they entered into the #3 Music room arm in arm they were met with a wall of stunned silence.

"Alexis has agreed to assist me with plans for the Halloween themed day next week." Kyoya explained hoping to escape a headache.

"Sweet, so all you needed was for Kyoya to ask you to visit the club and you came running!" One of the twins said.

"No, Hikaru, its an even trade, he gives me his expertise in clubs, I give him mine in theme decorating. Though I admit I am going to enjoy helping you more than you will enjoy helping me." She said turning to Kyoya. "The number and variety of clubs is staggering."

"Wait, how do you know I'm Hikaru? I could be Kaoru."

"You jumped without looking. Kaoru held his tongue to find out what was going on you made assumptions." She pointed out.

Kyoya snorted, than caught himself. Again, everyone in the room stopped to look at him.

"Anyway, lets get back to our brainstorming session." And he led Alexis back to his "office".

Exactly what he had gotten himself into was beyond him. Normally he would call each store alert the owner to his circumstances and let them pick a selection for him. From those he would make his choice.

Alexis, however, insisted on being on the ground floor, saying yea or nay as she saw fit, not depending on anyone to even slightly make a decision without her direct approval. And, consequently, not without his as well... after a sort. Of course it wasn't every decision, somehow she had managed to wrest control from him on this project and while she bounced ideas off him she hadn't really let him know specifics.

For example, she showed him various drawings of what she had conceptually imagined each host's station, let him pick his top three, but, refused to let him know which one she was going to use. Or had a selection of delicacies and had him rate them based on theme, taste and visual appeal.

It was quiet impressive actually, she had only been in the country for less than a week and she was moving around and making contacts like she had been born here. At first the rest of the club had been perturbed at Kyoya.

They were supposed to be making sure she didn't overexert herself, not giving her more to do. They got swept up in her plans though and it gave the perfect excuse for at least one club member to tag along at any point in time.

"Haruhi, did Alexis show you the props we found yesterday?" Honey asked his mouth dotted with cake crumbs.

"No, she is being very secretive about everything. I don't think anybody has a full picture of what this is going to look like except for her." Haruhi replied not looking up from her physics homework.

"Oh, is it a surprise? Should I not tell anyone than? I don't want to ruin it."

I highly doubt that she has shared all the details with anyone. She seems to take pleasure in dodging my inquires and watching me get more and more frustrated at each turn. I can't even look at the bills of sale because she has used her own funds.

"Have you settled on a plan for Haruhi's station? I have yet to see any of the bills come in. The vendors say that nothing has been charged to the club account since last month." He peered through his glasses at her as she sorted through fabric samples.

"I haven't been charging to the accounts because I have been paying cash. I have gotten so into this whole situation and I really want it to be a surprise." Not even looking up.

"That is completely unnecessary, I wanted your help not a donation. How am I to know if it meets club standards if I don't know the specifics?" His right eye starting to tick.

"You do know the specifics, just not which ones I selected from those." She looked into his eyes hers were twinkling like mad as his brow dug further and further into his forehead.

"It is not necessary for you to pay out of pocket for this event the club has..."

"I am not an idiot. The second you get your hands on the bills you will know exactly what my plans are." Her eyes suddenly toke an evil glare that gave him pause. "If you even think of trying to dig any amount of information up about my choices, I will make waterloo look like a snow flurry. Got it."

He found it rather ironic that the girl he was supposed to be watching over had him watching his back. Of course the threats didn't stop him. Actually it made him want to find out more.

It didn't seem all that difficult at first. He had known the store owners for years and they willingly released the information regarding her purchases. As he looked through the paperwork however it became clear that she had covered her tracks in that area as well.

For every purchase made there were so many items listed that he couldn't tell what exactly was for the event and what was filler.

"Still trying to figure out my plans? I told you this would make waterloo look like snow flurries. Yet, here you are. Though you are buried under paperwork and dead ends instead of snow. Need a shovel?" She had taken up residence on the opposite end of his couch. Calmly sipping tea her face was glowing with triumph at her ingenuity.

"Victory is not yet yours and being so smug is not very ladylike or sportsman like."

She calmly stood up and walked towards him. Once he was within arm reach of her she tapped her fingers on his nose. "No, its not" she conceded "But, who could resist flustering you? Certainly not me." She grinned and made her way to Tamaki's table; Kyoya's eyes pinning her with such ferocity the twins on the other side of the room shivered.

I don't own Ouran High School Host Club... or a Porsch... or a Lion. If you hear any of these are for sale let me know.