CHAPTER 2

Kyoya's POV

I stood waiting for the girl at the top of the steps outside Ouran. There were still three minutes before she was due to arrive, but I was still anxious to get in out of the rain. When the car finally pulled up before the main entrance I strode down the stairs, umbrella in hand, to open her door for her. Before I could even think about opening the door it popped open from the inside, a small pale hand gripping the handle.

"Good morning, Miss Konanawa-"

"Andi," she corrected me swiftly. "Just... call me Andi. No 'miss' or anything." She sighed and looked down before setting her jaw and stepping out of the car.

She wasn't wearing the Ouran Academy girl's uniform. She wasn't wearing the boy's uniform, either. Rather, she was in the same clothes she wore yesterday; a black hooded sweatshirt and black jeans. I thought it odd that my father wouldn't have provided a uniform for her.

I held the umbrella over her head as she got out.

"I'm fine," she said, waving the umbrella away and pulling up her hood. She swiftly trotted up the stairs and into the business office, leaving me with the umbrella. I thanked the driver and went after her.

I found her in the business office talking with the woman at the desk. The woman handed Miss Konanawa a folded slip of paper, presumably a schedule, across the desk just as the 7:30 bell rang.

"Andi," I addressed. "You may or may not know this but I am to be your guide for the day. I'd be more effective if you'd not run off." She froze at the desk and seemed to calm herself, then turn to me.

"Look," she said gently. "I've already memorized the blueprints of this place. I already knew my schedule and I have that memorized, too. I can handle myself pretty well. I don't need your help. Thank you, though." She walked through the glass door and into the main hall. I heard a quiet English swear from the other side of the door.

"That can't be a good sign."

On the other side of the door, a crowd of students had closed in on her.

"Isn't she adorable!?"

"She's not wearing any makeup! Do commoners not have that?"

"She's so poor she can't even afford a uniform! Poor girl!"

Miss Konanawa was pressed flush against the wall as the crowd of students accosted her about commoner life and culture. I pressed through the crowd and took her by the arm.

"Here," I said. "They'll keep their distance if one of their own is with you."

She quickly retracted her arm from mine and jumped back.

"I told you I don't need you," she said harshly. "I just want to be left alone."

"I have been designated by the Ootori company-"

"To look out for me, I know. I don't care. Leave me alone." She elbowed her way unceremoniously through the crowd and hurried to her first period class. The crowd followed her, leaving only me and Haruhi behind.

"The whole Host Club other than you and me is in there," she said. I sighed and pushed my glasses up.

"It doesn't surprise me."

"I hope they don't trample the poor girl."

"Something tells me that you should be more concerned that she doesn't murder the crowd."

By the end of the day I had had several incidents with the girl during one of which she threatened to turn me inside out through my rectum. Though physically impossible, I still stepped back as I realized she might actually try.

I sat in my usual spot while the Host Club sat with the young ladies who came into Music Room 3. I opened another tab to work on our account when I heard the doors burst open. We all looked up to see Miss Konanawa with a shocked and mortified expression on her face. A horde of students was visible behind her. Unfortunately, Tamaki took it upon himself to "introduce" her to the host club.

"Good afternoon, Princ- OW!"

He had inadvertently scared the girl, who had taken the liberty to scream slightly and punch him hard in the nose. The Host Club King now cowered in a corner with a bloody nose and a black cloud hanging over him. She said nothing, but merely stared at the scene she had caused with a confused expression painting her face. Evidently she decided to take advantage of the situation.

She turned to the crowd behind her.

"Take that as a warning," she said while pointing at Tamaki. The crowd slowly backed away and left her alone. She leaned against the doorframe and covered her face with her hands.

I tried to get to her before the twins did, but to no avail. Hikaru and Kaoru advanced upon her like a pair of wolves, nearly growling.

"What's the big idea here?" one asked.

"There's no big idea. Just a big mistake," Miss Konanawa answered him. She removed her hands from her face and stuffed them in her sweatshirt pocket. "I didn't mean to punch him. It's a reflex."

"Miss Konanawa has taken five years of martial arts in the UK," I lied smoothly. "It really has become an automatic reaction to her." She looked at me, understanding, and nodded. One of the twins sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry Miss Konanawa," he said with a smile. "We're just looking out for our leader."

"I know. It's okay. Sorry to burst in on... whatever this is," she apologized.

"Miss Konanawa, could I have a word with you? Outside, preferably?" I asked her politely.

"Certainly," she quipped.

I led her into the hallway and closed the doors of Music Room 3.

"I am so sorry-"

"No need to apologize. I'm sure at least two of us have wanted to see that happen for a very long time. Myself included." I leaned against the wall and pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose.

"I'll keep that in mind, then."

"Please don't," I told her. "I asked you out here because I wanted to know why you punched Tamaki."

"I already told the twins, it is a reflex," she said, punctuating each word of the second clause with a hand gesture.

"I am aware. I simply wanted an explanation as to why it is a reflex. I have been specifically instructed to conduct no research on you, so I have no idea." She fidgeted in her spot.

"Look, could we just drop it?" she asked nervously. "I'd prefer not to say anything on the subject."

"Certainly, Miss Konanawa."

"Please don't call me that," she said with a wince. "Just Andi."

"I'll keep that in mind then," I copied her words. She gave me a blank look and left, hands shoved deep in her pocket.