Here it is! The final chapter of this first part! Please enjoy!

Chapter 12: Refelections

"All right, men!" Tamaki had finally awoken after he'd fainted. Kyoya had briefed him on the agenda and Tamaki had quickly gathered everyone. "Let's all put our opinions in the open!"

"Well, all right," the twins started, "we really like Kuro."

"She's pretty…cool," said Hikaru, quickly adding "cool."

"And I think I'm beginning to understand her more," Kaoru added.

"I like her, 'cause she likes cake!" Honey announced. Then his face dropped the happy smile as he said, "but, her eyes seem kinda sad. I think she needs us to cheer her up!" He brightened up again at his last sentence.

"Yeah," Mori agreed.

"Exactly, Honey-senpai! It is our job as the Host Club to make every girl happy!" Tamaki stated. "I'd say we have excellent chances against her!"

"Not necessarily. Have any of us learned anything from this experience? According to the deal, if any of us feel that we were the ones at fault, we haven't exactly 'won'. So, anyone?"

Everyone was silent for a few minutes. Then someone spoke up. "I think milord isn't open-minded enough. He seems to think all girls enjoy flattery. Take Haruhi, for example. She doesn't enjoy the services we provide as a customer. If she doesn't, then doesn't that just prove that not all girls are like our customers? So would it really be fair of us to push Kuro to be our customer?" In return to his surprisingly fair point, Kaoru received a few shocked stares and incredulous faces.

Hikaru was the first to speak up. "Kaoru? I didn't know you had put so much thought into this…"

"I think Kao-chan has a good point. Kuro-chan shouldn't be forced to do something she doesn't want to do," Honey seemed to agree whole-heartedly with the twin.

"Yeah," Mori agreed as well.

"Yes, however it is not something she can object to now. She all ready signed the contract," Kyoya recounted.

"But you're the one who wrote the contract in the first place! Can't you change it?!" Hikaru objected.

"It has all ready been signed by both parties. I cannot change it now." Kyoya, who at that point was sitting behind his Pineapple laptop, began typing whatever it was he was always documenting. "Haruhi, you've been awfully quiet. What are your thoughts?" He asked the honor student without looking up from his screen.

"What? Oh, well I don't think this whole situation was a good idea in the first place. I mean this is kinda cruel, isn't it? She was just expressing what she thought was right. I guess Tamaki-senpai was too, but neither of them needed to push it so hard. I did what I was told to do as a member of the Host Club, but now you're asking my opinion so I'd prefer to just stay out of it. You guys will have to deal with this on your own. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a sale at the supermarket today. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Haruhi excused herself and left. Tamaki tried to rush after her while spurting his usual nonsense, but was answered with a door in his face.

"Does anyone have anything else to add?" Kyoya looked toward the remaining hosts, who all kept silent. "Well, then I suppose we are ready to talk to Miss Kurosawa." Kyoya closed his laptop for emphasis.

I sat in front of my large flat screen, with a game controller in my hand. I absentmindedly fought a battle on the screen. To be completely honest, I wasn't paying any attention to it for once. I was too concentrated on what might happen with the Host Club the next day. I really didn't want to admit it to them, but I was wrong about the hosts. They were not as self-centered and flirtatious as I thought. Most of what they did for their guests was a façade. Tamaki's really just an emotional idiot, Kyoya's extremely cold, Honey's kind, Mori's well…I didn't have much of an opinion of him in the first place, Haruhi was forced into it, and the twins are actually kind of cool.

If I went into Music Room #3 the next day and admitted I was wrong, I would not have a choice but to become a permanent guest. I didn't want that. I couldn't stand the hosts' acts. If I had to be around them, I would have much preferred their true selves. But what could I do about it? I signed a contract! There was no way around it. Kyoya wrote it, so he'd have made sure that there were not any loopholes. However, he's still human (at least I think he is). He could very well have missed something.

I just needed to take another look at the contract. I wasn't thinking clearly when I signed it, and I forgot to ask for a copy. I wondered if I would be able to get it from Kyoya. But, I didn't have any of his contact information. Perhaps the twins did though…

I paused my game and pulled out my phone. I typed out a message for both Hikaru and Kaoru: Do you guys have Kyoya Ootori's address? I need to pay him a visit…

Within a minute, Kaoru texted back: Should we be concerned?

I let out a little laugh. He must have thought that I was going to go attack Kyoya, or something. No, just need to get something from him.

Ok then…

About fifteen minutes later, I got out of the car and went to the front door. I took a couple deep breaths and rang the doorbell. It took a minute but the door opened up. I started my rehearsed words but then saw who was standing in front of me. "Shou?! What the heck are you doing here?!" I felt utterly lost.

Shou looked at me with wide, shocked eyes. "I-I…um, well…you see…I…you…" he took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "Did you need something, Kuro?" He completely avoided my question.

"Miss Kurosawa?" Kyoya came up behind Shou. "Did you need something?"

I shot Shou a "we'll talk about this later" look, and turned to Kyoya. "I did in fact."

"Well don't just stand there. Let her in, Shou." Shou opens the door more and stands to the side. I walk through the threshold. I hear Shou close the door behind me. "I am rather curious, how did you get this address?"

"The-I…I have my own sources." I decided to play his game.

He gave a light chuckle as he gestured for me to follow him. "I see." He led me to a bright, spacious room with a couple of couches, a coffee table, and several other furniture pieces and decorations. "Please, have a seat." I sat on the end of the nearest couch. Kyoya sat on the other side of the same couch. "So, what was it you needed?"

"I wanted a copy of the contract."

"I see." He adjusted his glasses. "Well, I will go make a copy of it immediately. Though, I must ask. Why did you come see me in person? I could very well have sent it to you digitally, you know."

"I wanted to make sure I got a copy in my hands. I'm sure you understand."

He gave me a curt smile and said, "Indeed I do." He got up and walked out of the room. He came back within a few minutes. Kyoya came up to me and handed the copy of the contract to me. I flipped through it just to make sure it was all there. "Is that everything you needed?"

I decided that it was all there. I looked back up at Kyoya as I stood up. "Yes, this is everything. Thank you." I mimicked his smile from a few minutes previous.

"Well, I shall see you tomorrow, Kohaku. Shou, would you please escort Miss Kurosawa out, as you are dismissed for the evening?" He called out towards the door for Shou.

Shou showed up at the door. He bowed respectfully to Kyoya as he stiffly and nervously said, "Y-yes, M-master Ootori." He straightened up and gestured with his head for me to follow him.

Once we made it out the door and to my car, I rounded on him. "Okay, an explanation please?"

He sighed, and rubbed his head. I had noticed that he had a fully bloomed bruise on his forehead (I still had felt a little guilty for kicking that pebble earlier that day). "I-it's a little difficult…I…" He let out another sigh. "Kuro, believe me, this is something that I want to tell you eventually, but…not now." He gave me an apologetic look.

I myself released a long sigh. "OK. I can respect that. I'll just die from curiosity in the meantime." In all honesty, I was kind of hurt that there was something he didn't want to tell me.

"Please don't play the guilt card, Kuro. This is very much for your benefit. We should go. I'll see you on Saturday." Shou looked troubled as he started to walk home in the dark. I couldn't bear to see him leave like that.

"Shou, wait!" He turned around. "Let me give you a ride home, please?"

"I appreciate it, Kuro, but I think I need some time to think. Sorry. See ya!" He turned back around and continued walking. I watched him for a minute and then got in the backseat of my limo. My driver returned me home.

It was the day. It was the day that decided my future with the Host Club. I had read and reread the contract several times throughout my classes, but I had been unable to glean anything new from it. I couldn't find a loophole. I could have been overlooking something, but at that point I had worn my brain out.

"It's not like it's gonna be the end of the world or something. Besides, we're only in high school. We've got our whole lives ahead of us! As much as I hate to say it, the Host Club probably isn't going to be involved with our lives past school. Ya know? So, no matter how this turns out, you really shouldn't make too big of a deal of it. K?" Yukiko decided to walk me to the club room even though she couldn't stay. She had noticed my unease and tried to comfort me.

I sigh and take a deep breath. After I release it, I reply, "You're right, Yuki. However, this also affects my current state of mind. Not to mention my morals, as well. I can't just let this go without a fight. And for the sake of my sanity, I've got to prove victorious!"

"For the sake of your sanity?"

"Have you not seen the craziness that the hosts really are?! Not to mention their façades! I don't know how you can stand them like that, but I applaud you." I hoped that conveyed my message clearly enough.

"What is this? What happened to the Kuro I left yesterday? The one who had fun with the twins? The one who managed to scare the crap out of Tamaki, and enjoyed it? I thought you were finally seeing your error," Yuki seemed appalled.

I sighed. She had caught me. "Yes, okay. I did enjoy that. I realized that I much prefer the hosts as themselves. Not with their masks on trying to flatter me! I can't stand that!"

She sighed. We stopped at the door to Music Room #3. "You're so stubborn. I wish you luck, though." She started to walk away and gave me a small wave. I waved back at her.

I turned towards the door, pushed down on the handle, and entered the music room. Upon walking into the room, I noticed the large conference table in the center of the space. All of the hosts were seated around it. They were all wearing glasses and serious expressions. They were also wearing what I had assumed were business suits. When they noticed me slip in they greeted me with a uniform, "Welcome, Kohaku Kurosawa!"

"Well, don't I feel underdressed," I said sarcastically.

"We can fix that," the twins offered mischievously.

"No," was my blunt response. The Hitachiins frowned in disappointment.

Kyoya pushed up his glasses, causing them to glare from the light. "Please have a seat, Miss Kurosawa, so that we may get started." Kyoya gestured to the one empty chair. I pulled it out and sat, instantly reverting to my normal slouched position.

I noticed all of the hosts were staring at me. "What? Are we gonna talk or just have a staring contest?" They all looked away from me.

Kyoya adjusted his glasses. Some of the others followed suit with their fake frames. Kyoya flipped through some pages in his notebook. "Right, we should get started if we are to get this over with. Would anyone like to put in the first word?" Kyoya's gaze remained on his papers as he spoke.

Everyone was silent for a few moments. Then Haruhi spoke up, "I just thought you should know, Kuro, but I'm not really on either side. I just don't want either party to get hurt." I nodded to her in understanding.

"Kuro-chan, I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do. It isn't right to make you. So if it helps, I understand and support your position. Takashi agrees with me, right?" Honey looked up to his cousin's face beside him.

"Yeah. I agree with Mitsukni." Mori replied in his ever-emotionless voice.

Honey pushed up his large, soft pink frames in a Kyoya-like manner. "See, you are not alone here. We're your friends even if you don't want us, Kuro-chan!"

I was, admittedly, a little shocked. "T-thank you." I wasn't able to manage more than that.

"As much as we wanted to have you as a guest," Hikaru started.

"We do think that you were right," Kaoru finished.

The only two hosts that were left were Tamaki and Kyoya. Tamaki fidgeted nervously across the table. Kyoya looked around at everyone with a cool expression. Everyone was silent until Kyoya spoke up. "I myself am on the opposite side of the card. It would be better for profits if we did not disband. Not to mention, Haruhi would be unable to work off her debt to us." He pushed up his glasses again. They reflected the light in the room in a rather evil glow. Haruhi nervously fidgeted in her chair. It was obvious she had not considered that factor.

"Tamaki, do you have anything to say?" Kyoya directed all focus on the only host who had not spoken.

The hosts' leader shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He adjusted his slim, white frames several times. "Well, I-I did create this club to make girls happy…and after thinking about it, I realize that it's really not right of us to force Kuro to be a guest if it doesn't make her happy." He somehow managed to get out what he wanted to say.

Everyone was staring at him in shock. Even Mori and Kyoya wore shocked expressions. Kyoya blinked a few times and then regained his composure. "Well Kohaku, it looks like you are the only one left who has yet to express an opinion."

I gulped and tried to look anywhere but their faces. I hadn't actually considered the fact that I might actually end up with what I wanted at the beginning. Because my opinion had changed, I was so sure I was doomed; but, what about now? I didn't know what I wanted anymore. I had made friends with most of them. And even if I still didn't like the idea of their club, they all seemed to enjoy it. How could I take that away? Even their guests, although most were shallow to begin with, enjoyed what the club had to offer. Their goal was to make people happy. How could I take away not just one person's, but many people's happiness? I might enjoy a good, cruel joke, but that didn't mean I was cruel enough to take away someone's happiness. Well, I didn't really have a choice but to tell them.

"I…" I bit my lip and then took a deep breath. "My opinion of you guys has changed. You guys aren't who I thought you were, and I'm sorry I made assumptions without knowing anything definite about you. You're not as bad as I thought, and the fact that most of you are supporting me proves that. Just like you guys don't want to force me into unhappiness, I don't want to cast unhappiness upon you. I still don't like your club, but that doesn't mean that it needs to be disbanded. So, I'm sorry." I bit my lip again. All of the faces around the table were shocked.

"Well, it would seem that both parties admitted to being in the wrong. According to the final clause of the contract, we need to come up with a new agreement." Kyoya was looking at his notebook as he spoke.

"But you said you couldn't change the contract!" Hikaru quickly stood up, knocking his chair on its back.

"I'm not changing it. I'm simply creating a new one. If you had read the original all the way through, you would know that this is allowed," Kyoya replied in a smug manner. "It is, in fact, necessary."

Hikaru looked embarrassed as he put his chair back into its original position and sat back down. Kaoru looked at his brother, concerned.

"Now, I do have a proposition," Kyoya led the focus back to him. "Kohaku, you will not have to be a guest of any sort. Likewise, our club will not disband. Instead, I simply would like to work with your family's company in creating a game for our customers and yours. I feel this will be mutually beneficial. I was hoping that we could work with you personally. Your secret is safe as well, by the way. What do you think?"

It was my turn to adjust my glasses. "Well, I would have to discuss this with my parents, but I suppose that sounds all right…" It was a huge surprise. I hadn't seen this coming at all. It did seem like a pretty good deal, though.

"I'd be happy to arrange details with your parents, if you'd like." Kyoya released a polite smile.

"Sure. But I'd like to talk with them first, if you don't mind. They found out about my whole situation and were going to try to sue you…it would be best to let me speak with them first." I replied with embarrassment in my voice.

"Sue…me?"

"Uh, yeah…you did blackmail me."

"You did the same to me."

"Well, then I suppose we're even!" I replied quickly.

He sighed. "I will come up with the paperwork tonight. Shall I send it to you to review when I'm finished?"

"Sure." I pulled out the original contract and tore off a corner. I grabbed one of Kyoya's pens and wrote down my email address. I gave back his pen along with the corner of paper. He gave me a nod.

"So…is that it?" the twins asked.

"I do believe so. At least for today." Kyoya gave them leave. Everyone got up from their seats. After standing, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was finally over.

I opened my eyes and turned around to find the Hitachiins standing in front of me. They had taken off their aqua and orange glasses frames and held them in their hands. They now wore grins with pure happiness plastered across their identical faces. "So, about hanging out this weekend…"

It was amazing how quickly Saturday had come. Shou and I had our rematch, which I of course won, and several more after that. Each time he insisted that he would win, but I kept on defeating him. We were exhausted after all that skating and were collapsed on the benches to the side of the park.

"So, why isn't Kyou here?" I asked Shou curiously.

"Well…I didn't exactly invite him…" Shou replied cautiously.

"Why?" I was quite confused. Kyou did everything with us. He was our friend.

"I just kinda wanted to spend some time with you."He sounded quite serious, but obviously a little guilty and nervous at the same time. I didn't know what to say to that. But before I could think of something to say, we were interrupted.

"There you are, Kuro! We've been waiting at the gate for like thirty minutes!" The Hitachiin twins were walking towards us. My eyes widened. I quickly took out my phone and checked the time. It was creeping up on five o' clock. I had told the twins that I'd meet them at the front of the park at four.

"Oh my gosh, you two! I'm so sorry! I completely lost track of time!"

"It's okay, but maybe you should start setting alarms, or something," the twins suggested.

"Uh, Kuro? Aren't those two the ones who were spying on you last week? Why are you being so friendly?" Shou asked, confused.

"Oh, well I guess I did forget to tell you. We're friends now," I explained a little sheepishly.

"But, last week it looked like you wanted to kill them!"

"I did. But then I got to know them a bit better. They're not bad guys." I unwittingly defended the twins.

"Yes," Hikaru started.

"We make a pretty good team," finished Kaoru. Both of them rested an arm on my shoulders and leaned against me.

Shou's expression was a mixture of confusion, anger, and pain. He almost looked like he was going to cry. "I'm sorry, Shou. I guess I should explain," the twins poked me and each tapped their wrists, "but I'll have to do it later. But, don't worry. I will explain, and you'll see there's nothing to worry about. Okay?"

Shou scrunched up his face, trying to control his frustration. The bruise on his forehead had started to fade. "Shit. Kuro, I…I should go." Shou collected his belongings and walked away from us. I got the feeling he wanted to tell me something.

"Well, he's a strange one," the twins stated when Shou was out of sight.

I wouldn't normally agree with that statement, but something seemed off about him since I saw him at the Ootori's. "He's not typically like that. I wonder what's up…"

"Who knows?" Kaoru shrugged.

"But we don't have time to dwell on it. Let's go," Hikaru tried to rush his brother and me out of the park.

Kyoya's cell phone rang. He ignored it and continued typing. It rang again a few minutes later, and again, and again. Finally, he decided to answer it. As soon as he accepted the call, he held the phone away from his face.

"I FORGOT ABOUT OPERATION KURO!" Tamaki screamed through the phone, obviously distressed.

Kyoya put the phone to his ear so he could answer. "Well, it's not like you'll never see her again. Just keep working on it if that's what you want." He ended the call before Tamaki could respond and shut down his phone. Kyoya sighed.

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Oh. My. Gosh. I can't believe I did it. The story still isn't quite finished, but this first part of it is. The reason I'm splitting it up, is because each part focuses on different problems. This one was dealing with Kuro's angst against the Host Club. The next part (the sequel), will deal more with Kuro's love life and her family's company. So, before you ask, the reason I left so many loose ends is because the story isn't exactly over yet. Also, if you are curious as to what Kuro's going to go do with the twins, I'm going to write that as a spin-off type thing. I'm going to put up a story with that sort of material. If you want to know more, go look at the updates on my profile. Now, who do you ship with Kuro? Go vote in the poll on my profile. It ends when I release the second part of the story! Please leave me a review! I'd love to know what you think! I do hope you enjoyed "Operation Kuro"!

P.S.Black Butler fans, the first chapter of my fanfiction "Errand Boy" is now out!