Author's Note: Hello again! I hope you're enjoying the story so far (even though it isn't really all that far along at all). Disclaimer: I still own the same stuff as I did last chapter. So if you're short of memory, then go back and read that one. :D Don't forget to click that magical little "Review" button after you finish reading!

"What do you mean you don't exist? That's not possible! Is it Kyoya?" Tamaki suddenly turned stark white. "Mommy, what if Seiko's a ghost?" Tamaki began shaking Kyoya's shoulders; Kyoya shrugged him off none too gently.

"Seiko is not a ghost. And I am certain that there is a logical reason as to why I cannot find any information on him."

It took Seiko a great amount of effort not to chuckle at them. What is wrong with me? Why are these people having such an effect on my emotions? Tamaki did in less than five minutes of talking what no one has been able to accomplish in four years. "Kyoya-senpai is correct. There is a very logical answer to all of this. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to find that answer, however, without assistance from me, which I do not intend to offer."

Kyoya looked dangerously at Seiko. "Willingly, anyway."

Tamaki appeared frightened by the look in Kyoya's eyes, but Seiko was unaffected.

"In that case—"

Tamaki was interrupted by a girl appearing in the middle of the room on a platform. "Seiko, you will be a host!" the girl pointed her finger in his face.

"Excuse me? Who are you?" Seiko took a few steps back from her protruding finger.

"I'm Renge, the Host Club's manager. And you would make a perfect host!"

Tamaki elbowed Kyoya in the ribs. "See, Kyoya? I told you we needed another host!"

"You will be the delicate host! Your gentle nature will provide a perfect contrast when compared with Kyoya's cool type! And your sad, lonely personality will draw girls to you and make them want to keep coming back to cheer you up!"

Kyoya scribbled down something in his notebook. "That is a genius idea, actually. It would greatly increase the profits of the Host Club."

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer. I was considering joining the music club." Seiko tried to leave, but his legs were grabbed by the twins before he even made it to the door.

"Don't you want to stay," Kaoru looked up at Seiko with mischievous eyes.

"And play with us?" Hikaru finished, looking equally as evil as his brother.

"You could play your violin here. I'm sure the ladies would love it." Kyoya added.

"And you can eat cake with us!" Hunny said as he jumped on Seiko's back.

Haruhi gave Seiko a pleading look that said, "Please don't leave me here with these idiots."

Seiko sighed. He lived solely to please others now, right? What use would he be if he didn't? Seiko wanted to be needed. He didn't want to fade into the depths of history, never to be found or remembered. "Seiko Yukio" didn't exist, but that didn't mean that he had to be invisible to the world, too.

"If it pleases you, then I will accept."

Everyone (except for Kyoya and Mori) cheered. The sight made Seiko smile. He did that. He made them happy. He, the useless child, finally had something to offer.

"Then, starting today, you are a host!" Tamaki picked up Seiko and spun him around. "I'll take you under my tutelage, young host! Awww, my Haruhi has a brother now!"

"Tamaki-senpai, please set me down. You are making me nauseous."

Tamaki let go of Seiko. While he was still spinning. Seiko, being thin and light, flew halfway across the room. Into the arms of Kyoya.

Kyoya caught Seiko easily, despite his surprise, but Seiko ended up pressed closely against Kyoya's chest. Seiko pulled away quickly, embarrassed and blushing.

"My deepest apologies. I was unaware that Tamaki-senpai would fling me across the room." Seiko stared fixedly at the floor. He tried not to think of how firm and muscular Kyoya's chest had been. And how his hands had gripped Seiko slightly tighter than necessary, like Seiko was sand and he would fall through his hands if Kyoya let go.

"You seem to be uncomfortable." Kyoya whispered so that only Seiko could hear him.

Seiko grasped the head of his cane and leaned heavily on it. He was afraid he would fall if he didn't. "Of course not. I am merely shocked, and that is all. Flying is not an experience I can say that I enjoy."

"Would you say that being close to me is, then? Do you actually think that I didn't notice when you clutched at my shirt?" Seiko had not noticed how small he was until Kyoya was looming over him with a smirk and a strange look in his eyes.

Kyoya chuckled when Seiko's eyes widened fractionally and he gasped. "I believe I have overstayed my welcome for the day." Seiko said loudly enough for the rest of the club to hear. "Thank you for allowing me to come. I'll see you tomorrow."

Seiko waved with the hand that was not clutching his cane before picking up his violin case and exiting the room. Seiko slumped against the wall, breathing quickly, and not from his illness. This morning, Seiko did not know he even possessed this many emotions. Did not know that people could have such an effect on him. Seiko knew without a doubt that the Host Club would be the death of him.

"How was your day, Seiko-chan?" Ringo asked him as soon as he had walked into the mansion.

Seiko patted her on the head and she giggled. "Give me a moment to put away my things and change please, and then I will tell you."

Ringo nodded and bounced off. Seiko wondered how she was always so happy. She reminded him of Tamaki.

Seiko put away his violin and books in his room, and he changed into a white button down long sleeves shirt and black slacks. He opened the door to his room and Ringo was standing there. Still bouncing.

"Come in, Princess Ringo." Seiko joked. Wait—since when did Seiko joke? His actions today were completely out of line. He had promised over his parents' dead bodies that he would never again be happy. It wasn't fair to them. They were dead and he was here laughing and enjoying life? Seiko closed his eyes to calm himself. If he did not keep his promise, he would be disrespecting his parents' death. You have no right to be happy. You exist only to please. He told himself over repeatedly. He seemed to have forgotten that today, though. Perhaps joining the Host Club was not an intelligent decision. Seiko would uphold his promise instead of indulging in his selfish desire to be needed and please others any day.

"You okay, Seiko-chan?" Ringo tugged on his sleeves.

"Ah. I'm fine. Thank you for asking." Seiko opened his eyes and smiled down at her. It was fake and was only for her. As it should have been. There was no happiness. As it should have been. There was no one who loved him, needed him. But, deep down, he couldn't help but wish that there would have been.

"Seiko-san!" Seiko heard someone call as he stepped out of his limo the next morning.

"Good morning, Yuna-san." he greeted her and waited for her to catch up to him.

"I heard that you joined the Host Club?" she asked eagerly.

"Indeed, you heard correctly." he cocked his head slightly and smiled down at her. "If it's not a bother of me to ask this of you, would you come visit me after school? I know that all of the other hosts will be too busy to talk to me, and I didn't want to be there by myself. I'm sorry," he laughed sadly, "that's terribly selfish of me." Seiko cast his eyes down slightly, giving him the appearance of a reprimanded child.

The girl held her hands up quickly. "No, no! It's not selfish at all! Of course I'll come."

Seiko still looked worried. "I am not stealing you away from your friends, am I?"

Yuna shook her head. "I can get them to come too!"

Seiko bowed. "I cannot thank you enough. I'm sorry for imposing, but, while I find myself without the company of others frequently and am used to it, I sometimes get lonely."

Yuna looked like she was about to cry. "Don't worry," she offered comfortingly, "you won't have to be alone anymore." she waved to him as they parted ways, promising to see him during club hours.

I will not host, Seiko told himself, I will mean every word that I say. And every word that he had ever uttered to anyone had been the truth. He had never lied to anyone, never hurt anyone. Except himself.

Seiko stood nervously outside the door to the sophomore English classroom. True, he was only a freshman, but he was far ahead (even in the advanced English class) of everyone else, and had gotten bored quickly. Chairman Suoh had allowed him to be placed in the advanced sophomore course, but if his grades dropped, it was his own responsibility.

Seiko knocked quietly, so as not to disturb the class, and entered.

"You must be the new student." the teacher said lazily, feet propped casually on his desk.

Seiko nodded.

"You can take the empty seat in the back." Seiko glanced around the room. There was a seat between Kyoya and Tamaki, who was waving frantically at Seiko.

Seiko took his seat, leaving his cane on the wall behind him, but still in his line of vision. He was never without it since the day it had been given to him.

"Seiko, why are you in a sophomore class?" Tamaki whispered on Seiko's right.

"I am extremely far ahead of the advanced freshman class, and thus wanted something more challenging."

"This is the top sophomore class. It is unlikely that you will be able to keep up." Kyoya said on his left.

"We shall see." was all Seiko said before tuning them both out to pay attention to the lesson.

Seiko mentally sighed. He again found himself sandwiched in between Kyoya and Tamaki.

"How many sophomore classes are you taking?" Tamaki yelled exasperatedly.

"Only two." He was in European History with them. The top class, of course.

"Your grades are going to suffer with the extra strain." Kyoya commented apathetically.

"Kyoya-senpai," Seiko smiled at him, "I of all people should be able to tell when I'm not wanted, so please save yourself the trouble. It is already very clear without your negative comments regarding my intellectual abilities."

"First anesthetics?"

"Ether and chloroform." Seiko replied without blinking.

"British rule of India?"

"The Raj. Lasted from 1757-1947."

"First poison gas?"

"Chlorine. Unleashed by the Germans in World War 1 at the battle of Ypres."

"Geocentric Theory."

"Ptolemy. The Earth is the center of the universe and the planets orbit around it."

"Jean Jacques Rousseau."

"'All men are born free but everywhere he is in chains.' Wrote Emile."

"First city state formed in Russia?"

"Kiev. By Prince Vladimir."

"Longest ruling British monarch?"

"Queen Victoria. 64 years."

Seiko could tell that Kyoya was becoming irritated.

"3 levels of the unconscious mind."

"ID, EGO, SUPEREGO. Sigmund Freud."

"Classical conditioning."

"Ivan Pavlov."

Kyoya said nothing else. Tamaki looked at Seiko in something akin to amazement.

When Seiko looked up, he noticed that the entire class was staring at him with the same shocked expression as Tamaki, even the teacher.

"No one's ever tied with Kyoya before. Not even close." one of the students said.

"Hey, aren't you a freshman? Woah. You're like...amazing, Seiko-san!" another of his classmates said.

A dark aura of evil was forming around Kyoya's head. He held his pen so tightly that it snapped cleanly in half.

Seiko couldn't resist himself. He smiled innocently at Kyoya. "Is something the matter? I'd say you almost look uncomfortable, Kyoya."

Tamaki hushed Seiko. "Do you want him to murder you?"

The bell rang, saving them all from the wrath of Kyoya. Tamaki dragged Seiko out of the classroom by his hand, barely allowing Seiko enough time to grab his cane.

"Why was Kyoya-senpai so upset?" Seiko asked on the way to lunch.

Tamaki smiled sadly at him. "He has a very good reason, but it isn't my business to tell. Let's just say that he's very competitive and leave it at that."

Seiko stopped walking and looked down. Had he somehow hurt Kyoya? Perhaps their little battle meant more than Seiko knew to him. Despite Kyota not liking him, Seiko had no intentions to hurt him. He would have to go apologize. His comment about Kyoya being uncomfortable was just-/joking/. Seiko had stepped out of line again. And this time, someone had gotten hurt because of his inability to properly keep his promise. Why was he so utterly useless?

"Where does Kyoya-senpai eat lunch?"

"In the club room normally. Why?"

"I am going to go apologize. Thank you for inviting me to lunch with you, but may I come another time? I am not quite sure what I did, but I had not intended to harm Kyoya-senpai."

Tamaki nodded and waved to Seiko, muttering almost inaudibly, "He really is the delicate host."

Seiko stared at the doors to Music Room 3. He didn't particularly want to be alone with Kyoya. He didn't trust himself (or Kyoya either for that matter), but, nonetheless, it had to be done. Seiko pushed open the doors, half expecting petals to come flying out.

"May I come in?" Seiko asked as he shut the door behind him. Rather pointless, really, since he was already inside, but it was a habit.

Kyoya languidly stretched out on one of the couches, offering the other to Seiko.

"Senpai, after speaking with Tamaki, I realize now that our 'battle of wits,' so to speak, affected you in a way that I did not intend. For this reason I came to offer you my sincerest apologies."

Kyoya said nothing, simply stared at Seiko with his piercing eyes. Seiko shifted uncomfortably. Why wasn't he saying anything? Kyoya stood in a swift motion, still without a word. He was standing next to where Seiko sat.

"Are you nervous, Seiko?" Kyoya spoke quietly, but, even so, his voice still echoed throughout the empty room.

"And if I were to say that I am?"

Kyoya smirked and swooped down to whisper in Seiko's ear. "Then I would say, 'Apology accepted.'"

Seiko jumped from the couch. "You wanted to make me nervous?"

Kyoya shrugged indifferently and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Maybe so."

"Why?" Seiko asked incredulously.

"You can keep up with me in a battle of wits, so surely you should be capable of figuring me out."

Seiko ran a hand through his hair. "And if I am not?"

Kyoya placed a hand on Seiko's shoulder; Seiko stiffened. "Then you're a lot less interesting than I originally thought."

Seiko exhaled once Kyoya had removed his hand. Only to jump again when he ran a finger down Seiko's side. Seiko closed his eyes and shivered. Why do I have to be so ticklish?

Kyoya ran another finger down Seiko's other side. Seiko trembled under his featherlike touch. Seiko tried to dodge Kyoya's fingers and walk out of the room while he still retained some sense.

"Ah, no you don't." Kyoya grabbed Seiko's wrist and spun him into him like a ballroom dance.

Seiko looked up at Kyoya, extremely confused. "W-what?" he could barely form a coherent sentence.

"I said that I forgave you, not that I wasn't going to extract revenge." Kyoya smiled at him. It was the most frightening sight Seiko had ever seen.

Kyoya resumed trailing his fingers down Seiko's side. Seiko screwed his eyes shut as he shivered uncontrollably.

"Oh, you really are the delicate host." Kyoya mused.

Seiko simply could not stay here any longer. It was too...distracting. He was close enough to the door that he could run, but his cane was on the couch behind them, and he was not leaving without that.

Kyoya paused momentarily, and Seiko took his chance to duck under Kyoya to the couch. Bad idea. Kyoya grabbed both of Seiko's wrists in one of his hands and tugged him into his chest. He wrapped one arm around Seiko's waist, entrapping him, and used the other hand to allow his fingers to dance over Seiko's back now.

Seiko was shivering so intensely that he was scarcely able to stand. He wriggled, frantically trying to escape Kyoya's grasp.

Seiko froze. He realized he was being completely unfair. He had hurt Kyoya, and again broken his promise, and thus he deserved this. Seiko dropped his head in shame.

Kyoya backed away. "You are wanted more than you realize, Seiko." Kyoya sighed. "Although, my plan of coercing you into giving away information about yourself failed completely."

Seiko's head snapped up in shock. Anger. How could he be so stupid as to believe that someone actually found him interesting? Of course Kyoya was just using him. That was what he existed for. That's what people did: use until there was nothing left. Never giving back.

"You needn't worry about me telling Haruhi's secret. I am quitting the Host Club after today."

"Hey, Kyoya, the boss told us to drop this sculpture off here." the twins said as they pushed a kart with a large, expensive statue on it.

"Perfect timing," he muttered evilly.

"What do you mean?"

Kyoya slid his finger down Seiko's side, causing him to jump in surprise, trip over a handkerchief that Kyoya had "dropped" moments before, and knock over the statue, sending it crashing to the floor.

Seiko stared at the remains of the statue in horror. How had that happened? Seiko was rarely clumsy, almost never. Seiko was graceful, refined. Seiko did not do clumsy things like that. Seiko's head swiveled to glare viciously at Kyoya. Him. He, who Seiko treated with nothing but the utmost kindness, even going out of his way to apologize for some wrong he was unaware he even committed, had done this. Kyoya Ootori hated Seiko; he was sure of it.

"That was what I meant." he answered the twins' previous question with a smirk as he pulled out a black notebook. "Seiko Yukio," Kyoya spoke aloud as he wrote, "owes the Host Club twelve million yen."

Although Seiko had never in his life hated anyone, or even disliked them, Seiko now knew that he sure as hell hated Kyoya.