Honey's birthday was a large scale, grand affair. It also had a large scale, grand cake. A cake was displayed upon a round table with buttercreme icing, candy decorations, and eighteen lit candles. The cake itself was seven tiers tall. On a buffet table nearby were other various cakes of all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Music room #3 had been decorated in fluffy stuffed animals and balloons.

"Yaaaaaaay!" Honey-senpai's eyes nearly bugged out of his head at the fantastic spread before him. A crowd of over thirty-five girls cried out, "Happy Birthday, Honey-chan!" They then erupted into uncontrollable screaming. Mori placed Honey upon his shoulders to take him to his magnificent birthday cake.

Tamaki stood by his best friend and vice president. He gave an impressed whistle. "Wow, Kyouya, wow. How did you pull this one off?"

Kyouya lowered his head in fake humility. "The Ootori family has a caterer that has made all of our cakes for years. I merely called her with a list of all of Honey's favorites. The stuffed animals were sent for-discounted, naturally, since I was buying in bulk. He can take them home with him if he pleases. As for the young ladies, you know that I keep a record of our regular guests and their favorites. These are the young women who have requested Honey from the club's opening."

"Wow, Kyouya-senpai. That's incredible attention to detail." Haruhi commented. Her eyes widened at all the balloons. "I can imagine it cost a small fortune."

"It did." Kyouya confirmed, pushing up his glasses with one finger. "But it was paid for by the profits of our last photo book."

Both Tamaki and Haruhi's heads abruptly turned to Kyouya. "What photo book?" They asked in unison.

"Why, the one I put together from the photos that Honey had taken on our weekend at the beach house." Kyouya then smiled that familiar smug smile. "Essentially, he paid for his own birthday party."

The twins arrived soon after and the group banded together to sing happy birthday to the eldest of the host club. The girls fawned over Honey as he ate cake after cake after cake. Haruhi was relieved to find herself actually enjoying the birthday party. She didn't have to entertain anyone-the girls were all here for Honey.

I wonder what they'll do for my birthday. Haruhi thought. I hope they order me some fancy tuna.

Just then, Kyouya's cell phone rang. He reached into his pocket and notably frowned as he saw who was on the other end. He held his plate of cake in one hand as he placed the phone to his ear with the other. "Yes, Father...uh huh. Of course, Father. I will tell her." He hung up without a word of goodbye and then walked over to Haruhi.

Haruhi looked up at Kyouya's approach. Damn, he was tall, especially when she was sitting down. "Evidently our fathers are requesting our presence for dinner tonight." He stated.

Haruhi's eyes widened. "Why would our fathers want to have dinner with us? Why would they want to have dinner with each other? How did they get together anyway?"

"I have all the same questions, Haruhi." Kyouya confirmed. "After the party I will call a car to take us to my home."

Kyouya turned away then, no doubt to try to figure out what was going on. It was the last Haruhi saw of him until the end of the party.

After the rest of the Host Club went home, Kyouya and Haruhi went to the Ootori estate in one of the family cars. Haruhi felt awkward sitting in the big, fancy car with Kyouya. She'd look over to the dark haired director every once in awhile, and each time he appeared to be deep in thought. It must drive him crazy to not know what is going on. Kyouya usually knows everything.

When they stepped inside the dining room, they were greeted by both their fathers.

Ranka stood up and embraced his daughter. It seemed he put on his fine, red dress for the occasion and had his hair done up in a bun. "Haruhi-chan, you are here! I see you didn't even change out of your uniform. I have an extra dress in my purse, you can wear it."

"It's okay, dad, really. What is going on?"

Kyouya and his father did not greet each other. Kyouya simply walked into the room and gave his father an accusary glare. The dynamics of each family couldn't be more different. Yoshio motioned to the chairs. "Please, you two, have a seat. I will have some appetizers brought out."

"We already ate." Kyouya stated curtly. Haruhi looked from Kyouya to his father. She was really surprised that Yoshio Ootori didn't smack his youngest son right then. She'd seen the man hit Kyouya for less.

"Then let's get to business." Yoshio stated. The four all sat down at the table-the young ones on one side and their fathers facing them. Yoshio got right to the point. "We have decided that it is within everyone's best interests to merge our families." Yoshio Ootori made everything sound like a business deal.

"Explain." Kyouya replied. His eyes narrowed behind his lenses.

Wow, they sound alike right there. Haruhi thought.

Ranko smiled happily. "We have decided that you two would be perfect for each other. It would be wonderful. After all, I already know Kyouya quite well, we've had so many phone conversations, and I want to make sure my little Haruhi is well taken care of..."

Haruhi stood up and shouted in alarm. "What are you talking about?"

Kyouya tipped his glasses up his nose as he addressed Haruhi with a sideways glance. "This is an arranged marriage."

Haruhi looked at him, her eyes widening in horror. "What?"

Yoshio then pulled out a bound document and placed it in front of Kyouya. "This is a contract stating all of the details of the arrangement as well as the benefits provided. I will trust that you will find it very thorough." Kyouya picked up the document and began to read silently.

"What?" Haruhi asked again. "Are you really contracting out my life, Dad? Is this for real?"

Ranka reached out and took his daughter's hands gently. "Sweetheart, I know it is a lot to take in, but the Ootori family can give you so much more than I can offer you. Stability, money, connections-even pay for your education."

Haruhi looked at her father in bewilderment.

"It's true." Kyouya replied. He'd shown no emotion since it was announced. He was treating this like a business deal, which was infuritating to Haruhi. This wasn't a merger! "As part of the agreement to marry, all expenses to law school will be paid in full. The contract states it clearly."

Haruhi angrily turned to Yoshio. "Then what do you get out of this? I know that you wouldn't do anything unless you had something to gain from it."

Yoshio smiled at the girl's spunk. This was particularly the reason he had chosen her. "Quite simply what I get out of it is a wife for my son, and hopefully soon after an heir to someday take on the family company. I know that I have other grandchildren, but I want to see all of my children with families of their own before I am too old to enjoy them." Funny, it didn't seem that Kyouya's father was the grandfatherly type.

Haruhi then turned to Kyouya. "Can they do this?"

Kyouya put down the contract after noting that both fathers had signed it. It was legal. "We are both minors and therefore unable to sign the contract ourselves. The conditions as stated are legal and binding. It is thorough and very well thought out. Arranged marriages, although not as common as they used to be, is not unheard of. Though, ultimately, it is the decision of the couple if they wish to proceed with the marriage regardless of how neatly it is written and bound."

"Then we will leave you two to discuss it." Yoshio said. He and Ranko then left the dining room, leaving a very confused Kyouya and a very angry Haruhi behind.

The two host club members looked at each other for a long pause. Finally, Haruhi smiled. "This is awkward."

"I'm still reeling from the fact our fathers arranged this."

Haruhi laughed. "It is really weird, isn't it?"

"Ridiculous." Kyouya finally broke into a smile.

"Crazy!" Haruhi added.

"The very idea of an Ootori marrying a commoner..."

Haruhi then clenched her fists and shot daggers from her eyes at Kyouya. "Hey! So Haruhi Fujioka, a mere commoner who has never had fancy tuna, isn't good enough for the great Kyouya Ootori. No longstanding name, no business contacts, no money to throw around. How dare you, you rich bastard..."

"Haruhi, calm down. That's not what I meant." Kyouya's soothing voice was enough to make Haruhi drop the fists she wanted to pummel into that smug head of his.

Haruhi sat down in defeat. "Sorry. That was embarrassing."

Kyouya explained. "My family honors tradition, and have always arranged the marriages of their children. My sister's marriage, my brothers- they have all been arranged. My father's marriage to my mother was also arranged, as were my grandparents. Therefore I am not surprised. However, it is normally done according to social status or business purposes, and normally a more advanced age. It is puzzling to me that my father steps out of that box."

"Maybe it is because you are so difficult to deal with, senpai." Haruhi remarked with a teasing smile, which received a rare, genuine smile from Kyouya in return. Haruhi then replied, "You are actually entertaining this idea, aren't you?"

"It makes perfect sense, Haruhi." Kyouya stated. He was now speaking in that tone that he used when he was conducting business. Haruhi was learning it well. He often did it when he was selling things at the Host Club. "Your father will not be able to pay for you to attend law school. Even with your exemplary grades, the competition for top universities is brutal. You have a much better chance with the Ootori name and money."

"Money doesn't mean anything to me." Haruhi insisted. Did they think they could buy her?

"But it does to your father." Kyouya insisted as he looked to Haruhi. "He wants what is best for you. He wants you to have what he does not and to achieve your dream. He already knows that he cannot provide for you the way that he wishes. He loves you and he is looking out for your future the best way he knows how. One of a father's biggest fears is that his daughter will not pick a worthy man to marry. You won't do it for you, but you'll do it for him."

Haruhi sighed. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I hate it when you are right."

"Strange, I enjoy it." Kyouya quipped.

"But what's in it for you? What could you possibly gain out of being married to me?" That was the real question. It was a no brainer what she could gain from becoming an Ootori. But, Kyouya never did anything without some gain to himself. He had a very keen sense of self interest.

"My father would stop interfering." That was it, the answer to her question. Kyouya would marry her to get his father off his back. It was insulting and disappointing. Was he really that cold? Kyouya went on. "We go through with the marriage ceremony and appease our families. You go to law school and by that time I'll already be halfway done with my own degree. After an appropriate amount of time has passed then you simply may seek an annullment."

Being married to him was suddenly much less appealing.

Haruhi stood up then and turned away. She didn't want to look at his evil face right now. "I don't know why you are acting like this, Kyouya, but this isn't like you. I know you aren't this cold." She then looked into his face and tried to peer behind the mask he always hid behind. "You can't pretend with me."

She then walked out of the dining room and to her father. "I am ready to go, Dad." She turned to Kyouya's father. "I will have an answer for you soon." She then started ahead without another word.