After you escape the temporary abyss your mind has become, it's high time for some happiness yes? So off you go, back to a world you know so well. A place where banana peels randomly pop up on the floor and where it's perfectly normal that doors you never knew existed show up on the walls. But within this place of comfort and familiarity changes still do take place, and often the preparation for this unnerve you more than the actual event. When the club you've worked so hard on is to just simply break up in the next year, it's only natural you will make the best of what you have. Even if that means torture of ridicule somewhere down the line…
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And many more it would as well, in the future.
"This is an emergency, AN EMRGENCY I SAY!" And off the blonde leader went, running throughout the Third Music Room with speed everyone didn't think was possible. It was currently Monday afternoon, school having just gotten out and five hosts waiting for the arrival of two very suspicious people, people who have been MIA for the whole weekend. Tamaki thought no more of the incriminating circumstance he found his Daughter and Mother in, the same for Mori and Huni. Secretly Huni was pleased that Kyouya was able to get a little happier. They were good for each other, and as he often confided to Mori, Kyouya was the one who needed her words most of all. Or at least it seemed that way, since Kyouya always seemed to have that "droopy frown over his face", according to the blonde senior.
The twins on the other hand, hadn't fully recovered. At least on Hikaru's end. Karou just had sat by his brother's side all weekend, locked up in their room. He figured he just saved them all from the destruction of the free world, the way Hikaru had been ranting these past few days. But now, he seemed to have calmed down, a bit. Now he was only mumbling under his breath how he would crush every bone in that "perverted demon lord." Karou, sitting at a table for once, opposite his brother, just sighed, his chin on his hand. Hopefully Kyouya would have more tact.
And Tamaki was just scared for their safety. According to him Kyouya's cell no longer worked, or at least it wasn't the right number. It seemed every time he called a now thoroughly incensed elderly woman who only went by the name of KeiKei would threaten to track him down and pull every hair out of his pretty-boy head. Most would take that as a Tamaki just getting a wrong number or Kyouya maybe even changing his cell, but of course the King wouldn't hear it. They must surely have been taken prisoner in a senior citizen home, so it was their duty to vanquish said elderly foes and the torment they caused!
No one really had the heart to tell the guy Kyouya probably just switched his number for that exact reason.
But still, the twins hadn't caught any sign of Haruhi all day. Which only unnerved Hikaru more, along with Karou. And Tamaki hadn't seen Kyouya at all during class, or lunch. And considering Kyouya's perfect attendance record, with Haruhi's, it just didn't add up.
So here they stood now, a few minutes after school had just let out. There was only one full week of hosting left before the senior's graduation next Friday, so the Host Club was to make the most of this, according to the blonde leader. But the absence of his two precious family members, it couldn't go on!
Which is why Tamaki was running around the room, in a very similar manner to Friday's rant.
"MY DAUGHTER…HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED!" Karou sunk his face lower into the desk, shaking his head. "Tono, I'm sure they're alright." Huni piped up from his own table across the room. "Yes Tama-chan. Kyo-chan is responsible, I'm sure he is taking excellent care of Haru-chan." Mori stood by, nodding. "Ah."
Huni's attempt at comfort froze the teen in his tracks, right in the middle of the room. He turned around, face contorted in fright. "T-Taking care of H-Haruhi…" Even Hikaru broke his silence. "Oh boy…here we go…" Karou nodded, face still on the table.
Tamaki Inner Mind Theatre:
"M-Mother…Haruhi wants to go home." There blinked the brown doe eyes of his daughter, handcuffed to the wall of a dark room. In front of her a looming shadow presence came forward. The glint of his glasses were the only light in the room, his mouth curled into a leer. "Oh no Daughter, Mother has to take care of you. Much more than Father could possibly do."
Haruhi cowered, kneeling on the floor in the corner, watching as the shadowed figure came closer. "B-But why must Mother handcuff poor Haruhi?" Her lower lip quivered, as Kyouya stepped forward. "I must take care of you, so that means you have to be near me, at ALL times." "B-But all the time?! That's indecent! Y-You're making Haruhi embarrassed…" The chains jingled as she tilted her head, trying to hide the faint red blush.
Kyouya kneeled down, a lone finger tipping her chin up to him. "I am you mother after all. And as your mother…I think you need a bath yes?" Kyouya's voice was deep now, almost husky. Haruhi squeaked, her figure trembling. "M-Mother…?" Kyouya stretched out his arms, encompassing her tiny frame, dressed in rags now. "I think I should help you bathe…Or at least watch you." "W-What? Don-t do that to p-poor Haruhi!" She thrashed under his grip, biting her lower lip.
"Shush, it will please me.""M-Mother…D-Don't. Not there…"
Shadows engulfed the room convientely at this moment.
Karou, eyes still on the table below, merely held up a hand, fingers counting down as Hikaru counted off, bored.
"Five, four, there, two one…"
"THAT FIEND!!!" He rushed forward towards the door all the ready to track down the villainous excuse for a maternal guardian. "I will MAKE SURE that no one gives him any Mother's Day cards!" Huni eagerly gulped down the cake Mori had brought him, the tallest Host just choosing to ignore this all as well. The twins, feeling slightly lighter of heart at Tamaki's misery both stood up and left the table, arms around each other's shoulders, eyebrows raised. "No cards?" "That's the best you can come up with…?" They looked at each other, then back to his rushing figure. "Umm...Tono?"
At that precise moment the door swung open, Tamaki once again finding himself flattened against him. The crack was heard by all, and they looked on, hiding laughter as the blonde spun around the room before finding himself at the feet of their two missing comrades.
"K-Kyouya! Haruhi! You're back and no evil grandma's forced you…to eat…commoner…cabbage…" He slipped into incoherent mumblings, seeming to have hit the door harder than before. Haruhi stepped in, shutting the door and taking care to avoid stepping on Tamaki. Kyouya just strode forward, accidently it seemed kicking the king in the stomach before proceeding. As Tamaki "oophed" out in pain, Kyouya slid his glasses lower, glare hiding the faintest trace of a smile in his eyes. Not like he planned slamming Tamaki with a door and stepping on him. Of course he wouldn't plan that.
Haruhi's entrance brightened the room considerably, the twins all but running to her small frame. "Haruhi!" They both called out, encasing arms within theirs and leading her away from the Demon Lord. "We missed you soooooooo much. What did the scary man do?" Hikaru flashed Kyouya a glare before lowering his head to whisper in her ear. "Did he do anything we have to kill him for?" Karou took her other ear. "Do you still have your…honor?"
Since the twins were whispering and couldn't be heard, the rest of the club was puzzled when out of nowhere the twins were whipped away, Haruhi using her arms to throw them down on the floor, face red it seemed.
"Shut up with your stupid perverted minds you twins!! Like I would even want to dignify that…not even a QUESTION with an ANSWER. Do you know how often I'm sick of you guys and your actions, but when you start talking about…something like THAT…no shame! And I expected more from you Karou…"
Tamaki twitched; only reacting to Haruhi's raised voice from his vantage point on the floor. Huni and Mori chose to remain oblivious, so it seemed only Kyouya found joy in this. Finding an empty table on his way to the trio he placed his bag and laptop, pushing his glasses up before taking the still ranting girl from the shoulder, pushing her back from the cowering twins.
"Ah Haruhi. As much as you feel the need to…shout incoherently, I'm afraid we're already behind schedule as it is." Of course the Shadow King would twist things so she was at fault. Perhaps another bad habit developed from always increasing her debt. "Sempai, I don't see how I'm the one-"
"It's fine." Karou got up, pulling his brother up. "We're just glad to see you're here. Sorry Haruhi." Hikaru looked away, muttered a "Sorry" as well before following his brother off to Tamaki. "Ah. Oh. Okay then." This had taken her by surprise, wondering why Karou seemed to back off so easily. Normally the twins took pleasure whenever she was scolded by Kyouya, never cutting it short. What had changed?
Almost instantly Kyouya dropped his hand, making way towards his own table, laptop set up already. They were a few days behind in host club affairs, and he planned to have them fully caught up by the end of today. Filling his mind by work, that was something he just had to do again. Get back in the gist of numbers and business with a clear head. It was what he had been wishing these past few nightmares of weeks.
Haruhi her shoulder feeling colder with the absence of a hand sighed, walking forward following the twins. Tamaki was still on the ground, so she kneeled down, hand going out to poke his back. "Umm...Sempai?" A 'pokepoke' noise settled into the room, offset only by the clacking of Kyouya's keyboard. "Sempai, I'm okay. We both are. And…" She sighed; knowing to revive him was going to take a lot of willpower. So the next phrase she muttered through clenched teeth.
"And I really want to hear what you have to say." It seemed those words were enough to coat her throat with a heavy feeling of discontent.
A light seemed too had flickered on, for at once the host club king bounded up on his feet, Haruhi now finding herself glomped. A vein of hers twitched, trying to shrug herself off from the over-excited teen. "T-Tamaki-sempai, I c-can't breathe."
"Oh my precious DAUGHTER! You came back! And haven't been corrupted by the evil poison gas scary Mother unleashes!" Kyouya stopped momentarily, shooting the blonde a look before typing again. Not paying any attention in the slightest of how close Tamaki was pressing the commoner girl to him. Completely oblivious to how she was struggling to escape. Until Tamaki's grip went to her arm as he spun her around the room, sputtering out more nonsense. Then he couldn't help but pay attention, which was what he told his denying self. When she squeaked out, Tamaki's grip on her arm probably too tight he cleared his throat, stare sent directly the blonde's way.
"Tamaki, your idea?" Everyone was opposite Kyouya, so luckily his hands clenched tightly on the keyboard were unnoticed. He kept his voice calm, but some want to pull the girl away as Tamaki was, not hurting her no. It wasn't on purpose, he knew that. But still, seeing her squeak out for anything other than innocent surprise, he found it was increasingly harder to tolerate. He died down the absurd notion it was because of her arm in pain that he was acting so forward. Of course the fact it was her arm had nothing to do with this. Or perhaps those memories were going to prove more bothersome than he thought, in regards to the girl.
Whatever the reason Tamaki died down, not wanting to provoke his wrath only minutes after arriving. Instead, he chose to act responsible for once, the air of uneasiment he felt around his best friend one Friday still present, slightly. He stepped back, arm dramatically turned to the sky before launched down, pointing to the cousins. "Mori-sempai, Huni-sempai, your day of exit is upon us!"
Recovered from her dizzy spell Haruhi walked backed towards the sitting Kyouya, arms crossed and brow raised. "He doesn't have to make it seem like they're dying or something." Kyouya, his fingers stopping momentarily from their typing lifted his head, eyes focused on the prancing blonde. "Well, that's Tamaki for you. Can you really see him tackling this matter of them leaving any other way? I'm just burdened by the effect their loss will have on profit." Down his head went, engrossing himself in the numbers. "Mori-sempai might not attract the most, but Huni-sempai, he holds his own on a reasonable margin. We might have to search for a new Lolita type, or possibly a new host category altogether. Something to keep our income up."
Tamaki's ramblings went unnoticed by Haruhi as well now, her attention focused on the boy next to her. "Kyouya-sempai…why are you doing that again?" He gave her a sideways glance behind his glasses, before returning to the screen once more. "Doing what Haruhi?" "That, acting…like nothing changed." He stopped, a hand rising to tilt his glasses back up. A nervous tick she figured he developed somewhere down the line of his childhood.
Tamaki, totally ignorant of the fact the Kyouya and Haruhi weren't paying attention anymore barreled on. "So you see, to commemorate your time here, I deem a new theme! One we as the Host Club have never done so before!" He walked around, swaying with that confident swagger often present when he was so sure of an idea. Even when that idea seemed the worst proposition ever. So the twins and cousins listened by, wary of their leader's words. "Um. Tama-chan, what theme is that?" "Haha! You want me to say it that easily? With no fight? I need to introduce it first!" Worried glances were cast all around. Tamaki needing to prepare them for it, that would not end well.
Kyouya and Haruhi also spoke in hushed tones, not aware of the change of tone in the room. "Well, I suppose I act this way because nothing indeed has changed." "Kyo-" "And I mean that in regards to my attitude here." He lowered his head, eyes visible only for her through the lenses. It took her all to not lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. Such an action though, would not be looked upon with happy hearts for the rest of the host club. If the finding them both outside that mall Saturday proved anything. And she still was at a loss of why they acted that way.
"You see, for one year now our customers have gotten used to us, our individual personalities and types. And with some training taught by moi, you all have become fairly developed hosts." It seemed to have started normal enough. Perhaps Tamaki had some sense in him left.
Haruhi instead gave him a smile, trying to outweigh the, turbulence really still in Kyouya's eyes. So his remembering whatever he did, it wasn't enough. And Kyouya realized that. But of course he felt he had to act like the standard emotionless rock, act like the money-obsessed Shadow King. They hadn't been able to achieve that deep a conversation when they left Sendai in the morning, and getting her after lunch, they didn't even share spend the time talking. Kyouya just rushed off, to the library or some other room. Haruhi went back to class, classes luckily without the twins. But now, perhaps his hesitance to speak, was it out of fear everything would start over again? As if to commend her thoughts, the corner of her brow, now nothing more than the faintest trace of pink tingled. They hadn't spoken any more about the punch or moments leading to it, Haruhi left just as confused as ever about the boy's past.
"So as a final test, your final exam my beloved seniors, and all of my other fellow hosts, is this. I propose a theme , a theme never before attempted. It will twist the very scenes of our host club standards. We will perform the impossible, with one goal in mind!" Tamaki was in the middle of the room, hands on his hips. It was as if one could see the lightning bolts labeled "confident" and "sure of himself" striking behind. Well, the hosts paying attention did, and couldn't help but let loose a blank stare, everyone including Mori letting loose a sweat drop. He never took things in small amounts did he Tamaki?
"Haruhi…I understand everything that happened this past weekend, and come to the realization it will not be easy for me to function exactly as I wish. But for her, I need to put all matters aside. They expect to see the untroubled Kyouya Ohtori, so be it." "That's dangerous. Look where your thinking got you last time!" She hissed this out, not noticing how forward she was until Kyouya turned in his seat, his gaze focused on her. His eyes were still visible, and while she covered her mouth, mumbling sorry, she was surprised to find Kyouya shake his head, slightly. His hand went up towards her, which was where her own breath hitched behind her mouth. Then, as if remembering where he was he stopped, hand dropping back to his side only centimeters from Haruhi's face. He regained his composure, smirk plastered on again. "Who said I would bottle it up all inside this time? My word was true Haruhi, in that I would find a way. To disclose everything, as you seem to want me to do so much." "You don't mean that all the way do you?" "Precisely."
"So my friends, I propose, MY THEME!" With a snap of his fingers a motor began whirring underground, and seconds later Renge spun from her lair under the Third Music Room, a fairly large box in tow."
"OHHOHOHOOHHOHHO!"
Her laugh alone unnerved them all, everyone minus Kyouya and Haruhi gathered around Huni's table. "T-Tono, what is going on?" The twins eyed that box warily, as Renge hopped down presenting it with a flourish to the seniors. "Upon command of the Host Club, I, Renge as Host Club Manager, present the ultimate theme of this last week of hosting, with the original Host Types!" Tamaki pranced next to her, scooping up the box and slamming it down on the small tea table, narrowly avoiding the cakes. Huni squealed out, pushing the plates to his lap.
Haruhi sighed, seeing she still would have to find a way to get to Kyouya alone. He obviously was as evasive as ever in public. So, stepping away she only just now took notice of the ruckus being caused. Kyouya spoke her thoughts from behind. "Tamaki, what are you plotting?"
He spun, knocking the table and proceeding to almost drop a fairly large slice of cake upon a plate. Huni rescued this as well, before turning to Tamaki with the look of a beast. No one messed with cakes. Unfortunately Tamaki had his back to the smallest host, making his way arms wide to Haruhi as Renge spiraled back into the ground.
Haruhi stepped to the side away from Tamaki, still not used to the random moments of Renge. Did no one else in the school hear this motor? It was a question for the times, most definably. "Daughter!" He ran up to hug her once more before Haruhi deftly turned to eh left, and proceeded making her way to the suspicious box on the table. Without waiting for permission she opened it, turning the flaps to the side.
At its contents revealed everyone turned in, even Mori craning his neck to see. And it was the tallest senior who uttered the obvious thought on everyone's minds.
"Wigs."
Tamaki, recovered from his corner of woe as Haruhi rejected him skipped back, reaching in and grabbing a brown haired piece that was familiar to all. Kyouya looked up, brow furrowed upon the sight. Even he wasn't sure what the idiot had pulled together, due to his, status this past weekend. And by the looks of it Kyouya was almost thankful.
Haruhi snatched the wig from Tamaki's hands, inspecting it. "This isn't real hair right Sempai?" The twins gave her a blank look. She didn't notice how similar the very thing in her hands was to her own head. Ignoring her question Tamaki dove back into the box, this time with two ginger-haired and styled pieces. Kyouya took note, and instantly he felt his stomach tighten anxiously.
The twins in turn grabbed these newest wigs from the leader, Hikaru placing Karou's wig over his own hair and vice versa. After a quick few adjustments the hopped to the center of the room, arms around each other's waists and shoulders.
"Haha! Look, I'm Hikaru…" "…And I'm Karou!" They stopped. "Or am I Karou or you Hikaru? "I don't know." "Hey! Don't mess with my wigs!" Tamaki ran to the pair, who just laughed out as they resumed chase around the room. Huni scrambled into the box, looking for more. "Hey! Here is ours Taka-chan." Mori picked up his own hair style, before placing it over Huni, with the faintest hint of a smile. "Haha! Look. I'm Takashi!" Huni sat up, the black hair contrasting vibrantly with his vibrant mass of yellow curls.
"GIVE ME BACK THE WIGS!!!" "No." Came the answer in unison, twins laughing out as they rushed though the many tables and chairs adorning the room. Haruhi, now bored, just threw the wig of her own hair in the box, peering in to spy a smaller container. Curious, she picked it up, flipping the top open to have 6 pairs of eyes back at her. It was unnerving to say the least.
Tamaki, taking note of his second surprise being spoiled stopped chase, rushing up to grab the case from Haruhi. "Sempai, why are there only 6 wigs and contacts?" The twins, now interested loomed back, wigs still worn, but slightly messy for wear.
Tamaki sighed, patting Haruhi on her head. "My daughter, do you really think I would expect anyone to be able to act as me?" Her head snapped up, as well as Kyouya's from across the room. Inwardly both groaned, their fears realized. "Tamaki, what are you getting at?" Kyouya stood up, making way to the cause of commotion, standing beside Haruhi. With crossed arms he frowned at his friend.
Tamaki waved away Kyouya's look of apprehension, displaying the case for all to see. "Contacts these are dear Haruhi. You all are going to dress up as another host for the rest of hosting week! You'll get your assignments now, practice the next few days, and on Friday, the last day of hosting EVER…" Tamaki wiped away a tear. "We shall give our dear customers the best performance the history of this club will ever have."
Haruhi leaned in to Kyouya, whispering. "I thought he just said the host club will end this year, what's he going on with this 'will' tense?" Kyouya just shrugged in response.
The twins took off their wigs throwing them back in the box. Huni was scooped up by Mori just as they fell in, placed carefully back in his seat of cakes. "Thanks Takashi." "Ah."
Tamaki pointed to the two cousins, contacts out at the ready. "Now close your eyes Huni-sempai and pick up a pair of eyes." Seemingly oblivious to the discomfort his statement caused Huni shrugged, small hand already reaching out towards the make-shift eyes. His fist opened, and in his hands was a pair of black eyes. "Ah. I got…" His eyes bunched together confused. Mori handed Huni his own shot-haired black wig. "Me." "Yay! I'm Takashi!" The twins snickered to themselves. "What is he going to have to do now, wear stilts?!" Tamaki thrust the case to Hikaru. "Yes Hikaru! Exactly! We need to act as much as your chosen host as possible. Huni-sempai will wear stilts." Kyouya could already sense how much this is going to cut into expenses.
Hikaru stopped mid-laugh, eyes shut and hand reaching for a pair of eyes. Before he could snatch up his eyes Karou thrust his own hand out, a pair of chocolate eyes in his own. "Haha! Brother! I got our own Haru-chan." He reached in for a wig, adjusting it over his own hair before throwing himself on his twin. It fit quite well, and with the contacts in Karou could pass off as the youngest host, if one just had to accept the sudden change in height and real male voice.
"Oh Hikaru, I love you so much." Karou-Haruhi draped himself over Hikaru's arm, who was sputtering red as much as Haruhi. Both yelled out to Karou. "STOP IT!" Kyouya's eyes flickered dangerously to Karou, then Tamaki. This was one of his most stupid ideas yet. One could already discern that. Mori took advantage of this and just reached out for the pair of lighter, honey-colored eyes. "Mitsukuni." He took the blonde wig and stepped back from Huni. All stopped, eyes on the tallest male who was to play the shortest one. This was definitely out there for one of Tamaki's strangest ideas.
3 pairs of eyes were left, and Kyouya took a pair. Yellow cat eyes stared back at him, and his world crumbled.
A twin. Kyouya Ohtori was to play a Hitachiin twin.
"BUAHAHA!" Hikaru and Karou-Haruhi found themselves on the floor, gasping for air. "He's going to have to play brotherly love-PFFBAUAHAHA." A Hikaru wig Tamaki handed to him, and Kyouya crushed it in his grip. Purple began to emit from the Shadow King, eyes at Tamaki. The host club king too no notice, finding this too hysterical to pass up. "Haha! Mother will have to play the devious, evil Hikaru!"
The purple only began to glow brighter, with Huni and Mori smartly making their exit. "Bye everyone! This is going to be fun!" Was said by Huni-Mori before they zoomed out of the room.
So Haruhi and Kyouya stared at the contact case. In it was to be the matching pair of yellow eyes, and the rock grey orbs of Kyouya's. Hikaru rushed in before anyone, hand frantically trying to take hold of a pair. This wasn't he chance he had been waiting for, payback of the fullest kind. And out came Hikaru's hand, Haruhi calmly reaching in and also having hers in place. Kyouya twisted his head back to the pair. If the existence of a God was guaranteed Kyouya would have been on his knees praying his heart out.
Slowly Hikaru peeled away fingers, trying to draw this out. Haruhi, being full of no nonsense as she was simply held out on an open palm her eyes.
Tamaki was still making fun when he caught sight of her chosen host role, choking in mid-snort.
Karou's eyes widened, while Hikaru just opened his own, not fully believing what just happened.
Haruhi had in her hands the matching pair of yellow.
Time stood still while she just shrugged her shoulders, reaching for the Karou wig. "At least I got someone somewhat easy."
Hikaru stood there, the grey eyes of the Demon Lord crushed in his grasp as Karou handed him Kyouya's wig, dragging his brother out as well. It was getting late, and someone had to defend the free world again tonight. For tomorrow, surely there would be hell to pay. This game just got a lot less fun. And if he knew Hikaru it was that him as Kyouya, he would be getting the greatest form of payback he could on the host.
The door shut as a still mumbling Hikaru made his dragged exit. So only three were in the room. One being silently praising the rule of probability, one just bemused, the other now yelling out.
"NO! NO! I WON'T ALLOW THIS!! INCEST! IT WILL BE INCEST!!!"
Kyouya was to pull off a Hitachiin act with Haruhi. He titled his head back, glasses shining in the afternoon sun. He stamped a look of cool indifference on his face, as opposite from the hysterical blonde as possible. But while one King rejected this unlikely union of roles, the other embraced it head-on. Let the "brotherly love" begin.
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Haha. Nothing much to say. Excited yes? I am XD
And thank you!! This story has just received its 1000th hit!! So many!! XDDD but I am displeased. 100 hits, and only 7 voters? Meanies…I want votes! It will mean everything ,exactly how I'm going to forward this story the result. SO VOTE DARRNIT! And sorry about the shorter than average chapter ;;
~ja ne