A/N: I hate myself for copping out on y'all. OCH chapter eight is only half-finished with eight whole pages, so I'm mini-chaptering it AGAIN. The next bit'll be up by Monday at the latest (hopefully. I have exams this week, and then first semester is OVER). Hope this tides you over, and I PROMISE to start answering the unanswered questions. Love you! *kisses*

-=+=-

Austin clears his throat. "Okay, Janae, here's the deal."

My heart is in my throat. What is it? What is it?

"I used to be interested in you."

That sound you hear is my heart crashing into my guts like an airplane into the Pacific.

He plows on. "But the twins warned all of us hosts off you. Told us never to mix business and pleasure, or some bullcrap."

I'm going to kill them. "No, it's no big deal to ME if-"

Austin doesn't stop. "And I was kind of disappointed, but after spending all this time with you in Host Club, I have to agree they had the right idea."

THAT makes the warning signs pop up. "Um, what?"

He shrugs. "From what I've seen of you, I don't think you're my type, Nae. You're funny and all, but you're a real bitch, you know what I mean?"

Take two of heart to guts. "What?"

-=+=-

Kaoru shifted his weight on the couch, leaning past his brother to watch the door. "Janae's out there."

"Hmm." Hikaru shrugged.

"With Austin."

He stiffened. "Hnn."

"Maybe we'd better go take a look and see if they're okay."

Hikaru stood. "You mean, make sure Austin's okay."

"Yeah."

"Just a quick peek."

-=+=-

"What?"

"Anyways, I think it'd be best if you and I just-"

"What?!"

He frowns a little. "I'm saying I think we'd better-"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?"

His eyes widen. "Hey, calm down, Nae. I didn't mean-"

"You're dead, Grif. You are DEAD." Hmm, everything's gone red.

"I'm effing SICK of being called a bitch. NOBODY is gonna call me a bitch anymore, you got it? NO-effing-BODY." Yeah, definitely red; everything's a little wobbly too.

"Especially not YOU, you whiny, uncouth, MAGGOTY, SELF-LOVING FEMME."

Austin looks a little scared. "Janae, you're freaking me out. Calm down, yeah?"

I stare him in the eye. "Listen, and listen good, Grif. Within the next twelve hours, I WILL get my revenge. Don't bother trying to protect yourself. Wherever you are, I will get you. And you'll know it was me when it happens."

He crosses his arms. "Oh, is that a fact, Janae?"

"Yes." I make my voice as steely as I can. "That's a fact."

He drops the tough-guy act. "Shit. You're serious."

I grab my cell phone from my pocket. "Let the record show it is now 4:38 pm. Twelve hours, Austin."

He turns and begins to run down the hall. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"You'll be sorry, Grif!" I shout to his back as he runs. "I promise you, you'll be sorry!"

Okay, yeah, maybe I am a bitch. But NOBODY says that to my face. I mean it. Austin and Bridget are going to suffer for this.

"I am SICK of dealing with this crap," I inform the empty hall. "It's about time I used my anger constructively."

A tap on my shoulder alerts me that I'm not as alone as I thought. "Naa, Janae-t-"

"DON'T say it," I cut in, brushing off whichever twin is touching me. "I'm through pretending to be nice. Griffiths is going to suffer. And I need the help of the Hitachiin twins to make it happen."

Hikaru and Kaoru slink into my vision. "Just tell us what we need to do, Oujou."

I have a plan. "I have a plan," I announce.

They lean in expectantly.

"What I need for you two to do is pay off Austin's roommate. Enough to get you two into the room, and enough to keep him quiet about things." I pull out my wallet and thumb through the contents. "Call me once you're in. Don't bribe him over fifty bucks." I chuck a few twenties at them. "I'll go in and dismiss Host Club, then I'm off to the laundry room."

The Hitachiins goggle at me like President Taft in a candy shop. "What are you going to do to him, Janae?"

I smile. "Nothing. It's what HE's going to do to himself."

As the boys run down the hall, I walk back into the Music Room. "Hey, everyone, LISTEN UP."

The room falls silent.

"In light of a personal problem with one of our soon-to-be FORMER hosts, Host Club is shutting down for the day, as of oh-NOW hundred hours."

Against groans from Del and Scott (who as the only two boys left in the room are SURROUNDED by girls), I continue. "I apologize for the inconvenience, and to make it up to you, drinks are on the house tomorrow at Cool Beans. I sure hope you all show up. Now, please, GET OUT."

The girls get up and reluctantly leave the room. Scott also gets up and comes up to me, frowning. "Hey, Janae, what's the big deal? Just because you have some problem with Austin, why you gotta cockblock me and Del?"

God, his voice is annoying. I grab him by the tie and drag him over to where my backpack sits. "Listen up, prawn-boy. I need you to hack the campus intranet and get me into the security camera mainframe."

He doesn't look happy. "How do you know about the security cameras? That's supposed to be privileged info."

I smirk. "Perhaps you've heard of a little thing called eavesdropping? I used to clean in the tech services room. I know a lot of things, Scotty." I pull out my laptop. "Austin is getting only what he deserves. Do you want to be part of the problem, or part of the solution?"

Grumbling, he takes the laptop, flips it open, and begins to type. In the meantime, I point at Del. "You are also required in my master plan. Will you help out?"

Under lidded eyes, he nods slowly. Which surprises me. "Sure; Austin's a jerk anyway."

I wasn't expecting him to actually help, but I'm glad he is. "Great." I reach back into my bag, pull out my camera and toss it to him. "I'm pretty sure you know how to use one of these, film-monkey. Get ready to go to the gym."

Scott laughs in a self-satisfied way. "Okay, I've got security camera footage. What are we looking for?"

"Workout room C12 in the gym."

A few clicks, and he hands the laptop to me. "Just two kids making out. You a perv or something?"

It only takes a glance at the video to make me smile. "Right on schedule. Del, get down to that room, get me a couple of shots of them, but DON'T LET THEM SEE YOU. Call me when you get back."

Tapping a few more keys, I pull up the campus laundry room. "Okay, just gotta check and make sure…yep, he's there. I gotta get moving."

Snapping my laptop shut, I shove it back into my bag and hurry out the door.

Scott and Del give each other a "guy" look. "So, what do you think she's up to?"

Scott shrugs and sighs. "All I know is, I never want to be on Janae's bad side."

-=+=-

Janae glanced behind her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being followed, then turned the corner and began to run…smack into someone's chest.

-impact-

From her new place on the floor, Janae strung together a few curse words. "Watch where you're going, you-"

Jake extended a hand. "Hey, chill out Janae. Sorry I ran into you."

"Jake! Where the hell have you been? Oh, wait, I'm sorry!" She grabbed his hand and hefted up. "Really, I'm the one who needs to apologize. I know I've been a jerk, because I'm a jerk for real; but I'm sorry for taking it out on you. Okay?"

Jake's mouth hung open. "Is this real life? I mean, is this actually happening? What did you do with the real Janae?"

Janae crossed her arms. "Look, take it and be grateful. It's the last time I'll ever apologize to you for ANYTHING, I swear."

Leaning back with a smug smile, Jake laughed to himself. "No, no, just let me have this moment…let it soak in."

"Okay, okay, okay. I don't have time to sit here. I'm busy ruining Austin's college life."

"Oh?" Jake gave her a quizzical look. "Good luck then. I think I'd better run away now. You're a danger to others, Janae."

Janae punched his arm. "Yeah, I know. Shut it."

As they continued their separate ways, Jake suddenly shouted, "Hey, Janae, I forgot to ask you something!"Janae turned. "I'm REALLY busy, Jake."

"A family friend is coming here to stay the week with me. Is it cool with you if he hangs out with the Host Club?"

Janae shrugged. "Sure, if you think he won't be freaked out by the idea of a Host Club."

Jake laughed. "Actually, I'm pretty sure it'll be right up his alley. See you, Janae."

"See you." A pause, then Janae called again. "Uh, Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"You look…well, you're less…um, you look…acceptable."

Jake looked down at his clothes. "Oh. Thanks Janae! I went ahead and took your advice about the skinny jeans."

"Good for you. I'm glad someone around here listens to what I say."

Jake waved at her, then turned and continued to walk down the hall. Janae stared after him, but was interrupted by her cell phone buzzing.

She reached into her pocket and flipped it open. "Janae. Go."

The Japanese voices were in perfect sync. "We're in Austin's room. He's doing his laundry."

"I know, I'm on my way. Stay there, I'll be there in five minutes. I have something to do first."

"Hai, Oujou!"

-=+=-

Austin wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve, and fed a few quarters into the washing machine. It clunked to life, and began to churn and slosh like Pres. Taft's belly after Thanksgiving dinner.

He knew he needed to calm down and get a grip. Janae was possibly crazy, yes, but what could she really do to him? He didn't need to be afraid of her threats.

And yet…

He shook his head in a futile attempt to clear his thoughts. "Come on," he whispered to himself, "it's only been fifteen minutes. If she does anything, it won't be for-"

The laundry room door swung violently open, and in stomped Janae.

Everyone in the room looked up. Austin's eyes almost popped out of his head.

She lifted a finger. "Griffiths, you're DEAD."

Panic seized his body, and he jumped to the closest window, threw it open, and dove out, flopping with relief on the grass underneath him (thank goodness for the ground-floor laundry room, eh?) before scrambling to his feet and running away as fast as he could.

Within the laundry room, Janae dropped her hand and smiled to the remaining college students. "Which washer is his stuff in?"

One guy piped up. "14B"

"Thank you!" Janae, very calmly, walked over to the offending machine. Very calmly, she pressed the CANCEL button, popped the door open, and pulled out his wet clothes. Very calmly, she walked over to a vacant dryer, pushed the clothes in, chucked in some quarters, and shut the door.

With a sudden burst of energy, she violently cranked the heat dial all the way up, until it snapped. The machine shuddered, bounced, then began to run.

All eyes were on Janae as she pocketed the broken dial, smiled smugly at the laundry spinning in the machine, then walked out slowly. The laundry door swung slowly shut behind her, closing with a soft click.

And only then did conversations resume. Austin's laundry would continue to go round and round for a long, long time.

-=+=-

So, I was walking out of the laundry room when Del finally called me. "I got the pictures."

"Good. Meet me down by the new resident hall in fifteen minutes. I'll be right there."

Walking as quickly as I can, I make my way to Nielman Hall (Austin's resident hall) and ride the elevator up to his floor.

The Hitachiins are waiting for me at his dorm room door.

"Hey boys. Move aside." I push past them into the room. "It's party time."

Austin's roommate is sitting at what I assume is his desk, fiddling with a box of caffeine pills. He gives me a funny look. "It's not open dorm hours. I'm letting these weird guys run around in here, but I dunno if I should-"

I pull out my wallet and throw a tenner at him. "You don't speak unless spoken to. Kapice?"

He shuts up.

"Now, Austin's in the sophomore level Rhetoric and Speech class, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"What folder does he use for his stuff for that class?"

"Black one. Top desk drawer."

I move over to the desk. "Aren't they doing their mock-speeches tomorrow?"

His voice is utterly confused. "How do you know about that?"

"Are you answering my question with a question?" I ask him in my quiet-dangerous voice. I pull open the drawer.

"I mean, uh, yeah. Speeches about the greatest President and why. Or something."

The black folder is under a couple of stray pieces of paper. Jackpot. "Perfect. Thanks for your help," I chirp at him with a sunny smile. "If you tell Austin about any of this I'll cut off your face and make a jigsaw puzzle with it, okay?"

I point at the two Hitachiins. "One of you run down to the computer lab. Pick up the essay I'm about to print off on the wireless printer. Bring it back here." I open the black folder and tear out his speech on Grover Cleveland. "Put it in the folder. Replace it in the drawer. Meet me at the dinner hall in about thirty minutes."

Tossing the empty folder at one of the twins (I think Hikaru, but I can't be sure) I exit the room to find a quiet place to begin writing on my laptop, before I rendezvous with Del.

As the door swings shut, Austin's roommate gives the twins a bland look. "So what crawled up her ass and died?"

Hikaru laughs uneasily. "She's a very volatile creature."

"Very opinionated," adds Kaoru. "Stay out of her way."

-=+=-

A/N: As promised, I WILL be updating this story again shortly. Please hang on, things are about to get even stranger!