Disclaimer is in last chapter.

Hako's 'Deep' Thoughts

On the weekend, Ami explained to me why she was at the kendo club. The host club closed early without explanation. She had later found it was because Haninozuka and Takashi were late. Ami was heading to join me at the kendo club when she realized that the host club was following her. When she questioned them, they explained why they closed and how they were checking the kendo club first for their fellow classmates. She told them I was there. Suoh got excited and rambled on before Fujioka said something to make him sulk. She arrived there and couldn't see anything. The host club disappeared into the crowd that blocked her view. Ami yelled my name to find out where I was. The person in front of her moved just then, and Ami saw my shocked face, fall down, and defeat.

The next Monday, Ami and I agreed to check out the karate club. Look at the ones I'm interested in first, I suppose, then hers. During lunch, we didn't see the host club. They occasionally came into our classroom where we eat to avoid temptation of junk food. Ami was the only one who really talked to them while I just sat in my seat contemplating about whatever. They've invited me to the conversation before. I did my best to clearly show I didn't want any part of it. They also wanted me to see what the host club did. Ami sort of explained to me. They 'entertained' girls (not in a sexual way) by giving them romantic lines and situations. Well, that's what Suoh did. Outori apparently did finances but occasionally hosted. The Hitachiin's had an incest gay love thing happening. I try to stay away from them. Ami couldn't exactly explain what Fujioka did. They called him the 'natural' type, whatever that meant. Haninozuka acted as a boy lolita. Ami swore he ate eight cakes while she was there. Speaking of cakes, I had told Ootori that she wasn't allowed any cakes while at the host club. Considering his authority, I doubt she devoured any. Takashi doesn't talk much apparently. I thought that fit his persona a lot, unlike the boy lolita. Haninozuka seems much more serious than that. More mature.

Takashi. He was unlike any kendoka I've ever met. That's saying a lot because my family owns many dojos across the country (and world) that I visit to teach to teach the kids and adults there. I've participated in competitions too I think I might call him Mori. The problem? Mori is a personal nickname. Personal! Reserved for closer friends. Should I consider myself close to him? I asked Ami about this. She just teased me. Something with having to think this much about such a simple matter.

School Day

After studying in the first library room (Ami conversed and explained that I was not much of a talker like Takashi), we both headed to the karate club.

"It should be around this corner."

"There are a lot of doors around this corner, Hako."

"It's the one that has grunts coming from it. Double doors."

"That narrows it down to three."

"Did you even check for the grunting?"

"Hold on."

She hurried to press her right ear against each door. At the middle one, Ami stopped.

"It's this one."

I knocked on the door politely before entering. A slightly shorter brown-haired boy appeared immediately in front of me.

"What do you want?"

"My sister would like to try out the karate club. I'm joining her by watching from the second floor."

Ami looked at me incredulously.

"What are your names?"

"My name is Natse Hakonu. This is Natse Amiya."

"Get something appropriate on."

He left. The rest of the club was punching into the air with force in front of them. Punches were accompanied by loud grunts. I pulled Ami to the changing rooms.

"Are you not doing anything or something? Why'd you say only I was checking it out?"

I sighed.

"Just not in the mood to kick and punch."

She started at me weirdly. I handed her white karate clothes.

While I climbed upstairs, Ami joined the others. The boy complained a little bit about how her arrival screwed things up and all that. He pointed to the end of the front line.

"It's the place where you'll be of least hindrance and easiest to observe you."

I scowled. I hope he realized I could hear him. After a couple of exercises, he criticized Ami even more. Then he said something that REALLY pissed me off.

"Girls will always be inferior to boys, especially in the martial arts."

"Please! Hako wiped the floor with Mori."

"I heard about that. She lost."

"Mori said that she won."

"Even if she did, I doubt that. Your Hako isn't even down here to practice with us."

"She doesn't-"

"Girls are inferior. Especially you, with all your worthlessness."

I jumped down from the top floor in anger.

"You try saying that one more time to Ami."

The entire club silenced and stopped exercising. This confrontation appeared more interesting. He smirked. It occurred to me that I didn't know his name.

"She's worth-"

I swept his feet out from under him. Before he held his hands out so he could push himself off the floor and rebound, I grabbed his left hand and threw him over my shoulder.

"Try saying that again to my twin sister," I said furious.

"Chika-chan!"

Oh crap (excuse that). Was this boy a good friend of Haninozuka? This wasn't good. I was just becoming friends with Takashi and him! Perhaps if I explained to him. Say that this boy-

"Hako-hime! Why did you do this?"

I locked eyes with Ami. She understood the situation I was in. I often went overboard when things involved herself. Explaining what I had done afterward to other people wasn't easy and fun. But Ami thought I did the right thing. She was definitely as mad as I had been. She just didn't have the strength to fight back. In a second, her eyes widened as a pair of almost identical voices rang.

"Hako-senpai!"

I felt something hit my stomach. I flew across the room, hitting the hard wall. I covered my head in the middle of the flight and tried to stop it from getting any fatal damage. My back came in contact with the rock wall.

"Hako!" Ami screamed.

I heard plenty of various noises around me. I groaned. Lifting my head and totally forgetting about the other people in the room, I tore off my shirt to inspect the wounds. A smallish gash from a rock sticking out of the wall. Lots of tiny scrapes. My stomach hurt like hell. A lot of power was packed into that single punch, probably from anger. Ami was hysterical, but she hadn't even seen it yet. I had to prevent that, so I used the wall to get myself standing and yelled to the younger Hitachiin.

"Kaoru, cover Ami's eyes!"

He shot me a questioning look before doing what he was told. For the first time, I noticed the embarrassing situation I stumbled into (with my shirt off and everything...). Thankfully, Ootori shooed everyone out (besides the host club).

"I'm sorry for what Chika-chan did, Hako-chan."

I snorted. There was no way I'd be formal in this situation.

"Tch. Why are you the one apologizing?"

"I'm his older brother."

I understood at once.

Ootori seemed like a business type of person. Surely he's already called a hospital. Ootori pushed up his glasses.

"You're absolutely right."

Hiding my surprise, I responded, "Good."

I attempted to stand on my own only to fall over forward. Takashi caught me and slung me over his shoulder.

"W-wait I-"

I knew, under those hands covering her eyes, Ami was giving the look of 'just go with it!'.

"What?" Fujioka questioned.

"Nothing."