Tales of the Stars

Book 1: Homecoming

Chapter 3

Staria was glad to find the rest of her things had arrived. After changing cloths she set out to get her stuff in order. She hadn't got far when there was a knock at her door.

"Come in." She called without looking up from a box of art supplies. Tamaki peeked his head in the door.

"Would you like a hand?" he asked with a smile.

"I can handle it, but you're welcome to stay and keep me company if you want." She compromised, mostly due to the fact that she didn't have a set plan for unpacking. Plus she liked organizing her supplies herself.

Tamaki welcomed the invitation and entered the room, leaving the door open behind him. He wondered the room a bit, seeing how she was making it into her own space. He smiled at the large stuffed teddy bear taking center stage amongst the pillows on her bed. He picked it up carefully for a closer look. It's fluff was worn down from obvious years of love and the nose was little ripped up with teeth marks, probably from a pet getting a hold of the toy at one point.

"Who's this fellow?" he asked warmly, turning to face Staria.

"Huh? Oh that's Bear. I've had him forever." She smiled back. "He goes every where with me. He's been on every family trip, every sleep over, even over night school trips. I don't think I'll ever out grow him."

"Mine's not nearly as big but I have my own stuffed bear. Father gave him to me when I was very young and I made sure to bring him with me from France. Honey has a thing for stuffed toys too. That pink bunny, you may have noticed he carries, was made by his grandmother."

Staria stopped rummaging for a moment and looked up at him. "I'm sorry I was so rude today. I didn't give your friends much of a chance. I'd like to apologize to them for the way I acted at your club. I hope I didn't upset any of the girls either."

"Don't worry about it. It's all water under the bridge. How about I introduce you to them privately? We have a planning meeting tomorrow after school. You could join us and get to know them without all the customers around. No games I promise."

"Alright, I'd like that." Her mind a bit more at ease, Staria turned back to the box she was working on. Tamaki put Bear back in his place and took a seat on the floor next to the busy girl.

"Oh is that a photo album?" He picked up a small book full of plastic leaflets. "May I look?"

"Yeah sure, knock yourself out." She started taking various containers of markers and pencils to her desk.

Each section had a cute divider page with a theme label. She had photos from trips and outings, holidays, school and towards the back a bunch with friends. One picture caught his attention in that last section. Staria looked only a couple years younger and was having her hair ruffled playfully by a boy with messy bright red hair. Both had that smile you only get when you're laughing wholeheartedly.

"Who's this?" Tamaki asked pointing to the photo. Staria paused for a second looking at it then sat down beside him.

"That's Gene. I've known him since I was twelve. My family had moved to a new city and I was having trouble making friends. It's more like everyone was more interested in making fun of the new clumsy girl, who'd rather draw than play. Gene was a year older than all of us. He stood up for me one day when they were being extremely mean. Chasing them off and telling them if they messed with me any more they'd have him to deal with. He became my best friend shortly after that day." She sounded sad as she told her story, but the memory had turned her lips into a small smile.

"If you miss him you could always call you know?"

Staria shook her head. "No it's not that easy. Gene's dad worked for a distribution shipping company. You know the colony expansions they've been building in space for the past decade?"

"A little, but not really. Kyoya's talked about them some but mostly about the medical research his family is funding on a couple of them."

"Well his dad was a pilot for their supply ships, and on his last set of orders he got the ok to take Gene along with him. He's not on our world any more." Something told Tamaki that she wasn't sharing the whole story. He decided to push her a little.

"You have a crush on your friend don't you?" He winked at her as he asked. She flushed bright red and turned away.

"There's nothing wrong with that. Did you tell him at all before he left?" Tamaki kept questioning her, but being gentle about it. After a minute or two of silence he moved so he could see her face again. She was biting her lower lip and fighting the tears that were brimming her eyes. He instinctively hugged her, pulling her back against his chest.

"I'm sorry Staria. I didn't want to make you cry."

"I never got to say anything." she spoke quietly.

"You still can when he get's back." Tamaki whispered optimistically to her. She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face silently and pain screaming out through her stormy eyes.

"No I can't. I never will. Not now." She paused and tried to compose herself. "That trip was two years ago." She pushed away from Tamaki even though she knew he only wanted to comfort her. "Pirates attacked their ship, took their supplies and left the crew to die. No survivors were found. I tried my best to cope when we found out, but everything back home reminds me of him. That's why for the last year I did everything I could to get away from there. My parents have been nothing but supportive. I know that's the only reason they agreed to all of this." She closed the album not able to look at it any more. The blond host was quiet for a second. He'd never meant to expose open wounds.

"I am sorry Staria, but you know sharing your pain is the first step to over coming it. First crushes are hard enough to get over as it is, let alone in the situation you've been handed. I do want you to know you can come to me with anything. I'm your friend too, and I'm honored you'd share this with me. I understand this is why you acted as you did at the club, and I won't make you go back unless you want to."

"No, I still want to make things up to your friends." she wiped the last of her tears away, her body language still defensive. "Besides you're right. I can't just keep running from it. I need to deal with it, but it won't happen over night."

"As I said you can count on me. If you need a shoulder to cry on just say the word."

Staria smiled a little, "Ok enough. If you keep showing me sympathy I really will break down. You want to help? Put those books in bookcase for me." Tamaki let the matter slide and helped her put things away for the rest of the night.

"Why's Tama-chan so late today?" Honey asked as he ate his third piece of short cake.

"He said something about helping Staria find the art club today. Though I doubt she'll like it seeing that they focus more on collecting, appraising, and managing rather than making art." Kyoya answered while looking over their budget for the next month. "She's quite the fish out of water thus far."

"But that makes things interesting." Hikaru looked up from his video game. "Besides you know the boss will try again to get her to come to the club."

"Yeah it's not in his nature to give up once he's put his mind to something." Kaoru pointed out.

"Kyo-chan it doesn't sound like you're giving her much of a chance." Honey guessed eying up their somewhat cynical manager.

"Well I've only really ever heard her complain and act scared so far. She hasn't given me a reason to care one way or another." It was true, but all the mystery in her past did make him interested a little. He wanted to know how she'd react to it all, but their king had already blocked that path. Things might change if she were to become interested in her past. As he pondered it the door opened.

"Sorry I'm late everyone. I have a guest, Miss Staria Chiba will be joining us today." Tamaki stepped aside and let the girl enter the room with him.

Staria bowed to the boys right away. "I'm really very sorry for the way I acted yesterday. I hope you all can forgive me for overreacting."

"We knew you'd be back." The twins said in unison, a matching smirk on their faces and a gleam of mischief in their gold eyes.

"No harm done Star-chan." Honey beamed. "Come sit by me and have some cake! It's really good. We've got strawberry shortcake and turtle cheese cake today."

"I do enjoy a good cheese cake." Staria took the open seat next to her upperclassmen. Mori placed a plate of the desired treat in front of her. "Thank you." she said with a smile. The tall stoic host nodded, his version of 'your welcome' at the moment.

As she ate her cake the boys started their meeting. They brainstormed snacks, types of tea and themes for various up coming occasions.

"Final preparations are in place for the customer appreciation ball next weekend. We've been given permission to use the main salon and decorations should arrive at the beginning of the week. Hikaru, Kaoru we'll be counting on you to finalize the flower arrangements the night before. Kyoya you have extra security lined up for us correct?" Tamaki was being very thorough with the details of their first major party.

"Yes, I've arranged for a few of my family's special police force to be on hand to keep uninvited guests out. Everything's been paid for, food, music and decorations. So all that will be left is set up." Kyoya spoke without looking up from his note book.

"Excellent. Then all that's left is to have the ladies in attendance fill out their dance requests in the days leading up to the ball. Kyoya's set up a points system, so the young ladies with the most points get their daces first and so on." Tamaki went on.

"Man boss you know this is going to be crazy trying to juggle that many girls at once." Hikaru complained, already not wanting to deal with it.

"Nonsense. Our guests are always well behaved and I guarantee the ball will be no exception." The blond had faith that nothing would go wrong. No way his precious ladies would ever cause a ruckus at a club event.

"Besides, if they do act out they'll be banded from the host club. We are not here to pamper the ill-tempered." Kyoya added, having Tamaki's back on the matter.

Staria chewed on her fork, having finished her cake, surprised at how serious the group was. She figured they would be full of themselves with the acts she'd seen the day before. Kyoya caught her staring, "Something bothering you Miss Chiba?"

"Oh!" she put the fork down quickly. "No, I'm just surprised is all. I didn't expect things to be so serious after what I saw before. I'm impressed that's all. You guys really have your stuff together."

"Kyoya's management skills are impeccable." Tamaki praised. "I couldn't have a better vice president. Oh! Staria you should come attend our event! It's going to be so much fun."

"Thanks but I'm gonna have to pass. I don't own any formal wear and frankly I don't know the first thing about ballroom dancing." She used the flaws as an excuse but the host king could see right through her. He knew she wanted to go. At least that's what he was seeing.

"Don't be silly. You and I will go shopping this weekend for a dress and I'm sure we could find the time to show you how to waltz if nothing else."

"I couldn't impose really, I mean your family's already doing so much for me…." she tried to argue.

"If money is the issue we might be able to work something out for you." Kaoru offered. Staria looked at the twins slightly worried with what they might have up their sleeve. They just gave off that trouble maker vibe.

"You see our mother's been looking for a new…..test subject, so to speak." Hikaru picked up.

"If you let her dress you up in her designs for an afternoon she would probably let you borrow one for the event." Kaoru wrapped it up.

"You're mom's a fashion designer?" Staria asked, actually getting a little excited. The twins just nodded. "That's awesome! I mean I'm far from being model material but heck it'd just be fun to meet a real designer. She'd be ok with just some random girl showing up?"

"We'd give her warning naturally." Hikaru smirked.

"I can't help but think I'm gonna owe you two something for this." Staria eyed them up carefully. Her first read on them was about to prove itself.

"You have to play with us for the rest of the day while you're over at our place." the twins said in unison.

"That's it? Alright, but I suck at video games. Let me know when and where." Staria was making the deal when Tamaki intervened.

"No, no, no! You don't know what these two are capable of. We'll get you a dress don't worry about the cost. Considered it a welcoming gift." Tamaki protested. He wasn't about to trust Staria to the twin's whims. She'd never come to the club room again.

"Tamaki it's fine. It's just a day of dress up. What could they possibly do?" She asked, clearly not seeing the harm in spending the day with the younger boys. They just wanted to play some games, right?

"More than you think. These two are quite the mischief makers." He warned her.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides aren't you the one who told me to give your friends a chance?" She smiled and did an 'I'm acting cute' shrug while tilting her head to the side. The twins snickered knowing that Staria would innocently win and started thinking of games to play with their new toy.

"If they start being mean you have to call me right away though." Tamaki made her pinky swear and shot the twins warning glances to behave. Naturally it made them want to make him worry more. It would be some long over due fun in their normal routine.