If there's one thing I love it's exploring the mall.

It's so fun to get lost in the mall and find everything. Like an exploration or perhaps a maze. So naturally I told Mitsukuni I wanted to steer clear of the mall directories.

Finally we got to the store I'd been looking for. It was like the equivalent to Hot Topic.

I ran in and Mitsukuni reluctantly followed.

"Hayze," he whispered, looking at the merchandise and customers, "are you sure this place is... safe?"

I grinned. "Definitely. I go to stores like these all the time. Everyone's really friendly and they have awesome school clothes.

"But aren't you going to wear the uniform?" he asked.

"I hate the girls' uniform," I replied. "Haruhi sent me a picture and, well... BLEH! So I'm going to do one of three things. First, wear a girls' uniform with my own... modifications. Second, wear a boys' uniform like Haruhi, but people will know I'm a girl. Third, make up my own uniform."

"What would you do if you wore one with 'modifications'?" he asked.

"Well, I'd get this, this, these, and this," I said, pulling out a corset top, studded belt, pins, and checkered tie.

"And if you made your own?"

"I'd pretty much just wear what I usually do, but make it look more uniform-y. Some skinny jeans, a studded belt, a black dress shirt, and a tie." I thought for a second. "Ne, Mitsukuni, what do you think I should do?"

"I think you'd look very cute in an Ouran girls' uniform," he repiled. I pouted and he said, "But whatever makes you happy makes me happy too." He realized what he said and blushed.

I grinned and hugged him. "Thank you, Mitsukuni! People aren't usually so nice to me."

"N-no... problem..." he replied, blushing furiously.

I put him down, but not before feeling his quickened heartbeat through the hug and the acceleration of my own.

"Mitsukuni, I think you've had too much sugar," I said. "Your heart is beating faster than a hummingbird!"

"So is yours," he pointed out. I blushed and smiled. "Well, that's not the sugar..." I murmured, making sure he couldn't hear me.

"What?"

"Nothing, just talking to myself," I replied with a grin.

"O... kay?"

I thought for a moment. "I suppose I could give the girls' uniform a try... I'll try it on and modify it somehow once I see it on myself. Not too drastic, though."

"One thing Haruhi did warn us about is your sense of 'drastic,'" Mitsukuni said.

"Don't worry, I don't mean my version. So... what did Haruhi say about me?" I inquired.

"Not much... ask her," he muttered.

"You didn't pay attention, did you?" I said with a grin. It wasn't really a question.

He avoided my gaze and I knew my answer. I grinned again. "What were you thinking about?"

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be?"

"Because I didn't pay attention to Haru-chan when she was telling us about you." He gave me these apologetic puppy-dog eyes and I hugged him again.

"Mitsukuni! I'm not mad at all! Didn't you hear me before? I didn't pay much attention to Haruhi when she was telling me about you guys. Nobody really pays attention to Haruhi, that's perfectly fine."

He smiled and hugged me back. It was a soft hug, and I felt so happy at that moment I thought I might explode.

"Do you think I could try to get you to try some stuff on?" I asked a few minutes later.

"Depends on what you have in mind," he said with a frown.

"Hmm... Wait right there." I ran off to find something that he would look adorable in (not that he doesn't look adorable in everything, but you get what I mean) and found some ripped-to-hell-and-back black jeans, chains, red converse, a studded belt, and a tight My Chemical Romance tee. I pulled some black and red eyeliner from my bag and walked back over to Mitsukuni.

"Here," I said, throwing him the stuff I got him. "Try this on and if you like it I'll buy it. I gotta go shop for my stuff."

"But Hayze..." he said, but I cut him off.

"You just have to try it on! No obligations, Mitsukuni! I promise I wouldn't make you do anything you didn't like."

"Then don't pay for it!" he said, catching me off guard.

"Huh?"

"I like it. I don't even have to try it on to know I like it. And I don't want you to pay anything. I'll buy it."

"Mitsukuni, I-"

Now it was his turn to cut me off. "No. I won't let you pay for it."

I decided on a better approach and something I wanted to do anyway.

"Please?" I said, placing my hand gently on his shoulder. I got closer and whispered in his ear, "I really wanted to get you a present."

"F-f-fine," he stammered. I smiled and he said, "But that means I get to buy your stuff."

"But-"

"No buts," he said firmly.

"But I was gonna buy a lot..." I whined.

"Then I'll pay for a lot," he answered with a smirk.

I pouted. "Meanie."

"You're the meanie!" he said. "You..." he cut off and blushed.

"What?"

"Never mind."

I thought it over for a second, contemplating what I did wrong. My eyes widened and I was filled with regret.

"Did I get too close?" I asked. "Did I invade your personal space?" I felt anxious. I didn't want Mitsukuni mad at me. He was, in my opinion, the only thing that made it worth coming to Japan.

He looked confused for a brief second and then his already wide eyes widened in understanding. "What? No! I just..."

I didn't make him finish his sentence. "It's okay. You don't have to say anything. Like I said, I won't make you do anything you don't like."

He smiled at me. "Thank you, Hayze!"

"No problem, little buddy."

Mitsukuni pouted and it was my turn to be confused.

"What's wrong?"

"Is that all I am to anyone? Some little kid?" He looked on the verge of tears.

"What? No! I only said that because you're so cute... okay, so I'm not making things any better. But there's lots of different... 'levels' of cuteness, and you meet every single one."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's little boy cute, which you fit. There's cartoon character cute, which you fit. You'd make a great cartoon!" He wasn't looking any happier. Now it was my turn to be inarticulate. "There's also... umm..." I swallowed nervously and murmured, "Hot-cute."

"Hm?" he asked with his head cocked to the side.

"Well, when someone's... hot... that's a form of cute..."

He smirked.

"But it's also your personality. You're so... you. I can't possibly begin to describe you. And trust me, that's a pretty good thing. It means you're complex and unique. It means you're one of a kind. And I think it means you're perfect."

By now I was blushing profusely.

"Now... Uh... I'm gonna go... buy stuff," I stammered.

He giggled. I walked off, hoping he forgot, when, as if he could read my mind, he suddenly yelled, "Don't forget, I'm paying!"

"GRR!"

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AN/ Okay, so this is my first fic on this site, and my first OHSHC story that wasn't Hitachiincest or TamaKyo. Usually I put my stuff on , but there aren't many people on there who like OHSHC and therefore nobody reviews my stories... I have quite a bit of this already written and it's been taking up months of my time. But I NEED reviews so I know what I should/shouldn't do.

PS. In case you haven't guessed, I've based the main character, Hayze, on myself. That is not my name and I never went to Japan and I DO NOT OWN OURAN. I forgot to put that little disclaimer in the first chapter so that will apply as the real disclaimer. How about an official one?

Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran. I never claimed to (well, maybe once, but I was 'not myself' at the time) and sadly, I probably never will. But Hayze Cross is a character ENTIRELY my own and I seem to use that name a LOT for most of my stories. And also, if you steal her I'll go totally Sweeney Todd on your ass... er, throat. XD Just kidding, but... yeah. Don't steal my character.

One more thing: Reviews make me really happy. I need reviews to survive, just like how Honey needs cakes and bunnies. *and how I need Ouran - but I disgress* Reviews are my food and drink and oxygen and my bunny likes them too. So review, PLEASE!