Sakura's POV:
"Kyoya-san. What a surprise, seeing you here. I thought you all went home after kaa-san led you out?" I questioned suspiciously. He adjusted the rim of his glasses up his nose and inserted his hands coolly into his pockets. "It was just a coincidence, Haruno-san. The Host Club was planning to come here today to relax for a bit."
U-huuh? I doubt that.
Really? Me, too.
But as he said those words, a slightly bewildered scream came from behind him and surprised all of us into looking in the voice's direction. And then, I saw Tamaki-san in an "orz" position in front of the other club members. I sweatdropped. 'They must have teased him into that, huh,' I deduced, watching the twins' expressions specifically.
I sighed. Inner sighed, too.
So this was what you were busy with while I was gone?
I nodded, not noticing the puzzled looks my brothers and Kyoya were giving me.
I salute you.
Thanks. But I don't think I can accept that as a complement.
I blocked out Inner's rant and turned to the audience. I caught their attention and spoke in a solid voice, "Please go on with what you were doing and please ignore us. Thank you."
At first, they just stared at me, some were even judging me, but they slowly went on with their jobs or continued with what they were doing earlier before the ruckus. With the unnerving stares of on-lookers gone, I was able to calm down from my embarrassment.
I looked back at the club members who seemed to be busy picking on their president. "Well, if you're here to relax and have fun, I won't have to be tense around you, huh? Good day, Kyoya-san. Good day to the other members, too. Have fun," I said with a respectful bow and a slight smile before turning to the girls who still wanted to play with my brothers.
"And you guys, go find someone else to fuss over. Or ELSE." And in a quick second, the group of fangirls dispatched and walked away in disappointment, groaning and moaning for their loss of bonding time with the twins. A few moments after the girls disappeared, I bent down to my brother's height and gave them a concerned look.
"Are you two okay?" I asked them while checking their bodies for possible fangirl-escape bruises or cuts (they were running with all their might, you know?) but I found none and so I was able to sigh a breath of relief. I even heard Inner comment on my paranoia mockingly.
You're too concerned about those two. You'll make them grow up useless if you keep spoiling them.
Oh, shut up! Even you were worried about them since YOU and I are THE SAME. And what the heck is about them being useless if I spoil them?! THEY'RE KIDS! THEY DESERVE TO BE SPOILED BY THEIR SISTER!
Psh! IT SHOULD BE THE PARENTS WHO ARE DOTING, NOT THE SISTER! SHEESH! If anyone ever saw you like that, they'd think you were a pervert! BUT NOT LIKE I CARE!
SHUT UP! YOU'RE JUST A VOICE IN MY HEAD SO DON'T TALK ABOUT ME BEING A PERVERT WHEN YOU WERE OGLING AT KYOYA JUST NOW!
IF I WAS OGLING AT HIM FROM INSIDE YOUR HEAD, THAT MEANS YOU WERE, TOO! IDIOT!
YOU'RE A BIGGER IDIOT THAN I AM!
While I kept arguing childishly (yes, I knew I was being childish here) and being a brat (that, too) with Inner inside my head, kaa-san walked over to us and checked on the twins, too. Kyoya called me over to talk about something and it gave me some time to cool off from my other personality.
Ignoring his loud co-club members, we talked. "I'm sure you know that this is an outing to relax ourselves, right, Kyoya-san?" He nodded before adding his conclusion to my statement.
"And you want us to keep away from your family. Am I right, Haruno-san?" I nodded in response. He cleared his throat and turned to his companions. It seemed that they have stopped picking on Tamaki the moment Kyoya turned around to look at them. At the humorous thought, I was able to crack a slight smile from my lips but it immediately disappeared when the group looked back at me.
Tamaki, who became elated when hearing something from Haruhi, walked toward me and offered me a slight bow with his right hand on his chest, the usual princely Tamaki taking over his body. When he looked up, his face already showed a princely smile and princely phermones sparkled around him (yes, his pheromones were charming enough to sparkle like glitter and it charmed me! Shut up, Inner).
"I would like to ask you-"
"No," I instantly replied. I had a hunch on what he was about to ask.
"Eh? But I haven't finished-"
I raised my hand to stop him and said, "I already know what you were about to say, Tamaki-san. And I won't allow it."
"But please, Haruno-san? Allow that, at least. We won't bother you and you can bond with the club. Maybe it will change your mind about joining in?" He was persistent. And kaa-san also persisted that Tamaki and his co-members won't trouble us despite my and the twins' protests so I was forced to agree to let the Host Club join us.
We were now walking around to find Itachi and the others, Kaoru and Hikaru already getting into my nerves with their oh-so digusting skinship, and Haninozuka and Mori being a little too close to each other. I groaned softly and it caused my brothers to look up at me in worry before they glared at the rowdy group behind us. But I just gave them a reassuring look so they looked away.
"You guys can play, you know? You don't have to worry about me. Oh, except you Sai-chan. You'll stay with me." I took little Sai's hand gingerly as we walked and he gave me one of his cute smiles while the twins just shook their heads furiously, saying that they didn't want to leave me with the idiot group. I sweat-dropped but found their way of addressing the Hostclub members amusing. 'Just like me,' I thought giddily.
Psh. Pedophile sister! Over-doting sister! Girl with a brother complex!
A vein popped on my forehead and my happy face became stiff I was sure my brothers noticed.
Shut up, Inner! Enough with you! GO AND DIE!
"Oiii! Sakura! Oiii!" I looked at the direction of the voice and found Kiba and Tenten waving their hands. 'Aahh~ You guys! My saviors!' I thought with a relieved smile. I waved back, beaming. When I turned to the Hostclub members though, my smile was gone and was replaced with a blank expression. "My friends are over there, guys. Let's go," I told them.
And not a moment too soon, the twins (MY brothers, not the incest brothers) raced toward Tenten and the others while little Sai, the Hostclub members, and I walked over to them calmly without a ruckus. Shino noticed the group behind us (and I almost forgot him if not noticing that I actually did forget him) and asked who they were. "Oh, they're the Hostclub. Hostclub members, theses are my group of friends from Junior High. This is Kiba ("Ou!"), Tenten ("Hello there."), Neji ("... *nod*"), Lee ("I greet you with YOUTH! *salutes*"), and. . . Ah! Shino ("... Hello...")." Shino looked at me behind his shades and made me sweat-drop.
"Sorry, Shino. Seriously," I whispered to him. He huffed before nodding. I smiled, saying 'Thanks!' with a slap to the shoulder. He rubbed the part of his shoulder where I hit him but just shook his head in amusement. I smiled warmly at him. We all turned to the Hostclub members and I introduced them myself. But from insised my head, Inner made a pitying expression and sighed.
What a friend you are, Sakura. Forgetting about Shino.
I don't hear you saying you didn't forget either.
Shut up!
"First here is Tamaki Suou. He's the club president of the Ouran Hostclub and he's also my classmate," I stated, looking at my friends to see their reactions. Tamaki stepped forward and took Tenten's hand for a gentlemanly kiss on it before he looked up and flashed her a bright smile. I saw Tenten blush with sparkles in her eyes. I sighed audibly enough for her to hear, she looked away, though.
"Next, here is Ootori Kyoya, the vice president of the club and also a classmate of mine," I watched Kyoya walked forward and release some cool hormones as he bowed his head in an act of recognition to the group. Kyoya smiled at Neji who glared at him with distaste. 'He's probably thinking about Hinata right now. Tsk. This kid,' I thought irately.
I know right? LOL!
Shut up.
"Then, the twins, Hitachiin Kaoru and Hikaru. Hikaru's on the right while Kaoru's on his left. They're first years." The twins just waved with mischievous smiles that might have matched with Kiba's pointy one. And when I looked at the person they were looking at, I saw Neji glaring at them, too. I rolled my eyes with an exasperated sigh. 'I have to keep him away from these cheshire cats. They'll make him go nuts with their teasing!'
Yep. That much is true. He'll get angry over every little insult those evil twins will send his way. And what's worse on his side, he won't know he's just being teased. Typical for kids to have bad temper, more so for little Neji.
Mm-hmm. We agreed on something again, Inner. Good job.
Hmph! I'm just as smart as you, Sakura. Don't make me sound dumb.
"And the third years, Haninozuka Mitsukuni and Morinozuka Takeshi. Haninozuka's the little boy, by the way," I explained. I chuckled when the others' eyes bulged from shock, even Neji was surprised at the fact. They all looked so funny!
But I can't see Shino's face! I don't know if his eyes are actually bulging out of their sockets from surprise!
Inner flailed around my head, shouting her need to see Shino's covered face. It got me interested, too. But I noticed Shino's slightly opened mouth and I thought of it as a hint of his surprise.
Just leave it be, Inner. Look at his parted lips. It shows that he was at least surprised.
Oh please, Sakura. I can't make an assumption just from that alone! He's a block of stone, that Shino! We rarely even see him smile!
You got a point.
Of course, I do.
I looked up from my dazed phase when I saw Tamaki walk over to Tenten's spot. I narrowed my eyes. I even heard Kyoya mutter something about Tamaki being a two-timer or something but maybe I misheard.
"Now, now. Keep that up and flies will enter your mouth, pretty miss. We can't have that now, can we?" Tamaki said, placing a slender finger under Tenten's chin and closing her open mouth. I saw Tenten gulp, her eyes glued in on Tamaki's and her cheeks were slightly pink, and I knew she's having a crush on him. Deciding that having a crush on an overreacting, melodramatic, fake prince is not good for one such as Tenten, I stepped in to save her.
I pushed Tamaki a few inches away while shaking my head in disapproval. I turned to Tenten and smiled before whispering, "Don't . . . He has someone else in his head. And plus, he's pretty much a clutz and can't handle weapons like you do." I winked at her before introducing the last member of the host club, Haruhi-san.
I wonder what their reactions would be?
I'm wondering, too.
"Last is Fujioka Haruhi, a first year and classmate of the Hitachiin twins," I jabbed a thumb in their direction and continued, "She's a girl, by the way." A smile made its way to my lips when I saw the unsurprised faces of my friends. Neji scoffed and said, "That much was obvious. Her eyes were too big to be a guy's. If anyone ever believed that get-up, they're idiots like that dumb blonde with the girly hair you call a cousin."
I really love the way Neji-chan calls Deidara. But Deidara probably doesn't know he's being hated on.
Yeah. You're right. Deidara ignores anything he doesn't like so . . .
In my head, my Inner just nodded in understanding, her arms crossed over each other.
I knew there was a reason Deidara doesn't know his own nickname . . . or to make it much more childish, he's ignoring Neji's insults. That plan is genius but that blockhead really needs to get on Neji's good side if he ever proposes to Hinata.
Unconsciously, I nodded to Inner's statement making it look like I agree with what Neji had said.
What a rare occassion. You were able to say something right. And three times in a row.
Inner glared at me.
But after my small talk with Inner, Tenten and I cooed over Neji when we saw his small pout and made him fluster like a child that he is. Naruto and the other young ones joined in the teasing while the other guys watched in amusement. Yes, teasing little Neji and making him look as flustered as he is right now is one of my favorite hobbies. It's really fun, especially when I get to see Neji blush and hide behind someone, preferably Hinata.
"Dude! Let's go on with the rides! I can't let myself out of this place if I haven't used up all my tickets on the rides!" Kiba pulled Shino into a sprint, leaving us in their dust. With a glint in my eye, I looked at Tenten and made a point to make my face look like I'm challenging her. She accepted it with a wide smirk.
"Ready, forehead?" She teased, I rolled my eyes. "Heh, again with that? Don't you ever get tired?" We all laughed, except for the hostclub members who didn't know about the nickname. "Alrighty, then! One, two, thr-" I felt a hand on my shoulder and I saw Itachi.
I tilted my head curiously. He pointed at the hostclub members who were watching silently, and I sighed. "Okay," I grumbled.
Slightly disappointed that I won't get to chase after Kiba and Shino in the race with Tenten, just the two of us, I turned to the hosts. "Hey, guys. . . Umm. . . Would you care to join us in a race to reach the two who ran away?" I asked politely.
Too politely, though. They'll think you're faking it, Sakura.
Just leave it already, Inner. And you know I was really being polite.
The group of handsome men (and girl) looked at each other before they nodded with excited smiles. It made me smile back at them sincerely. But Kyoya raised his hand. "Hmm?" I turned to him.
He adjusted his glasses up his nose once more before speaking, the lenses shining when they were pushed upward to the bridge of his nose. 'Again with the cool effect?' I raised a brow at the thought. "I do not wish to participate with the race you invited the others into, Haruno-san," he said.
I shrugged my shoulders, giving him a respectful nod. "It's alright, Kyoya-san. You can probably walk with Itachi over there," I said, jabbing a thumb in Itachi's person behind me. When I turned around to look at Itachi, he was raising his eyebrow! "Sorry. It's because I knew you won't join the race so. . . Hehe. . ."
Itachi sighed but he nodded lazily. He looked at Kyoya and inclined his head in the direction Kiba and Shino took. The two coolheaded boys walked away in front of us. But before they could go farther away, I told Itachi to take the twins and little Sai with much protesting on their part.
"So? What are we waiting for, Sakura? C'mon!" I heard Tenten call from her spot, her hands gesturing for me to hurry up. "Wait a minute," I stalled. I bent down to my little brothers' height and told them I'll read more sotires to them later in the evening. Though grudgingly, the three boys left us with Itachi and Kyoya to follow Kiba and Shino.
I turned to the others and noticed that Neji and Lee were still with us which made me facepalm myself. "I'm an idiot," I whispered. "What was that, Sakura?" I smiled at Tenten and shook my head to say it was nothing.
"Neji, Lee, go with Itachi," I told the two boys. Neji 'hmph'ed and Lee pouted with teary eyes for some reason. Suddenly, Lee pounced on me, caging me in a tight grip, and saying more about not leaving him. I just laughed when my surprise melted away. I patted Lee's head fondly.
"C'mon, Lee. Just go!" Tenten pulled him away from me by the collar and shooed him with Neji in Itachi's direction. Childishly upset, Lee's shoulders slumped and Neji ignored him. "Aww. . . You didn't have to yell at him, Tenten. Look at him."
"Hmph. If you were with him longer than I have, you'd know that he's just being his usual self. He'll come back to life sooner or later," Tenten said. I sighed but nodded anyway. "Oh well, with that done, let's go back to the race."
When we both turned around, we saw the hosts engaging in something that amused them, teasing their leader. "Hey! We're gonna start the race!" They all looked in our direction and walked to our spot.
They were pretty bored, no?
Yeah. Because Tenten and I were ignoring them.
Oh, who cares if they're bored. I'll bet they won't be once they get into the race. Nobody gets bored in a race!
Inner pumped her fist in the air with an excited expression which made me smile. I don't know what I looked like to the others but it seemed they were a bit astonished. Maybe I looked too happy?
Alrigtht. It's about to start.
"Ready?" We were all in our starting positions as we all chanted the usual starting words of a race.
"Set." All of us leaned forward.
"GO!" We all ran our fastest.
I was third to the first runner with Tenten second and Mori in the lead. I was susprised he was that fast but I shouldn't have been. He had long legs, this guy! So of course he'd be fast!
"Come on, Sakura! I thought you were faster than this!" Tenten mocked. "Hah! Not a chance! Just wait, Tenten! I'll be in the lead!" I shouted back. I accelerated my pace and was now on par with Tenten. I saw her smirk at me and I glared.
Truthfully speaking, Tenten was much better at sports than any of us girls in the gang while I was second. But there were times when I win against her, one-on-one. And those times she lost, she always made me play against her again.
Well, back to the race, we were ways away from Mori who was still in the lead but we're gaining. More like, Tenten's and my competitiveness made our pace boost a bit. And we passed the walking group of Itachi and Kyoya who watched us run past.
Kyoya's POV:
We were walking in silence. I didn't want to talk but I was at least curious of the man Haruno-san called Itachi. I was itching to recruit him into the club if not for him being in a different school. I adjusted my glasses in exasperation.
In the silent walk, I used this time to assess Haruno-san's friends if they have the potential of becoming hosts. Although I have no intention of recruiting them into the club.
The rambunctious twins started fighting with the bowl-cut boy trying to stop them. The blonde was like Tamaki but much more loud and was less dramatic, however, he had a bright personality. 'He might have a bright princely aura but he's more of an energetic and heroic knight-in-shining-armor,' I thought.
His dark-haired twin on the other hand had more of a dark princely aura. Or maybe it was his cold facade that was attractive. He's obviously the counterpart of his brighter and warmer twin.
But there was that boy who had pale eyes. The boy was rather unsociable, it seemed to me. Just like the cold twin brother of the blond boy. Maybe they could be a duo. "Heh," I chuckled softly.
Next was the little boy that I noticed Haruno-san was really fond of besides the twins. She called him Sai I think. He had quite a cute personality befitting his age. And what's more, the plushie he was holding made him look all the more cuter.
The last boy would be the boy with bowl-cut hair. He is rather charming in his own way. He would be unique but I wonder if he's even famous with the girls of his age. His eyes are too round. Maybe he won't even catch the eye of a cutsomer if he ever became a host. Such a shame, I thought Haruno-san was in a group full of beautiful and handsome people.
When I spared Itachi a glance, he was looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I casually looked away. "What is it, Kyoya-kun?" He asked me, his voice deep.
'Oh yes, he will be a perfect host,' I thought. I shook my head in response to his question. "Nothing much, Itachi-san."
He hummed before another round of silence came over us. Until we heard yelling from behind us. I turned around and Mori passed by me, followed by Haruno-san and her friend. The others ran after them. Honey-sempai even waved.
I watched them run farther away from our group. The kids were already following their trail eagerly which made me move, too. "Sakura nee-chan! Wait!" The blonde was pulling his youngest brother's hand while he ran after his sister. His dark-haired twin holding the other hand of Sai, trying to calm his energetic twin down.
"Come on, Neji-san! They'll leave us in their dust!" The bowl-cut haired boy urged his friend to run, too. But the boy, Neji, wasn't buying it. He shook his head irately and continued to walk. "Oi. Naruto, stop pulling your brother. You'll break his arm," Itachi's calm statement made the mentioned boy to stop and look at him.
"What? Sakura nee-chan's already at Kiba's spot! Come on!"
"Calm down, will you? Tsk." Neji clicked his tongue.
"Dobe, if you hurt Sai, Sakura nee-chan will not forgive you," the dark-haired twin warned. And it seemed to do the trick.
"O-okay already. Sheesh." Naruto sweat-dropped. He stopped running and ceased forcefully pulling his younger brother to follow him, and instead was now just walking alongside him while holding his hand. Sai was just smiling excitedly.
I just rolled my eyes as I balanced my glasses on the bridge of my nose.
Sakura's POV:
The race ended with Mori as the winner.
When we stopped by the roller coaster ride, we tried to catch our breaths. It seemed that Kiba forced Shino to ride the roller coaster with him. Once I could breathe more evenly, I looked at the running coasters that continued to curve and swiftly slide through the tracks.
Many teenagers were screaming their heads off from the speed of the ride but they were all either from excitement or sheer terror. When the ride stopped and Kiba and Shino stepped off their coaster, only Kiba had an upset stomach.
Kiba almost puked on the ground if not for Shino helping him. "Hey! Don't puke!" When Shino saw us, he immediately came over, Kiba leaning on him for support. Beside me, Tenten was laughing hard. Even some of the hosts behind us were chuckling in amusement.
"This isn't. . . Ugh. . . funny!" Kiba tried to look menacing but with that green face of his, he can't even glare properly. I pat him on the back. "It's alright, Kiba. Just go to the restroom," I told him. He rolled his eyes. "Of course. Where would I go to other than the restroom, idiot?"
Before he could even blink, I instinctively bonked his head. "OW!" He hunched over, holding his head gingerly. "What was that for?!"
I 'hmph'ed. "That's for calling me an idiot, idiot," I answered him. "Shino, just get him to the restroom," Tenten said. Shino nodded in response before pulling Kiba by the arm and supporting him.
"Oh, well. . . With those two gone, which ride are we going to go with?"
I tried to think, looking around me at the same time.
"How about that?" I looked behind us and saw Kyoya pointing at something.
~Chapter Twelve ends here~
Platinum. Anime07: Hello. . . I'm really sorry that I wasn't able to update for almost 1 year. . . or maybe it's 2 years? Either way, I really want to apologize to my old, disappointed readers. . . if there are any left =_= And to the new readers! Have fun! thanks for reading this!