There was only a day left until Physical exams. Since there was nothing really to be excited about, to put it simply, I wasn't. I had had a hard time coming to school myself today, what with my guilt. This morning, Haruhi had insisted I take her to school and when I argued she was still sick she tried to go herself and twisted her ankle climbing down the stairs. The whole day I had been blaming myself for it. I could have forced her to stay in bed but I didn't want to hurt her feelings. And now, just outside the Host Club doors I hesitated. putting on my most cheerful smile I could muster, I opened them and peeked inside.
"Hey there guys. I'm so sorry that I'm late but I had to help Miss-"
Again I was grabbed by Tamaki and forced to look him in the eye, I blushed at the closeness he had brought with the intimate gesture.
"Don't you worry Michi!" He began to babble.
"We're determined to keep your secret! No one will find out that you are really a girl during tomorrow's physical exams! So please! Promise you and Haruhi will stay our beloved secret princesses!"
I blinked, not once, but twice, wondering what had brought this sudden rush of insecure insanity on... but hey, I was talking to Tamaki Suou after-all...
"Uhm... sure... whatever keeps you happy Tamaki.."
"You know what?..." the twins piped in.
"I think both of us would be a little peeved if we had to watch all the guys flirt with them.."
"What are you-?"
"Then that settles it!"
I was abandoned on the other side of the room and watched, astounded and bewildered as the Hosts gathered around Tamaki and his white-board. There were a lot of random scribbles and a few stick figures scattered on the board, but written in the middle was one giant title. 'Conceal Michi's Gender; (a.k.a.) I Swear Michi's a Boy! Is now underway!'
"Listen up squad members!"
Tamaki tried to say with what he thought was authority.
"At tomorrow's physical exams, position yourselves in Formation A and then wait for your orders!"
Hone began to clap, amazed by his small commands, and the twins gave him a simultaneous salute.
"Yes sir!"
Still left alone by the ridiculously gigantic windows I thought to myself and then slammed one fist into my other open hand.
"Ah, now I get it! You guys are worried that if they find out about Haruhi and I really being girls... then she wouldn't be a Hosts and she can't pay off her debt!"
The Hosts turned their attention to me but Tamaki and the twins were the only ones curious enough to come closer. I had begun to pace, with one hand at my hip counting off the fingers and the other covering my mouth in calculation.
"Let's see now... The balance is 5,333,332¥... Hm... Guess we'll just have to find another way to pay you back, because we're nearly broke!"
I then burst out laughing light-heartedly, a little glad with myself. This would take so much weight from Haruhi's shoulders! Wouldn't she be proud?
"Do something! The subject doesn't appear to have any motivation!"
I could hear Tamaki grumble.
"Ah... why'd we have to get stuck with such difficult heroines?~"
He then slid up out of nowhere, as he always does and pointed at my accusingly from the side, dramatically angry.
"Are you saying that you hate being a Host? That you hate this club!?"
Looking towards the ceiling thinking, I then glanced to him and smiled, arms leisurely behind my head.
"To be absolutely honest with you, yes ^U^"
He slumped into a corner of the room in a pout and I giggled.
"I mean, it's never been anything against you guys it's just how heavy it ways on Haruhi. I care a lot about my sister, you know? And you kinda did force me into it without my permission. Hell, if it gets out that we're girls there's really nothing we can do about it. Though I must grudgingly admit that I'd hate to wear a dress, but I can adapt."
I started to laugh again feeling yet happier then before, turned to the sunlight outside the windows with a full-blown grin.
"She doesn't seem to care one way or the other."
"Well before we do anything else, we need to find a way to motivate her."
Takashi trudged up and slowly hugged me, his gray eyes gone blank. I flushed a pale cherry-blossom pink and shoved at his arms, a bit awkward.
"E-eh!?"
"I hear you're quite the artist..."
I blushed a darker shade and gulped as the twins smiled sadistically at me, their faces shadowed. Even Tamaki had come back to his senses... that same... evil, twisted grin on his face... Damn these stinky, filthy rich people!
-
I was just doodling my first picture in my new sketch pad with my professional artist pencils when a voice came over the loud speakers. Hikaru and Kaoru, who had been posing on a desk for me, rolled their eyes to the ceiling boredly, unamused.
"We will begin conduction physical examinations shortly. All students please proceed to the clinic in your respective school building."
I walked beside the Hitachiin's with my arms crossed behind my head, on my way to the clinic. Curious, I piped up;
"So what's this Formation A you guys were talking about yesterday? What exactly do they do here at physical exams at Ouran Academy anyway?"
"It's no different from a physical exam you'd get at any other school."
"Yeah. Why would physical exams be any different for us just because we're rich?"
I tilted my head and smiled at the thought, approaching the doors that the twins already entered through. I guess this wouldn't be so bad. I mean, I guess I knew what to expect.
"You're right. I didn't think about it that way before."
I couldn't have ever been so wrong in my life. I kind of just looked about in annoyance at the literal lines of hundreds of nurses and doctors siding the carpet splitting the room.
"Welcome students!" they all said accordingly, way too cheery for my comfort.
"What... is all this?"
"Just another physical exam."
The twins seemed unaffected and over-all unamused.
"The usual."
"You're trying to tell me this is normal!?"
Somebody grabbed my hand and I frowned, glancing at the face of a nurse. Her brown hair was cropped short and curled and she had the sweetest smile ever.
"Mister Fujioka, I'll be your nurse for today's physical exams. It's a shame to hear that your brother's sick but I'm sure he'd want you to do this for him, right?"
She giggled.
"Please, follow me."
"Uh... alright ^_^"
I guess the Host's plans didn't quite work... sorry guys... You'll have to count me out on this one.. She hadn't dragged me more than two feet, and still scanning the room, my eyes caught on quite the sight. Flooded by girls on one side of the luxury rug, were Hone and Mori-senpai... dressed as doctors!?
"Are you kidding me?... Hone, Mori, isn't that a little obvious?"
The both held fingers to their mouths and shhed me and I looked away quite disturbed. Oh dear... they haven't even put it into action yet! Kyouya unknowingly slipped up behind him, suddenly explaining.
"I've got those two for back-up just in case something happens."
"But why are they in doctor disguises?"
"They're just helping set the mood~ Disguises make our operations seem like a real espionage mission~"
He concluded, fixing his glasses on the bridge of his nose with two fingers. I kind of zonked out, annoyed by this. That was the only reason? These guys really had no life! I half-turned at the sound of a doctor talking to his patient, the curtains to his orifice wide open.
"Wow Miss Shuromine! You've lost two whole kilograms since this time last year!"
This made all the nurses standing by at the chubby girl's side to strike up a cheer and they began giggling and clapping.
"That's so good to hear! I thought for sure I was heavier!" the young girl squealed.
"Not at all!~ Keep it up and you'll be even healthier next year!"
"Don't you think it's weird that these doctors are so jovial and nice about every little thing?"
Kyouya answered me, he too had been watching.
"They're chosen by the school's may be a school but it's also a business. Therefore, he wants to keep the students happy. After-all, most of the students that attend Ouran Academy come from prominent families who have their own private doctors at home, so this, is just a formality."
Another reason for me to zonk out. I wasn't one of those people with a private doctor, so Kyouya was basically pointing out that I and my sister were the ONLY students without this privilege. Yet again I was belittled, and I began to turn away feeling the heat rising to my face in both embarrassment and annoyance. These damn rich people... I followed politely after my nurse, a bit weary of her now. How was I going to be treated?
I'd already had my height measured, because that didn't require much and hadn't revealed anything. I was now watching the marvel of Hikaru and Kaoru unfold. Girls crowded in from all around to watch their curtained area though they stood just outside.
"Hitachiin brothers" came the rich voice of their nurse.
"Would you please come with me, we're going to do your chest measurements. You can use the area behind this curtain to undress."
But they were already unbuttoning their shirts.
"Doesn't matter to me" Hikaru said, sliding his shirt off of his shoulders.
"We're not shy, who needs a curtain?" and there the two stood, shirts around their elbows, exposing their marble white flesh to the awaiting crowd.
Screams and squeals and giggles arose from all the girls in a loud, dissonant array and I covered my ears with a grunt, blushing a bit myself at the sight of the twins half-naked bodies.
"See Michi~ A rather impressive turn-out today~ Physical exam day is quite popular with the ladies~"
My shoulders kind of slumped as I cast him a disgruntled glare. He knew very well I had been staring, and still aware of Doctor Mori and Hone behind us I forced my blush away, voicing my thoughts.
"What's wrong with the girls at this school? It was never this way with public education -/-"
But everyone was too distracted by the twins' display to answer me, and I watched, a bit awed.
"I won't allow it.."
Hikaru had his brothers hands inbetween their bare chests and he was watching the other intently, Kaoru had his eyes closed, a bit whimsical.
"It's just not fair! I won't let those doctors touch you, Kaoru.." he said in a naturally soft voice that he put up for their brotherly love act.
Kaoru lightly chuckled at the beginning of his remark.
"What are you talking about? You don't seem to have a problem touching me when we play doctor at home. I can't get you to stop tickling and toying with my body~"
There were gasps of awe and love-struck sighs from the audience and I felt my heart-beat race a little. God... that was the last straw! I was surprised to find blood trickling from my nose at the sight and I shielded it from prying eyes, I was going to rush away. But Mori and Hone had picked me up, suddenly running me backwards in a lifted shove.
"Come on Michi-chan, this way!" was all I heard from a desperate Hone, before I was dropped back and into some curtains, everything suddenly dark.