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...Chapter One...

Life Of A Star

I have never attended the Host Club…formally.

Dragged there after school once by my friends on occasion, yes, but only to retrieve something left behind or drop off a note of affection to one of the many illustrious boys who work there.

This nonexistent record of attendance is somewhat of an anomaly within itself, but I'm careful about not talking about it. Girls can be silly sometimes and they take the Host Club very seriously. When my friend Nao-chan found out I hadn't been, well she almost fainted.

"Shiko-chan, you mean to say you've NEVER been to the Host Club, and you're a SENIOR? How can that…Is…is that even possible? I mean EVERY girl at the school goes at least ONCE!"

I tried to explain my situation, and in the end it ended up coming across rather funny to Naomi. She laughed quite a bit and said that it was probably because "Mori-kun is so intimdating and Shiko-chan is so small!"

That really isn't the case, and later, after school, Naomi got a front row seat of my dilemma because I ended up losing my shoe in a puddle on my way to my limo and of course, Takashi-kun was only too kind and offered me his handkerchief. He's always too kind to me, even though I'm sure he's convinced that I'm afraid of him.

That makes me feel terrible, thinking about how Takashi-kun must feel. I'm not saying Takashi-kun is frightening, because he's not! He's very handsome and strong, but I'm sure with his appearance he can be taken a little too seriously, like Kasanoda-kun in grade one. I saw him trailing Takashi for a few days once, and I must admit, he was pretty scary looking, but only because of his face.

He, like Takashi-kun, is surely a very kind person.

In any case I ran away, upset beyond belief and Naomi saw the whole display - from the way I tried to say thank you to the way I dissolved into a mess of tears and had to flee like a cornered rabbit. In the car she consoled me the best she could, having followed me like a good friend.

She's the one who brought up this idea, after being thoroughly told of all my troubles concerning Takashi-kun and how I just can't seem to get close enough to stop sobbing whenever I see him.

"You should talk to Tamaki-kun! He'll help you! That's what he's there for, to help girls just like you Shiko-chan! Helping women is his only passion, he told me so! Do you know what else he did Hoshiko? He called me a rose among roses, do you know what that means? He's wonderful, He'll help you, I'm only sure! You just have to ask during hours, and he'll do whatever you'd like!"
I've seen several of them, and of course, Mitsukuni-kun and Takashi-kun are in my class, so it's only natural I would know them. In the reality of things, Mitsukuni is actually very kind to me and talks to me several times a week, but even then I can tell I'm a bother.

Suoh-san has a very exotic look about him, but I often get the feeling he does not think things through often…but I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point, even talk to that very loud boy and his loud friends.

I'm not an antisocial girl, really, I'm not. I have friends, dear little girls who are very gentle and sweet and silly like me and Nao-chan, but I've never had a boyfriend or any kind of love like that. I'm just too shy for the likes of boys or overly-confident girls like Kanako-san, the beautiful girl they say was kissed by a Host. So it isn't that I don't like Takashi-kun, because that's not true at all!

If I could talk to him, I would do it every day just because I could!

I…well…I guess, really, you'd have to see it to believe it, but I like Takashi-kun too much. All my liking sort of spills over all over the floor whenever I see him and I can't think and everything gets blurry, and before I know it, I'm sobbing.

So now, here I am, standing at the crack in the door, completely defenseless against the biggest fear of them all: Beautiful young boys with too much time on their hands.

But I have to, and it makes me feel stupid, but I do. I have to go here because I can't do this by myself anymore, I've tried so many times I've lost count, and graduation…well, it's closer than ever.

I can hear the chatter of girls behind these doors and the clinks of china as well, and on any other day I hope to myself it wouldn't be so scary, but it would be. I'm just too easy to scare, though, so I guess that opinion really isn't all that reliable. I've been standing here for ten minutes, just listening, almost praying someone will notice me, but at the same time, eager to become invisible and dissolve into the paneling that lines the hallways.

I am a horribly undecided girl, but…even undecided girls have to start somewhere. With a shift of my weight, my fingers curl around the door handle, and then suddenly, I am exposed.

Time slows itself in the host club room as I stand in the door, taking it in.

In a flurry of rose petals I blink in the fine lighting and look into this new world, somewhat confused.

It's…well…

"Pink?" I feel the words leave my mouth as my head tilts to the side, staring around me. Everywhere, from the windows to the floors, it is pink in every shade imaginable. From deep blushing magenta to the pale color of seashells, it is pink.

Ribbons of it, cascades of sheer gauzy fabrics and all of it dotted by huge yellow roses that sit with dainty hands and glistening platinum smiles as they converse and snack and do all the things girls are known and well for.

And for a reason I can't exactly comprehend, but something Nao-chan described as "being in the moment", I find it unnervingly attractive. Perhaps it is the heavy odor of flowers in the air, or the way the lighting hits everyone and they glow. I have not known people to glow before, but in this room, it seems as though anything is possible. Or at least plausible.

It suits itself, in a peculiar way, these strange things.

"Ah…what have we here?" I am instantly snapped out of my reverie and come face to face with a very blonde boy, standing across the room, a gentle smile on his face. He puts his hand on his chin and smiles more and I know it is Suoh-kun, but I'm quite certain he does not know me.

"She's cute." I turn my head to the right and liquid gold stares at me from beneath dark lashes, mouth twisted in a devilish smirk. I feel myself take a step backwards and bump against something.

"Very…cute." Another whip of my head and I'm met by the same Cheshire grin only, this time it's a bit softer in the edges, but otherwise indistinguishable from the other. I feel light headed as they close on me, identical faces in my view.

"So, do you think we're cute too?" I can't say the words as my mouth hangs open and Suoh-kun is instantly in frame, shoving them away.

"Away with you! Unscrupulous devils! Such boldness! Girls are fragile, and this one…" he pauses and cups my chin with his slender fingers, "This one is already far too scared to play your elementary games." I gaze up at him like a strung fish and my eyes widen in alarm as he comes at me from a lower angle.

"So…shall you come inside, little china doll?" I blink and touch my cheek softly, on the side that is unoccupied by his hand.

"I...um…well…" I am blushing I can feel it, but his amethyst eyes are so glimmering and incandescent it is hypnotic and my words fumble more than they should be. He hoods his eyes a fraction.

"Well?"

"Y-you…you help girls, don't you? Girls that…that…can't exactly…" His brow furrows in somewhat of surprise as I continue to babble in incoherent, fragmented, phrases and he steps back a little.

"Girls who can't speak in complete sentences?" He says with enough interest that the rest of the hosts are looking over, as well as most of the customers. A pair of Armani glasses glimmer unexpectedly in the light and reflect off of the pink atmosphere, making me almost stunned.

"With what would you require our services, princess Hoshiko?" The voice is coffee smooth as Tamaki scratches his head, trying to make sense of my dribble, and I set eyes on a boy with black hair and ebony eyes. He is smiling wryly at me, almost frightening in its glee.

"I…I was told that the Hosts helped girls who have troubles…and I…I have a very large trouble." I say softly and I look up at the proclaimed King of this establishment, almost pleading. The two twins from before edge forward, curious, and I suddenly realize that I might be acting very bold…perhaps, services are not directly acquired, perhaps you must win favor or points or some other system of merit before service is offered! My cheeks go fiery as I continue, Tamaki-kun and the boy he called Kyoya staring at me very intently, as though I might say something incredibly amazing at any given moment.

"I want to tell someone…that I'm very…well…g-" Suddenly, behind us there is a loud clamoring and many girls sit up in anticipation. I feel a rush of air as the door opens behind my back and the sound of skipping steps and a heavier tread enter the room

"Honey-kun!" One shouts and I turn around, only to come face to face with a very short boy I know rather well.

"Hoshiko-chan?" Mitsukuni stops short of the threshold to the room and looks at me, troubled, and out of the corner of my vision, Takashi-kun…stops as well.

I focus on Mitsukuni's face; his sweetness, his happy smile, his caramel eyes lit up in confusion at seeing me. I smile weakly, eyes crinkling in embarrassment.

"H-hello, Mitsukuni!" I say softly and he blinks, face melting into a familiar smile.

"What are you doing here Hoshiko-chan? Do you want to have cake with me? Did you come to see me today?" I hold up my hands defensively. Mitsukuni. Mitsukuni…and Takashi behind him, standing with his hands in his pockets, he looks nice today. I can smell him, as usual. He always smells like the outdoors, but in the good way. Like the way the sheets smell when our housemaid dries them outside. Clean linens. That's what Takashi smells like. Focus. Focus Hoshiko. If you don't, you'll see his face and then Kami knows what will occur.

I shake my head, unable to divert myself for much longer in the face of the enemy, tears already starting to leak from my eyes. My voice is becoming thick with words that are pent up, pushing against my lips, and I know that if I don't leave soon, something horrible will happen and I'll end up upset, but not in the good way.

These feelings…they make me…very sad.

"I…I was just stopping by, perhaps, I'll um…come tomorrow!"

"But you just got here, don't you at least want to sit down for a moment? Seems silly, coming all this way just to leave." The new voice is soft, surprisingly feminine as I open my eyes and turn back around, hands falling back into the folds of my yellow dress.

"Ah…" my words fall short and I realize that I'm staring into a huge pair of doe-like eyes. My head stops as I gaze into the pretty face of the Host before me, their head tilted to the side, eyes blinking.

"You came to have a host, didn't you? Or at least to talk to one, shouldn't you follow through if that's what you meant?" I am sucked into the face my head nodding, and then all of a sudden, a tear escapes the edge of my eyes and the Host's brow furrows in a troublesome way.

"Are you crying?" Suddenly, everyone's eyes are on me and I feel myself start to give way. Suoh-kun comes over again and looks into my face, and then he becomes concerned.

"You are crying, aren't you? Are you alright..." he trails off and looks at Mitsukuni, who only smiles sadly.

"Hoshiko-chan." He repeats and my throat closes up and Suoh-kun looks at me tenderly.

"A star? What a pretty name, but why is this star falling into tears?" I shake my head, wiping my eyes hastily. This is bad. This is bad.

"I'm not crying!" I say, though my voice breaks and it sounds too high for even my small body. I start shaking my hands as well and laughing nervously, "I'm just…um…yes, well, I have business to take care of, so um…yes I'll be…you know, going now!" Everyone stares at me as I fumble for the door, unable to open it properly in my distress.

And then, suddenly, with the fluidity of someone who is confident in every motion, a pale hand opens the door for me and I look up into the face I didn't want to see right now.

"Here." He says softly, and the door swings open, but I'm frozen. All this time I've been trying so hard not to think about him, but now.

He's done it again…he's been kind to me, he's done something nice for me, tried to help me.

The tears well up in my eyes as I stare up at him.

"Ah!" I cry, and then suddenly, I am not able to hold it in.

"AHHH!" I wail, covering my hands with my face, "Ah…Ahhh!" Tears pour out of my eyes like rivers, a horrible, knee-jerk reaction to seeing his handsome face staring at mine, the way whenever I see him, I just can't help it.

I fill up to the very, very tip top. I can't help it. I want to tell him how happy he makes me, how when I see him I remember his kindness and I just want to do one thing, the only thing I've wished I could do.

I see his face, and I want to say:

"Thank you."

For everything. For being kind to me. For letting me be allowed to see you, for being here every day.

And for so much more.

I am still sobbing as I run from the host club room.

I enter the bathroom with a clatter, turning on the taps and immediately splashing my face with water. After a moment, my shoulders stop shaking and I stop heaving for breath, but I look in the mirror and my face is still horribly puffy and red and not attractive in the least bit.

"You're hopeless." I say to myself in the mirror.

"Look at you, a senior in the most prestigious high school in the country and you can't stop crying." I wipe my eyes with one of the towels, nuzzling my face into the soft terry cloth.

"He'll never understand if I can't even tell him. He probably…he probably thinks I hate him. No, he's convinced. I just…I just wish I could tell him. How much he makes me feel so glad."

"Then you should. It's always best to tell your feelings in a straightforward manner." I raise my head suddenly and look in the mirror, frozen. The Host from before is peering into the bathroom with doe-like eyes before stepping in, hands held casually at his sides.

"Hi, we didn't get a proper chance to introduce ourselves. I'm Haruhi Fujioka, freshman." He smiles at me, his hand extended and I stare at his open palm. It's delicate and rather soft looking, so when I turn around I'm almost hesitant to touch it with my own fingers, but I do, because it's polite, and he has followed me all the way here. I smile weakly.

"Um…I'm…Hoshiko. Hoshiko Yuzumari, senior." He nods and opens the door to the bathroom and beckons me to follow him. Its then that I realize that he heard everything I said, and as soon as I exit the bathroom (as I've now come to realize that…he has…followed me in…) I find myself rather, uncomfortable, staring around at the host club (minus Takashi-kun and Mitsukuni respectively).

"Here she is. I don't know why you made me follow her, it's obvious she wanted to be alone senpai." The boy…Haruhi, goes to stand near the twins from before, but they are too busy looking at me to really pay much attention.

"Miss Hoshiko, may I ask, and do not fear that you need to be discreet, but did Mori-senpai do anything to harm you? You reacted rather violently, and Hunny-senpai has informed us that you have this kind of reaction every time you see him." Suoh-kun eases forward and I blink rapidly, and then, suddenly, as though a switch has turned, I begin to laugh.

"Oh…oh my!" I giggle, and they all stare at me like I'm crazy, which to an extent, I probably am. As I giggle Suoh-kun swallows nervously and turns to the ebony-haired one from before, Kyoya. He pushes his glasses up smoothly and takes a step towards my still laughing body.

"Hoshiko-senpai, I fail to see the humor here." I stop laughing at his seriousness and smile a little with a passing chuckle, a blush dusting my cheeks, eyes half opened as I stare at the ground, embarrassed.

"No…no it isn't, and I'm very sorry, but it's…it's just so absurd." I look up into the bright faces of the Host Club and let the breath ebb away from my lungs, "Takashi-kun has never been anything except friendly and kind to me…but it's that behavior that makes me so emotional I suppose. I don't really…well…you see…"

"Spit it out already, this is getting tedious." One of the twins says in a rough voice and his brother looks at him sharply.

"Hikaru, that's hardly the kind of way to talk!" Haruhi interjects, his small voice equally pointed in tone. I cough a tiny giggle into my hand, a nervous habit I've picked up when under pressure, "But honestly, it would be nice if you could just tell us." I lick my lips in apprehension as Haruhi turns back, his expression slightly less violent and a bit more deadpan than before. I bob my head accordingly and take a deep breath.

"Since middle school I've had this problem. Whenever I see Takashi-kun, I just can't stop crying. It's like all my emotions get to be too much and I can't control them anymore…but it isn't because I hate Takashi-kun. Not at all," Tamaki-kun looks at me with respect as I speak and I feel myself spurred on a little more than before as the words come tumbling quietly out of my mouth.

"It's because…because I've had such trouble, and it's silly because, I should feel nothing but content. I mean, honestly, I'm richer than most of the world, I have two parents that look after me and a Sister I love very much, but…for some reason I end up feeling very lonely. Especially in Middle School, when Sister moved away. But, Takashi-kun, he's always been so kind, and it's almost as if…as if he understood that I was struggling and he always did small things to help me…so whenever, whenever I see him…"

"All your feelings come out at once." I look up suddenly and Tamaki-kun is gazing at me knowingly, "It's not because you hate him, but rather, you like him too much, correct?" I nod softly and look at the marble beneath our feet.

"But there's one problem…I've never thanked him. Not once. Every time I try, I start getting hysterical. That's all I wish for. Before graduation…just once, I'd like to thank him. Really thank him for being my friend, even though I've caused him nothing but trouble."

The group is silent as I speak, and I continue to stare at the marble, touching a corner of it with my polished shoe.

"I've tried so hard, but I'm running out of time. So when I heard that you…you help girls…I…I…I had to come." My last sentence is a whisper and I feel my heart inflating, just a little as I speak.

"I don't know what we can do for you." I feel my hands clench in my skirt, the feeling instantly evaporating as Tamaki-kun continues, "But don't fear…we will try anything to help you. It'll be complicated, seeing as Mori-senpai is one of our own, but…we'll definitely try."

I can feel myself bowing, waves of relief coursing through me as I bend myself in half in front of the chairman's beautiful son.

"Thank you." I whisper, a tears hitting the marble below me, the feeling now rival to any feeling I've ever had before.

"Thank you."

(POV Change)

"Kyoya?" The host king walked slowly beside his friend as they exited Ouran.

"Hai, Tamaki." The brunette said vaguely, checking an email on his phone for a brief moment before shutting it with a snap. The blonde looked up to the sky, watching the sun drift behind clouds of pink and white and orange.

"Who is she? I'm sure you know." Kyoya smirked and sighed.

"She's been going to Ouran all her life. She has a very successful older sister named Mai Yuzumari who married into the family of the richest shipping heir in Japan. Her parents are very wealthy respectfully, though an older pair. I've met them once or twice at my Father's business Galas. They are decent people."

Tamaki smiled to himself.

"She is a good girl Kyoya. I don't think she means any harm, do you?" Kyoya shrugged and stood beside his car, watching as Tamaki stood beside his own.

"I doubt if her motives are bad Tamaki, but I don't doubt that there is more to this than her simply wanting to say thank you."

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