Ninja Star

I Didn't Think He'd Notice

"Hold your head still!" Kaoru forced Star's head forward. He was brushing and drying her short silver-y hair. Upon her arrival at the Hitachiin residence that morning, the twins had hustled Star into a restroom and forced her to bathe and wash her hair thoroughly. The twins had left her new Ouran uniform on the bathroom counter. When star opened the bag and admired the buttercup yellow dress, she was overtaken by both excitement and fear. It didn't make her feel any better that she had never worn a dress before.

"I'm so tired though!" Star whined while Hikaru dusted a hefty amount of concealing powder over her scar. The twins both agreed that if she wanted to fit in at school, she would have to look relatively normal. Her bleached hair and two-colored eyes already pushed the envelope, a big star carved into her face wasn't going to make her fit in any better. Kaoru continued to rake through her hair with an assortment of brushes.

"I don't understand how you're tired all the time," Kaoru shook his head and rummaged through a box of hair accessories. He handed Star a headband that was the same maroon color as the bow at the collar of her dress. She put in her hair and admired her reflection in the mirror Hikaru placed in front of her, "it's as if you never sleep."

Star froze. She shot a sideways glance at Hikaru who nonchalantly shook his head as if to signal, He knows nothing.

The twins hopped out of the limousine and grabbed their school bags. Star lingered on her seat for a moment, unable to remember the last time she had ridden in a car, let alone a limo. She rubbed her hand over the leather seat once and exited the vehicle like the twins before her. They waited impatiently at the front gates for Star, but she was too busy gawking at the sheer size of Ouran and its constant stream of kids hurrying through the gate.

"Come on, we'll take you sightseeing later! If we don't hurry we'll be late for the Host Club meeting." Hikaru explained as he dragged her through the hallways, Star still staring wide-eyed at everyone and everything. Many of the Ouran students stopped and stared at Star's outlandish looks. Hikaru hadn't noticed, but Star was trembling ever so slightly.

She snapped back to focus when she was abruptly halted at a huge set of doors. A sign above them explained that they had arrived at Music Room 3. "This is where the Host Club meets and operates."

"Hikaru, are you sure she should come inside with us? It'll be pretty hectic," Kaoru whispered to his brother. Hikaru looked like he was considering this. "She could wait in one of the libraries until classes start." Kaoru suggested.

"You guys are going to abandon me?" Star overheard their hushed conversation. "No way! I'm going with you," Star pushed the Host Club doors open. The twins gasped.

Star paid them no mind and stepped into the well-lit room. A tall boy with short, black hair was seated at a table reading a book. The little boy seated across from him was shoveling cake into his mouth. A boy with glasses glanced up from his computer. His glasses glinted though there was no shift of light. Hikaru and Kaoru rushed inside behind Star as Kyoya acknowledged the new girl.

"Hello, Mademoiselle. I'm sorry to tell you, but hosting hours won't start until club period."

"It's okay, Kyoya-senpai, she's our cousin. This is her first day in high school." The twins told their vice-president in perfect synchrony. Kyoya nodded and scribbled in the notebook he kept handy. He bowed slightly and introduced himself, "I'm Kyoya Ootori, second-year and Host Club vice-president."

She curtsied, "Star Hitachiin, first-year. It's nice to meet you." The twins nodded. Star recited her greeting just as they had her practice.

From the doors a graceful blonde boy flowed into the room. His eyes lit up as he approached Star. He lifted her hand and kissed it gently. "Hello, Princess," he smiled sweetly at her and bowed. "You're Hikaru and Kaoru's cousin. Star, if I heard correctly?" The boy asked. Star nodded. "I'm Tamaki Suou, Host Club King!" He said in a very princely manner.

"Suou, as in the hotel franchise?" Star asked him. The Suou family owned her favorite building in town. The quaint hotel on whose roof she had watched the sun set so many times before. It was Tamaki's turn to nod. "Hikaru told me about you." Star grinned at the thought off all the pranks Hikaru and Kaoru played on the boy standing before her. Tamaki gave Star a funny look, but before he could ask another question, the short blonde boy interrupted.

"Hi Star-chan!" The short boy's eyes glittered. It puzzled Star as to why he'd be wearing a high school uniform. He left his cake at the table when he bounded up from his seat, stuffed bunny in hand, and glommed onto Star. His tall companion rose with him and stopped a few feet behind the embrace.

Suddenly, he spoke: "Mitskuni." His voice was deep enough for Star to drown in. "Don't throw yourself at her. She's uncomfortable."

Star would never admit it to the little boy, but his tight embrace was making her, indeed, very uncomfortable. He released her and took a step back, looking sad. "Sorry," he said quietly.

Star was quick to pat his shoulder and reassure him, "it's fine." She didn't like to see the little boy unhappy. He is so adorable! Star thought.

The boy beamed. "Star-chan, come have cake with me." He grabbed her by the hand and dragged her over to the little table he was sitting at before, apparently over his brief sadness. When Star nervously glanced back at the other boys they were all smiles. "My name is Mitskuni but everyone calls me Honey!" He grinned as he cut Star a piece of the strawberry cake on the table. He placed it on a china plate and handed her a silver fork. "That's my cousin Takashi over there," He gestured to the tall boy with short hair whom he had been sitting with originally. "Everyone calls him Mori," he explained, watching Star take a bite of her cake. Her pupils grew as wide as saucers.

"This is fantastic!" She pointed at her cake with her fork. Honey giggled, "Have you never had cake before?"

"I have, but I only ever get it for my birthday. We don't buy sweets too much at my house." Star failed to mention that the little cakes that Ivy bought for her on her birthday every year were the day-olds from a family owned bakery in town.

"Kyo-chan always makes sure we have really good cake for the guests, and me too!" He grinned and took another bite. Star did also; she relished the taste of her first true piece of cake.

That would be the day of many firsts: her first day of school, her first time wearing a dress, her first time riding in a limousine, her first piece of cake…

The first time one of her victims ever recognized her.

While Star was talking and eating cake with Honey, it went unnoticed to her that a seventh boy had entered the room through one of the big wooden doors. His, or rather, her name was Haruhi Fujioka.

Star had finished her piece of cake, and was wiping her mouth with one of the fabric napkins on the table. In doing so, she managed to wipe a bit of the concealing makeup off of her cheek without realizing.

Honey was quick to notice something out-of-place. He took his napkin and leaned over the table. Star had turned her head toward Hikaru who was asking when another member was going to arrive so they could start the meeting. Honey startled her when he started rubbing the napkin on the side of her face.

Star jumped back, "What are you doing?" She touched her fingers to her scarred cheek. When she pulled them back, there was loose powder on the tips.

Honey opened his mouth to explain his actions, when the missing Host Club member burst through the door, huffing and puffing.

"I'm here! We can start now!" He said. Star looked up from looking at her face in a teaspoon from the table. She was trying to see how much of the makeup Honey had rubbed off.

All of it was gone.

"Finally, Haruhi, you're here." Hikaru groaned, "Can we start now?"

Star's unusual one-blue-one-green eyed gaze met the new host's dark brown one.

Star froze when she placed a memory to the face.
A familiar alleyway on the residential side of the city, a closed window, six casually dressed boys, and one victim. "Haruhi, Haruhi come see this!"

Haruhi had recognized Star too. Her hand went up to her cheek, to the thin scar from a smooth blade. Star did the same, her fingers pressed over her trademark star.

And in the company of six thoroughly confused high school boys, and despite their well-composed personalities,
they both screamed.