Hi! Please forgive me for the late chapter. I have been super busy! Please review! :) I own nothing except for Kaede and Mr. Hitori!

Chapter 4: Exotic?

"So far away
I wish you were here
Before it's too late, this could all disappear
Before the doors close
And it comes to an end
With you by my side I will fight and defend
I'll fight and defend
Yeah, ye-"

My alarm didn't get to finish the song before I quickly slammed my hand on it making it shut up. I'm not a morning person at all. I regret putting it as my wake-up song.
My home might be Germany but I spent my summer vacation in America earlier this year. Since I am the daughter of a spy, I had to go with my Vati on some of his business trips. Even though my Vati was usually busy, It felt like a vacation to me. But I never found out what kind of work my father does. All I know is that he has a lot of business parteners from all over the world. America was my favorite place to visit. I relive in memories as I start getting ready for school.
After eating the pancakes, my favorite breakfast, that Ayame fixed, I leave to start my walk to school. I reached my destination within five minutes of the last bell. After entering, I went straight to Mr. Honda's room.

"Good morning, Haruhi." I say to the girl in front of me.

"Morning, Kaede." She responds and give me a small smile.

"Hey Kaede-kun," I hear a twin say as if he is going to ask me a question. Hikaru? Kaoru?

"Yes?"

"Do you like the beach?" Both twins question.

"Not really. Why?"

"The host club is taking a trip to the beach in a few days." Haruhi answers before the twin devils opened their mouths.

"Oh."

"And since you're our dog," Said Hikaru.

"You have to come. It's only for two and a half days. " Kaoru finishes for his twin.

"Okay, but you guys cannot force me to go swimming. "

"Why not?" The twins ask in unison. They both have a mischievous glint in their golden brown eyes

"I hate swimming."

"Kyoya's gonna raise your debt." The boys tease.

'I could care less about what that wealthy brat is going to do.' I think while getting a headache. There's just something about the twins that cause me to have a short fuse. Now that I realized it, I'm not as quiet as I was before meeting the Host club. Addison would be proud of me, since he was the more talkative twin. He always tried to get me to be more open with other people.

"I don't care. I am not swimming." I said while getting annoyed. Honestly, I really didn't want them to know about my fear of water. I didn't really tell Haruhi what went on inside that prison. Cattivo's punishments created this fear. Well its not really a fear of water per say... it's fear of drowning.

"Suite yourself." they both say as they shift their bodies to listen to Mr. Honda.

The rest of my day went by really slow. Most of the stuff the teachers are teaching is stuff I already know. It's a good thing in a way because it easier to keep my grades up. I wouldn't want to lose my scholarship.

I was about to walk into the club room when Richbuttglassespants texted me telling me to go get more coffee. How in the heck did glasses get my number? I sighed as I traveled to the commoner's market. Haruhi told me the brand she would buy when she was the 'errand boy'. I'm tired of being their dog. I remember how I said that I would die before I joined the host club and now look where I'm at. Oh,Thankfully, the coffee was half off so I was able to buy a lot of it. I'm hoping this will last the club for a while. Although, I really doubt it knowing how many customers they get a day. It's a good thing Kyoya told me to get coffee, which means that I won't have to talk to Tamaki until after club activities. He's going to kill me when he finds out what happened. It would be a good idea if I told him in private if he starts yelling at me.

Ten minutes later I walk through the door with a sack full of coffee, I set my bag with the almost priceless beloved toy and the other bear by the table I usually sit at. When I looked up I saw a girl sitting there. "Oh hello Keiji-san, how may I help you?" I asked her giving her a small smile.

"Oh I don't need anything thank you. I just wanted to ask you some questions. Please, call me Akira." The girl is one of Tamaki's regular customers.

"Oh okay. May I ask, Why?" I say while thinking the most worst outcomes possible. I take a seat across from her.

"I just want to know more about you incase you become a Host. Think of it as a trial-run" She smiles before continuing,
"So Kae-kun, what are your hobbies?"

"My hobbies? Well I enjoy history and I love to read. What are yours?"

"My favorite thing to do is draw."

"Oh really? That's cool. I wish I could draw. You should bring some of your drawing for me to see. Only if you want to." I said.

"If you like me to, I could teach you."

"You would? Yes, thank you I would like that." I give her a small smile.

She returns the smile and restarts her questioning,

"Um what does your dad do for a living?"

"H-he worked at a flower shop before he died." I tell her before a frown forms on my face. I feel bad for lying to people. Actually, what I said wasn't all a lie. My Vati did own a flower ship called, Schon Blume. But still, it's not right to lie to people. A tear slides down my cheek in shame. I get anger at myself and wipe it away quickly.

"I'm sorry, Kae-kun! I didn't mean to upset you! Please forgive me!" She exclaims. Her voice brought caused the host club and the customers at their tables to look our way. My cheeks redden in embarrassment. Akira notices and her cheeks turn a brighter shade.

"It's okay. You didn't know. I forgive you. Would you like a cup of coffee?" I say while trying to quickly change the subject.

She reaches out and grabs my hand. "Yes I would. Thank you Kae-kun." She said as she squeezed my hand.

I get up from my sit and carry the sack of coffee into the kitchen.

"Wow he's pretty good." Hikaru whispers his brother from their table.

"His tears look real." Said Kaoru noticing the tear track on Kaede's cheek.

"That is the act of a true host." Tamaki says dramatically while looking like he has an idea.

"Seems like Tono might have some competition pretty soon. If Kaede becomes a host." The Kaoru says while watching Kaede return to his table with a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, If he becomes a host." Hikaru said as he got bored and returned to his customers.

"It would profit the host club." Kyoya says as the rest of the club members goes back to what they were doing.

"Here you go, Akira-san." I tell her say I sit down with a beautiful cup in my hand. 'Hmm, Ginori. No wonder why my debt is so high. Wealthy brats.' I think while looking closely at the tea-cup. The clock strikes five, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I'm sorry princesses but I'm afraid the host club is closing up for today. I hope you all come back tomorrow" Tamaki Suoh informs the ladies while giving them all his host smile.

"Thank you for sitting me today, Akira-san. I can't wait for you to teach me how to draw." I say to her while giving her a smile.

The girls and Akira leave making the room quiet once again. Well it was quite peaceful, until the twins start to chase Haruhi which caused Tamaki to get involved. Mori and Honey had to go do something so they left after club activities ended. I catch Tamaki's arm as he runs past me.

"Tamaki-Senpai, may I talk to you? Alone?"

"Why yes of course you may."

I grab my bag and lead him into a room. I closed the door behind me. Taking a deep breath before I began talking. "Tamaki-Senpai I am very sorry about your bear and the tea-cup. I am so sorry. I'm still trying to fix it so you can have this one until then." I rambled and pulled out the makeshift bear.

"It's oka-" He stops speaking when something in my bag catches his attention. Tamaki reaches his hand in my bag and pulls out his hot pink teddy bear. I shifted my look away from him but I had the feeling that he was glaring at me. Once I met his violet eyes my thoughts were wrong. Instead of being angry, his face is soft and kind. "I forgive you Kaede-kun. Actually, I like it better. Hot pink is my mother's favorite color." He tells me while smiling. His smile wasn't his host one, this smile was genuine. His smile causes me to give him a shy one of my own.

"Oh, I just remembered something. I have thought a lot lately and I think you are now ready to become a Host!"

"W-hat? But I thought you forgave me!" I flabbergasted.

"I did. But we had to cancel club activities that day and you broke a specialzed teacup so you know have to have 75 requests! And you have to teach the club and I some commoner ways!" Tamaki exclaims. He seemed excited to see another 'commoner' house.

"Why? Besides, I have work tonight." I said.

"Then it's settled. We will visit you at work and you will teach us another time!" Tamaki tells me as he leaves the room.

'Could life get anymore worse?' I sigh as I followed Tamaki.

"Bye guys. I'll see you later, I guess." I tell the club as I grabbed my bag and walked out the door.

"Hello Hitori-sama!" I say to my boss as I walked into the bookstore.

"Ah hello there Kaede-san. You are here early."

"You're going to get some visitors soon. A few of my friends from school want to see where I work."

"That is fine, Kaede-san. I am glad that you are making friends!" Mr. Hitori tells me before continuing,
"Oh and Naomi called in sick today, is it okay if you took over her shift? She's closing tonight." Hitoshi tells me from his spot behind the counter.

"Yes, that's fine." I'm so glad we have two days off starting tomorrow.

"Thank you." He replies before he gets a customer

Right when I clocked in to start my shift, I heard an all too familiar bell ring.

"Welcome to Hitori's Heion Honya! How may I help you?" I greeted the visitors with my normal shy smile then I frown once I got a better look at them.

"THAT WAS SO POLITE!" I heard a voice shout and said person tackled me in a big hug.

"Tamaki-senpai, please get off of me." I told the way too excited blonde.

"My son is so mean." Tamaki replies as he starts ripping paper.

"Senpai!" I groaned knowing that I'll have to clean that up later.

"Kaede-san, I'll have you know that jobs at strictly forbidden at Ouran Academy." Kyoya told me with his pen and notebook in hand. 'Seriously, what the heck is in that thing?'

"I talked with Suoh-san and he made an exception." Mr. Hitori explained to the Shadow King.

They started talking about business which I got bored quickly and started to look around the store. I saw the twins calmly to my surprise playing on their Nintendo 3DS on the couch. Mori and Honey well mostly Honey was looking at the bakery, while Tamaki was still in his corner of woe uttering how we all hate him and stuff like that. I then realized that one member was missing.

"Where's Haruhi?" I asked to no one in particular.

"She went shopping." Mori answered, breaking his streak of one word sentences.

"Oh. Lucky." I whispered quietly so I wouldn't offend the Host club.

I was putting up books when Tamaki's voice brought my attention to him sitting on a table in the middle of the bookstore.

"In case you guys don't know, we need to figure out a type for Kaede!" Tamaki yelled and was instantly quieted by a flying book and a 'shh' from Mr. Hitori.

He continued, much quieter, well as quiet as Tamaki's voice can get, "Any suggestions?"

"Boring." One of the twins said, Kaoru? I think? You would think that me being a twin would magically give me the ability to tell the difference but sadly the world doesn't work like that. Maybe I'll be able to tell them apart soon.

"I think Kae-kun would be the shy type, right Takashi?" Honey says as he looks up at his tall friend.

Mori says, "Yeah." 'Man, he has a deep voice.' I think to myself until I heard gears start working.

I glared at the twin who called me boring before watchinng a stage come up out of the floor with a girl on top of it.

"Hohohohohoho! It was brought to my attention that you guys need help! In my opinion, Kaede should be the exotic type!" The girl said. 'When did that get there?!'

"Okay, but how is he 'exotic', Renge?" A twin said. 'So her name's Renge..'

"His foreign accent and looks of course! Kaede is distant because of the love he never received as a child! Oh, you poor tortured soul!" I zoned Renge out as she started making up stories about my "childhood".

"It fits perfectly!" Tamaki says as he gives me another hug and rubs his cheek with mine. Causing my face to turn red in embrassment.

"Boss, you may want to stop that." The twins warned.
Tamaki ignores them and continues what he's doing.

I sighed deeply hopeing my blush disappeared before speaking, "Thank you guys for visiting me but may you please leave?"

Tamaki looks at me with puppy-dog eyes. "You don't want us here?"

"Not really." I deadpanned. Only Tamaki seemed affected as he retreats to a dark corner.

"Son is mean. He must hate me." Tamaki says as he draws a circle on the floor.

The twins start laughing and teasing Tamaki.

Two hamster homes, twenty mushrooms, a broken finger, an hour, and an add to my debt later, (don't ask) I finally got rid of the Host club and continued my shift.

When I finished my shift, a book left of the table caught my eye. After reading the title of the book, 'Divergent' I opened the first page and was surprised to find something written in it.

"To Kaede, I thought you might like this book. A friend of mine just finished it not too long ago and hopefully you will get a chance to read it soon. The host club is a great group of people and I can tell they care a lot about you. Thank you for closing tonight. Your boss, Rikiya Hitori." I read out loud.

I held the book to my chest as I locked the door to the café/bookstore and walked home in the dark. When I got home I remembered that the Host club was going to the beach over the weekend and I still haven't packed my bag. I think it's a good idea to go ahead and pack my bag. It's a three day weekend so theres no classes on Friday. I walked past the kitchen when a letter caught my eye. I scanned over the letter, a part of me sighed and another part of me felt very nervous. The note told me that Ayame had to return to Germany immediately (Hopefully because of orders to rescue my family) and that the lease on the rent house expires in a week. So now I'll have to pay for everything. But that's okay, I'm sure that I make enough money to do so. At least its only for another week.

After I finished packing, I finally looked at the clock. The red numbers were 4:08 a.m. and I realized that going to sleep would be useless. So I wrapped myself in blankets on the couch and started to read the book Mr. Hitori gave me.

Thank you for reading :)