Don't Trust First Appearances

Chapter Nine

Kagome was a bit nervous about encountering the Host Club again today. They had made plans to go to the beach—somewhere Haruhi actually wanted to go— and forewarned Kagome this time as to not anger her. The others dropped the matter of her apology, however, it was Kyoya who she was worried about. He seemed pretty pissed off, and she knew that he would try to get revenge in his own strange way. She would definitely have to stay on lookout.

Kagome was snapped out of her musings as she was suddenly tackled by Shippo. "Come on Kagome! Look more cheerful. We're going to the beach." Yep, Shippo was going along. He said something about being left out too much and wanting some quality. She couldn't really blame him. He was playful by nature. His status as CEO didn't really suit him in her eyes, but she guessed that he had to do something with his life, plus his companies made life more fun for others.

"Hai. Hai. I'm coming." The priestess placed a finger on her chin while glancing upwards slightly. Was she forgetting something? Let's see. She had clothes, pyjamas, swimsuit, toothbrush, and all that other bathroom junk that she needed. They would be staying overnight after all. She didn't want to show up just to discover that she was forgetting something. That would be nerve racking and stressful if it was something important. "I think I have everything."

"No worries," cheered the fox demon. "If we did forget anything, we'll just have to go shopping." He, unlike Kagome, was in the right mind frame for a vacation. Completely relax with an open mind. "If you over think everything, you won't be as excited to go so stop worrying."

Kagome turned to Shippo for her gaze to soften. Her eyes fluttered shut. She sighed releasing a tremendous amount of temporary stress. She used her hands to smack her face a few times before opening her eyes once again feeling refreshed. She was use to over packing and worrying about packing from travelling to the Feudal Era a few years ago. It had just become a habit.

"Arigato,"she said just above a whisper.

Shippo took no mind as he just ran over to Kagome again and dragged her out of the mansion down the long path to his yellow ferrari. This resulted at Kagome already yelling at him for forgetting their luggage.

"Got it," he answer immediately running back to the mansion to retrieve all their stuff.

Kagome pinched her nose. Now she remembered why she wasn't relaxing. Apparently she had to be the responsible one—not that it surprised her, but it would have been nice to have a break.

Shippo came running back so fast that he was literally sending the dirt he ran on flying behind him in a smoky way. Kagome sweatdrop. It wasn't like they were in a rush, but he must have been pretty excited to have a break since she always made him work.

She did have to admit though: it was a nice car.

Getting in the passenger, she buckled her seat belt. She began to feel uneasy when Shippo sat in the driver's seat with a large grin stretched across his face. "You ready?" Without waiting for a response, Shippo floored the acceleration causing them to travel at an immense speed. "Okinawa, here we come!"

While Shippo was enjoying himself, especially with the breeze of the wind blow in the direction of his face blowing his hair back.

Kagome on the other hand immediately reached for the handle just inside of the door for protection as she screamed at first. She slowly became accustomed to it, but never fully trusted him with full control of driving.

XxXxXxX

Haruhi sighed. She was dragged to the beach. Sure she had said that she wouldn't have minded, but the other hosts didn't even give her a choice.

Gazing out to the water she admitted that the scenery was at least nice.

However, glancing at everyone present—nobody had said anything about all their customers being their too. She sighed. It was suppose to be relaxing, but it seemed to turn into something troublesome. Tamaki was hosting out on a rock by the water, Honey and Mori were doing stretches, the twins were playing volleyball, and Kyoya was off to the side writing about who knows what. It was then that she noticed that Kagome wasn't there.

"Ne, Kyoya-senpai... where's Kagome-kun?" Haruhi was still looking for her friend. She seemed excited about going to the beach.

Kyoya didn't even glance in her direction when he responded, "He should be arriving soon." He smirked. He finally looked at Haruhi with sharp eyes. "Why? Are you concerned that much about Kagome-senpai?" He waited for her to act unusual like she did regularly. Kyoya was both disappointed that he didn't get a rise out of her and surprised by the action.

Haruhi smiled radiantly towards Kyoya. Worried? Not at all. "No. Kagome-kun is more than capable to take care of himself." Slightly mutter she added, "Unlike some others," while watching the other hosts frolic.

"Honestly? Not at all?"

"Nope. Kagome-kun is a good friend, but he also has his own life. It's not like somebody has to know what he is doing every moment. That would be stalker-ish anyhow." Haruhi added a thought while staring out at the large body of water, it will be nice to have her here though. A friend that is. With all the Host Club's antics she hasn't really gotten much time with Kagome lately. She shouldn't be complaining because ever since she discovered they went to the same school they were getting more time together. But ever since Kagome shared her secret, she couldn't help but feel closer.

Haruhi kept gazing softly out at the ocean until a large motor sound hit her ears. Her head snapped around to see an expensive vehicle. For once it wasn't a limo though. Instead it was some yellow car. Haruhi didn't know much about cars, so she didn't know the model.

The driver's door opened. The brunette had to blink and take a second look. She knew him. He looked very familiar. The lightbulb suddenly went off as she remembered. He was Shippo Akitsune. She had met him when she went to the amusement park with Kagome.

Haruhi couldn't help but slip, "Why is he here?"

Kyoya answered her question once he reached her side. His notebook no longer with him. "Kagome-senpai did say that he would like to join. How could we refuse such a CEO when he doesn't associate with many families."

Haruhi sweatdrop. So this was all his business plan. Looking back at the green-eyed man, he didn't look like someone who would be kept withdrawn from others.

"Haruhi-chan~" Looking slightly left from Shippo she could see Kagome waving at her.

In a second Shippo made it to Haruhi's side (the side Kyoya wasn't on) and began to pat her head. "Hiya Haruhi! Long time no see! I think you've grown another inch.

Haruhi was still bewildered by his personality.

If the Shadow King's expression was any indication, so was he. He couldn't believe that the man ran a large corporation with that personality.

A few of the Ouran girl approached Shippo all giddy. "Um... ano... who are you?"

In that moment everyone seem to temporarily gather around. "Shippo Akitsune. Nice to meet you all."

Haruhi—who still stood next to him— stared up. She could clearly see his eyes. The light in them. They dimmed compared to a moment ago. The brightness was still there, but it was as if he wasn't as happy.

Girls started squealing, and Haruhi wisely chose to take a few steps back avoiding the ushering girls.

Hikaru and Kaoru stood on either side of Haruhi and whistled. "He sure attracts attention."

"That's Shippo for you." Kagome watched all the girls be all mushy with him. "Really... well, at least there is never a dull moment with him." Muttering she added, "Not that there's a peaceful moment either."

"Is he your guardian, Kago-chan?" Honey approached the group with his cousin. The blond's eyes were filled with curiosity.

"You can just call me Kagome you know." Kagome looked into his watery eyes as if saying that it was cuter when he said it that way. "But yes he is. One of them anyway. Though it often seems like I'm his guardian." The hosts taking another glance at Shippo who was flattering girls immediately saw how that was possible. He appeared...flamboyant? There was probably a better word, but that word escaped all their minds.

Kagome just took notice of the one host not present in this little conversation of theirs: Tamaki Suoh. "Hey... Where's Tamaki?"

Haruhi just took notice as Kagome asked that.

"Don't worry Kago-chan. Tama-chan is over there." Everyone watched Tamaki in his corner of woe by a large boulder. Apparently the girls were more interested in Shippo at the moment. Her eyebrow twitched. Same old Tamaki.

XxXxXxXxX

It took a while but Kyoya had finally calmed the girls down and everything went back to as average club activities. Well that was until the guys all decided to discover Haruhi's weakness. Kagome stared at them incredulously. She knew her fear, but with things how they were, they were never going to discover it. Shrugging it off, she came to the conclusion that it didn't matter. If they wanted to waste their time, they could.

Kagome was brought back into a conversation with her designees. "So Kagome-kun, how long have you known Shippo?"

"Does it matter?" Though Kagome was beginning to patch things up with the hosts, didn't mean she liked hosting. It was degrading. She was a girl, and couldn't say, and still so something so ridiculous.

That was why they liked her though (oddly). She was unattainable. It was still like a contest.

"Are you close?"

"Hn."

"Do you—"

Kagome couldn't handle it anymore. One more question and she would go crazy. Didn't they ever get the hint that she wasn't going to announce her life story. "Excuse me ladies, there is something I must do." She swiftly escaped without another word.

XxXxXxX

Honey and Mori were doing stretches with their guests. "Do you mind having one more?" Hearing a familiar voice they turned to face Kagome.

"Of course Kago-chan!" Mitsukuni took one of her hands and dragged her to their grouping.

Kagome's muscles relaxed when the girls left to go play in the water. This was the time they used to discover Haruhi's fear. To be more specific, Mitsukuni tried. He and Haruhi went into the back of the truck and it was really dark.

Kagome didn't really know what happened in there, but as soon as she heard Honey yell for the truck to be open, the officers immediately opened the back where he came rushing out at the smallest opening, and gripped tightly to the closest thing for security; it just so happen to be Kagome.

To Kagome this was all to awkward. She brought him into a hug and rubbed the back of his head. She didn't know what else to do.

XxXxXxX

Haruhi, Kagome, and a few other girls were up on a small cliff looking at the beautiful view as the sun set across the ocean. It was a breathtaking sight.

"Lucky! Hey Girls, let's play together," said two drunk men who waltz up the miniature cliff.

"What are you doing here," said one of the girls bravely. It was a private beach. There wasn't suppose to be anyone else there. Especially not some stupid, perverted, drunk, commoner boys.

Haruhi threw seashells at the boys. "Would you go away now? They don't want you here."

Kagome stood just as fierce. "And that wasn't an options. You will leave." Her arms were crossed, and her determined eyes just dared them to do something.

"Haruhi-kun! Kagome-kun!" Cried the girls, relieved that they were there with them to protect them.

"Go."

"Alright. We'll get help." They needn't be told twice. While they preoccupied the trespassers, the girls ran by hoping to find someone for help.

The first guy yelled in frustration

XxXxXxXxX

Shippo's ears twitched. There was a commotion. He began to run—at a human's pace—speed in that direction.

XxXxXxXxX

"Haruhi!" Kagome ran to Haruhi and caught her wrist to stop her from falling off the cliff.

Haruhi, who had shut her eyes tight, opened her eyes slowly surprised that she hadn't fallen. Well to be more correct hadn't fallen yet. She was currently hanging of a cliff with Kagome hanging on to her wrist with both hands.

Kagome managed to start pulling Haruhi back up, but the studious host saw the approaching male figures behind not wanting to give Kagome a chance to save her.

"Kagome—" Haruhi started to warn when she was hoisted up the rest of the way only to be kicked which pushed her with just enough force to sent her off the cliff. Kagome was quick to adjust. She was a good swimmer after all. She was still more concerned with Haruhi who was still up with the two ass'.

XxXxXxXxX

Shippo had finally made it to the scene and he was not pleased. He saw Kagome's heroic act to save Haruhi. She did a good job, however they threw her into the water. He felt outrage, and began to gain a dark demeanor. The guys weren't done either. They still picked on Miroku's and Sango's descendent. The person he watch grow since day one. He never told Kagome any of that, but he had been paying close attention to the family. He never interacted with her personally until that limo ride to his amusement park, however, that didn't mean he wasn't there or didn't want to. He had some sort of attachment and protectiveness over her.

The drunks darkly chuckled enjoying Kagome's fall. He knew she was a strong swimmer and was fairly athletic, so he wasn't as concerned. He wanted her to be okay, but right now his top priority was the girl in front of him: Haruhi Fujioka. After all, he knew that she was a horrible athlete. She even opted out of physical education.

The two pushed her over... again, but the two were pushed to the ground as Shippo ran between them catching her hand.

Haruhi looked up. This was familiar. Didn't it happen just a few moments ago? She looked up to her saviour. She was honestly surprised when she looked up into gentle yet hard, serious eyes. They were so intense to his previous lively expression.

"Grab my hand." Shippo offered his other hand, so it would be easier to aid her up. He helped her up. Both finally stood securely on their feet while the idiots rise again.

"Who are you?" The trespasser punched his fist twisting it slightly.

Haruhi tried to explain the situation about Kagome to Shippo, but it never happen. Shippo cut her off saying that he already knew. He covered Haruhi's eyes with a hand as he pulled her back towards his chest.

"What are you—" Haruhi was confused what he was doing. More so at his response.

"You shouldn't have to see this." Really what was there to see! They were being harassed and attacked.

Shippo brought his other hand (the one not covering Haruhi's eyes) to chest height. Palm flat out. Even the drunks were confused. Suddenly a fire emitted above his hand.

"You should have never come here." The tip of their pants suddenly caught fire. If Shippo had control over it, they would burn to death for their acts. At the very least get some nasty burns. He quickly rid all the fire though as the other hosts gathered at the top with a murderous intent. They didn't see the fire, but one thing could be said.

The trespassers would definitely regret their actions.