"This is the first time you come here, isn't it, Tachibana-san?" I asked my guest. I nipped from my tea and glanced over my cup at the girl in front of me.
The uneasy feeling she gave me was still not gone. "Yes, it's indeed the first time that I come to the host club." Tachibana-san replied.
I shivered under her gaze. "May I ask you why you requested me?"
Tachibana-san smiled."I wished to talk to you but I didn't dare to approach you in the classroom."
"You want to talk with me? About what?"
Tachibana-san's cheeks colored slightly red. "You see, I have always liked Hikaru-kun… but I was afraid of being rejected so I didn't confess but now I think I'm ready for it, I want him to know my feelings before it's too late…" She blushed deeper. "But I don't know how I should make my confession." She whispered the last words, quickly peeking at the twins as if she was afraid they heard us.
"You like Hikaru? You can tell them apart?" I asked surprised.
"Of course!" Tachibana-san answered. "Hikaru-kun is more handsome and kinder than Kaoru-kun."
I frowned. They look exactly the same, so how can one twin be more handsome than the other?
Tachibana-san nipped from her tea, shyly avoiding eye contact with me.
Her ears turned red. "I hoped… That Haruhi-kun could help me with my confession."
"You want me to help with your confession?" I asked surprised, a little bit confused. Was my intuition wrong? Maybe Tachibana-san wasn't a bad person. Did I become paranoid after everything that happened? I watched Tachibana-san nip from her tea again.
I should just wait and see, maybe my feelings about Tachibana-san were wrong.
"Why me?" I asked.
"Well, it's logical isn't it? You three are always together and I can't ask Kaoru-kun for help so I thought I should ask you for help." She looked hopefully at me. I don't think that Hika-niichan has any feelings for her or any girl at the moment but it would be sad if she couldn't express her feelings to him.
"Haruhi-kun, will you help?" she asked.
I smiled and nodded. "Of course I'll help."
Tachibana-san smiled relieved. "Thank you very much, Haruhi-kun."
"But how do you want me to help?"
"I'll give you the details tomorrow in the class." Tachibana-san replied. "Then I'll leave for today." She said and stood up.
I followed her example and stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow, Tachibana-san."
"Haruhi-kun, please call me Shiori." She said smiling.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow, Shiori." I repeated.
She waved me goodbye while Kyo-niichan guided her outside. The twins appeared next to me.
"Wasn't that Shiori-chan from our class?" Kao-niichan asked.
"Yes, it was." I confirmed.
"Have you ever talked with her before, Haruhi?" Hika-niichan asked.
"This is… the third time, I think."
"Whoa! Already three times?!" Hika-niichan and Kao-niichan said surprised in unison. "Isn't that a record?" they joked.
"Guys, that's not funny." I said. I looked at Hika-niichan then at Kao-niichan.
I really can't see how one twin can be more handsome than the other one…
"By the way, what do you think of Shiori?" I asked, trying to be subtle.
"What we think of her?" Kao-niichan repeated.
"Why do you want to know?" Hika-niichan asked.
"Just answer already."
I waited in silence until the boys understood it was a serious question. "Well… She's a nice girl, kinda cute." Hika-niichan replied. I smiled, maybe Shiori had a small chance… but I don't really think the two of them fit together. Well, we'll just wait and see what happens next.
Kao-niichan grinned. "But of course Haruhi is much cuter!"
For that comment he got hit by Tama-niichan. "How dare you to hit on my daughter?!"
"Tono, calm down…" Hika-niichan said.
Tama-niichan ignored him and looked at me. "Ha~ru~hi~" He ran to me with his arms spread. "My cute daughter, are you all right?"
"Who's your daughter?" I asked him while I dodged his hug.
Tama-niichan fell on his knees and hands and his expression turned from happy to gloomy.
"Oka-san, why is our daughter so rebellious?"
"Tamaki, don't start growing mushrooms in our clubroom, please." Kyo-niichan replied stoic.
"Poor Tamaki, here, have some cake." Mitsu-niichan said and stuffed some cake in Tama-niichan's mouth. "Do you want to hold Usa-chan?" Mitsu-niichan asked. Tama-niichan nodded and clung to the pink rabbit as a little child.
Some or our guests had gathered next to me. "Haruhi-kun, you should be nicer to Tamak-sama." One of them said. "But I wonder why he keeps calling you his daughter." The heads of all the Host Club members snapped at the girl.
Tama-niichan laughed uneasy. "It's not like Haruhi is a girl or something."
"Tono!" Kao-niichan and Hika-niichan scolded him in unison.
The ladies giggled. "Of course we know that Haruhi-kun isn't a girl!" they smiled at me. "Though Haruhi-kun would be cute if he were a girl." One of the girls commented.
Everyone laughed and the hosts glanced uneasy at each other.
"Everyone, this it for today, thank you for coming." Kyo-niichan announced as if nothing had happened at all. The ladies made some disappointed noises but no one opposed to leave.
Taka-niichan and Mitsu-niichan led the girls out the clubroom. When the room was empty again, we all turned to Tama-niichan and stared at him.
"What?" he asked us.
Hika-niichan and Kao-niichan sighed. "Tono, you are really an idiot, aren't you?"
"I'm not!"
"Tamaki…" Taka-niichan said and shook his head.
"They are right, Tama-chan." Mitsu-niichan added.
"Even Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai?! Kyo~ya~" Tama-niichan begged Kyo-niichan for help.
"If you don't want to be called an idiot, then don't give them reasons to call you one." Kyo-niichan answered. Tama-niichan pouted.
"You're being mean, Oka-san."
"Yes, yes." Kyou-niichan patted Tama-niichan on his head.
"See, Kyo-chan can be nice sometimes." Mitsu-niichan said and Taka-niichan nodded.
Kyo-niichan gave Tama-niichan a broom. "Now start cleaning." He ordered.
Tama-niichan looked at the broom and pouted again. "Don't want to."
Kyo-niichan pushed his glasses up with his fingers. "It's an order." He said with a demon's glare.
I shook my head. "Evil, truly evil." I said and everyone nodded in agreement.
The rest of us also started cleaning and I ended up next to Taka-niichan.
"You're still not going to tell them." He asked softly.
I didn't immediately answer. "I'm not ready yet."
We worked further in silent until Taka-niichan said something again. "Mitsukuni… He also said that you resemble your younger self."
"Taka-nii…"
"Sorry, I didn't meant to push you."
I looked up at Taka-niichan and smiled. "I know."
He smiled back and patted my head.
"Haruhi?" Kyo-niichan approached me. Taka-niichan took his leave with the excuse he had to help Mitsu-niichan with something.
"Is there a problem, Kyoya-senpai?" I asked.
"Haruhi…"
"Yes?"
"Are you and Mori-senpai dating?"
"Eh?!"
I just love Kyoya's reactions on Tamaki's stupidity ^_^