Chapter 3 – P-Mon Origins: The Other Flashback Chapter!

Still a long time (but not quite a couple of years) ago...

Minori Kaneko twirled a black lock of hair around her finger. It was a nervous tick, according to Ryo. Minori wondered if her friend ever considered she might be the root of her nerves. She was sitting in French, mind completely blanking in the face of irregular verbs. Her eyes instead were looking up at the clock above the board.

Twenty minutes late, Ryo.

Normally, this wouldn't have been a big deal. Ryo was late to everything; it was so common that it would be weird if she was punctual for once. The main problem was today's class was taught by one of the stricter teachers at Ouran, acting substitute for the sweet and inattentive old lady who usually took them. The kind who didn't care who your parents were or if you were having 'girl problems' during a PE lesson. So yeah, a hell of a good teacher though lenient as steel. Ryo had been late in front of this teacher before. And the last time was practically a bloodbath. She'd been sentenced to two weekend detentions and threatened with suspension if she was ever late again. Naturally, she was late for the very next lesson, and the one after that... and the one after that. Ryo Hisakawa didn't fear suspension because what were the odds she'd get this particular teacher again?

The very same Ryo peering in from the doorway. Minori gestured to the teacher with her eyes.

Don't come in, you moron.

It was already a miracle the teacher forgot to take attendance today. All Ryo had to do was not push her luck. It took all Minori's strength to contain her exasperated groan when Ryo, completely ignoring her, slipped into the room.

The teacher's back was to the class, so she made to crawl as inconspicuously as possible to her seat.

Lucky idiot.

Minori never understood how she could be so laissez-faire about these things. Ryo sat up in her seat, pen in hand and a smug grin plastered on her face. She was safe.

"Where were you?" Minori mouthed.

Ryo mouthed back something like "Got carried away." As per, she was covered in fresh paint. She probably couldn't hear the bell because she was blasting music in her ears again. Minori rolled her eyes. The next few minutes of the lesson went off without a hitch. Ryo had even managed to draw an unflattering likeness of their teacher in her book. She flashed the doodle at Minori who burst into a silent fit of giggles. She couldn't hold back and accidentally let out a loud snort. The whole class fell silent.

"Hisakawa."

"Yes, ma'am," Ryo piped up nonchalantly at her squinting teacher.

"Have you been in here the whole lesson?"

A pause.

"Yes, ma'am, I have."

The woman glared behind thick-framed glasses.

"I don't believe you," she declared. "Bring me your book. I'd like to see the notes you made today."

Danger. Danger. Danger.

Ryo shot Minori a look. Her friend peered back apologetically with the best "It was nice knowing you" face she could muster.

"Hisakawa, I asked you to hand me your book."

She took her time getting up, lifting the book and closing it carefully. She walked down the rows of desks slowly, turning over in her head how she could get out of this. She had to after all. Her parents would kill her if she got suspended.

There was a knock at the door and the whole world came to a halt. When it opened, it's creak sounded like music to her desperate ears; it was like the pearly gates of heaven were opening just for her. A miracle. Someone was standing at the door. A tall, slender figure with a mop of coiffed blonde hair. An angel?

The stranger stepped in, out of the light. And Ryo's heart dropped. This was no miracle. No angel had come to aid her. At best they had only prolonged the wait to her inevitable ruin.

It was Tamaki Suoh, one of the guys who'd come in from the middle school. Kyoya Ootori from class 1- A followed in behind him.

"Sorry for the intrusion, professor," Tamaki smiled sweetly, making the teacher blush. "Could we borrow a Miss Ryo Hisakawa, please? It's quite urgent."

An audible gasp was heard across the classroom. Could it be? Was she actually going to get out of this?

The woman composed herself, though her cheeks were still pink. "Absolutely no-"

"Professor," Suoh leaned in, flipping his bangs off his face. "Did I mention your new hairstyle really brings out that lovely green in your eyes?"

The class watched in a mixture of disgust and awe as their sub giggled, glasses steaming up. Flustered, she patted her beehive hair in place, before frowning at Ryo.

"Oh, go on. Hisakawa, I'll deal with you later. Pack up and leave."

Ryo watched Minori's jaw drop as she escaped punishment once again. She would have laughed if she wasn't equally dumbfounded by these two guys. She flung her books and pencil case into her backpack, mouthing "Talk to you later". She then followed the two out of the classroom, leaving Minori smirking and shaking her head after her.

Lucky Idiot.

They walked down the hallway until they were well out of earshot of anyone. Ryo wondered what the Host Club founders wanted from her. As far as she knew they'd barely spoken for the entirety of her high school career. Now, they stood before her, smiling like they'd been friends forever. Ootori spoke first.

"Sorry for dragging you out of your lesson, Hisakawa-san. This is Tamaki Suoh and I'm Kyoya Ootori. We've met before."

"I know who you are," she muttered. "What do you want?"

And thus Pandora's Box was opened anew. As soon as Tamaki started talking, it seemed he would never stop. Telling her of their plans for the Host Club's future, how they needed an official artist and photographer, how they wanted it to be her, how it was Kyoya's idea, how as soon as he heard, Tamaki couldn't wait until the end of the school day, how he had to ask her immediately, and this went on and on. It was hard to follow, to say the least. It wouldn't have been inaccurate to say that she zoned out once or twice throughout his ramblings. But she got the gist of it, she figured. Once he had finished, silence fell as they awaited Ryo's response. She was hesitant at first.

"It sounds cool, guys. It really does… But I don't know if I'll have the time to work on this.

"Obviously you'll be compensated for your troubles," Kyoya added.

"Yeah… But the money's not really an issue. I have so much other… stuff…to…"

She'd caught sight Suoh's blue eyes moistening, making them sparkle. He flipped his bangs to the side and teardrops floated from his face to join the breeze of rose petals behind him. A tiny part of her wondered how he managed to make it all look slow-mo. He smiled sweetly at her and it was at this point Ryo realized his face was inches away from hers. All her body heat had rushed to her face before she remembered herself. She shoved him away.

"Do!" she finished determinedly. He looked hurt for a split second before finding his smile again. There was something in that action that resonated with her.

"You're right, Hisakawa-san," he replied graciously, bowing. "I'm sorry for bothering you."

It seemed they'd failed to secure the artist they wanted. He was upset, sure, but he wouldn't have wanted her to do anything she wasn't totally comfortable with. He and Kyoya would have to start the search again. Then he heard it.

"Fine."

He looked up. "Huh?"

"Fine," she mumbled before she even fully registered what she was doing. There was something about this guy, a charm that even he seemed not to know he had. It wasn't in the hair flip or the watery eyes. It ran deeper than that. A sort of serenity, a pureness of heart. She groaned inwardly at her own cheesiness, not sure if he'd succeeded in tricking her.

She sighed and turned to Ootori.

"When do I start?"

A/N: Short one today! Thank you for reading. Please keep on following, favouriting and reviewing.