Of Love and Dichotomies Chapter 1, an ouran high school host club fanfic

A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first fanfic ever (despite having been an avid reader for years) so I would really appreciate any feedback/reviews/thoughts you might have!

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club. I own only my OC and the plot.

Emi POV

So this is Ouran University, I thought as I approached the campus filled with large pink buildings surrounded by gardens that had been landscaped within an inch of their lives. Grand fountains were tastefully placed, though the statues adorning the fountains were less tasteful.

Very…pink. And who thought pissing cherubs was the height of class and elegance?

It was my first day and I could already feel my anxiety quickening my heartbeat and flushing my cheeks. This place looked way too fancy for me. I tried to take some deep breaths and square my shoulders, remembering what I'd been practicing in therapy. These efforts were immediately dashed when I reached the front doors and struggled to open them…only for someone to clear their throat behind me. This was the exact sort of situation my social anxiety made me dread.

I whipped around to face a tall guy with black hair and glasses that glinted in a way that was purposefully intimidating.

"Excuse me Miss, but as you can see those doors have to be pulled not pushed," he stated as he pointed to the small sign on the door that said 'Pull'.

Oh my god, I look like a total idiot!

"Umm.. oh, haha, yeah I see that now, thanks…," I stammered as I felt my face get hot, my eyes avoiding eye contact with the stranger at all costs. My face is probably so red that even my brown skin can't cover it up.

"Not a problem Miss Shima. Now, I really must be going. Perhaps I'll see you again soon," said the stranger as he pushed his glasses up his nose and slipped through the doors.

"Yeah…Thanks again!" I called out as the doors closed behind him. Well that was embarrassing… but it could have been worse… Damn I didn't even ask him his name, he must think I'm completely socially incompetent!, I thought as I reached for the doors, pulling on them this time.

As I stepped through the doors of my new university for the first time, I paused and felt goosebumps rise on my arms. Wait a second… how did he know my name?!

…

Since I was running early I stopped in the first washroom I could find to calm myself down in private and make sure I looked presentable. First, I locked myself in a stall and made sure that my casual sundress was lying flat over my long-sleeved shirt and tights, and that my socks were bunched up above my boots just the way I liked them. Then, I exited the stall and looked at myself in the mirror, adjusting the beanie that topped my two braids, while avoiding looking at myself too closely. Sighing, I took a couple more deep breaths and exited the bathroom.

And was immediately flattened by a fast-moving object. I felt myself hit the floor and prayed that my dress hadn't flown up. Even though I was wearing tights and shorts it would still be embarrassing.

"Oops! Sorry~! We didn't see you there! Right Takashi?" I heard a voice exclaim innocently. I looked up and saw what appeared to be a first year student. They were relatively short and kind of androgynous with their round cheeks, silky-looking blonde hair, and big chocolate brown eyes. They were standing next to a very, very tall guy with spiky black hair who just grunted back.

I blushed. "Oh no, I'm sorry, I should have been watching where I was going," I said sheepishly.

I chanced a quick peek at my dress and saw, to my relief, that everything was in place. Thank god, I don't know what I'd do if I had exposed myself to these two strangers…

"Hm? Nah, I was too excited and didn't slow down enough, heheh~ By the way who are you?" the blond stranger cocked their head to the side, doe eyes sparkling. I felt my heart flutter. Who is this person and how can they be so cute?

I stood up and brushed off my dress carefully, using this as an excuse not to look at them directly. "Oh um, I'm Emi, Emi Shima and I use she/her pronouns. Um, what about you two? What are your names and pronouns?" I asked. I hoped I wasn't being presumptuous as I had no idea if asking for pronouns was common practice here in Japan.

"Hn."

3rd year?! Wow, my ability to judge people's ages must be worse than I thought… Honey… I wonder if he knows that's a term of endearment in English?

"Oh, sorry Honey, Mori, I hope I didn't offend you!" I rushed out as I felt my face flush once again. Jeez at this rate my face is going to be red all day. "Back home it's sort of just considered the norm to ask for pronouns at this point," I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Hmm? Back home? Where are you from Emi-chan?" Honey-senpai inquired just as a grandfather clock struck 9 somewhere.

Fuck, now I'm running late, I stressed.

"I'm so sorry, I'd love to answer but I really have to go! It was nice meeting you both!" I exclaimed while running off.

I hope I see them again… They seem really nice, and the blonde is kinda cute…

Honey POV – a few moments earlier

Today felt like a good day. It was the first day of the new semester and I was happy to be returning to hosting after the summer break. It was nice to have a break from school but I missed spending my days hosting, as I had been doing since high school.

"C'mon Takashi, let's go~!" I yelled excitedly as I ran down the halls toward our first kinesiology class of the semester, "The faster we get to class the faster it will be over and we can see our friends!"

"Mitsukuni, slow down," he replied.

As I turned my head to stick my tongue out at him, I turned a corner and suddenly ran into someone. I was able to keep my footing (being trained in martial arts does have its perks), but I heard the other person fall to the ground.

When I looked down I saw a young woman looking dazed on the floor. She had golden honey skin, expressive nearly-black eyes, and dark brown coils contained by two braids.

"Oops! Sorry~! We didn't see you there! Right Takashi?" I apologized cutely as she looked up at me and quickly looked back down before I could offer her a hand up.

"Oh no, I'm sorry, I should have been watching where I was going," she apologized while blushing. Wow she seems really shy, and really polite… how cute~! She was taller than me (most people are) yet she seemed almost delicate with her big round glasses and soft voice.

"Hm? Nah, I was too excited and didn't slow down enough, heheh~ By the way who are you?" I asked her. I definitely hadn't seen her around before and this university wasn't that big. Plus, if we're being honest, most students here are Japanese or European so there are very few students with her skin tone.

"Oh um, I'm Emi, Emi Shima and I use she/her pronouns. Um, what about you two? What are your names and pronouns?" she said while standing, brushing off her dress and putting her hands in its pockets.

Huh, nobody's ever asked us our pronouns before… I wonder if that's just a habit of hers. She does seem pretty cautious and thoughtful.

"Mmm I'm Mitsukuni Haninozuka, and this is Takashi Morinozuka but you can call me Honey and him Mori! People don't usually ask about pronouns but we both use 'he/him' pronouns, right Takashi? We're both in our third year," I specified, so she would know I wasn't some high schooler, or worse, middle schooler. I also wanted her to know she didn't have to use honorifics with us since we seemed to be in the same year if my guess was right.

"Oh, sorry Honey, Mori, I hope I didn't offend you!" she apologized once again and rushed to explain, "Back home it's sort of just considered the norm to ask for pronouns at this point." Now she was rubbing the back of her neck and looking flustered. I grinned as I watched a blush creep up her cheeks.

"Hmm? Back home? Where are you from Emi-chan?" I asked innocently just as we heard a clock strike the hour and she suddenly looked a bit panicked, her dark chocolate eyes widening behind her glasses.

"I'm so sorry, I'd love to answer but I really have to go! It was nice meeting you both!" she exclaimed as she retreated.

"Hmm, that was interesting Takashi! She apologizes a lot, ne?" I said as we watched the young woman dash away.

"Hm."

"She was kinda cute, huh?~"

"…"

Emi POV

Ugh, that fall definitely jarred my joints, I groaned as I rushed to my first class. I was not looking forward to showing up to my first class looking disheveled and red-faced but there was nothing to be done now.

I slowed down as I checked my schedule for the room number one last time. Looking around, I spotted the classroom and sighed in relief when I saw that students were still waiting outside of the class.

Here goes nothing, I thought as the professor approached and the students filed into the room.

I spent the next three hours doing my best to pay attention, to sit with good posture without sitting too straight, and trying to ignore the feeling of being scrutinized. Normally, I would assume it was my social anxiety telling me I was being watched but being a woman of colour in an Asian country pretty much ensured that I would stand out, even if I was on the lighter-skinned side of the spectrum.

By the end of the class I just wanted to find a place to be alone so I could relax for the first time since stepping on campus this morning. I wandered around, and after checking my map, I decided to check out the building next to this one. Once I had entered the new building I checked room after room, but each one was filled with people.

Ughhhhh, I just want a few minutes alone is that too much to ask?! I groaned and stopped outside the last room (or at least the last room I was willing to check today).

I slowly pushed open the door (thankfully it was actually a 'push' door this time), and cheered internally as I saw that the room was empty except for a piano and some sofas. I considered playing the piano but my hands were still a bit sore from taking notes and breaking my fall this morning so instead I decided to rest for just a few minutes. Hmm this is pretty comfortable… maybe I can lay down and rest my eyes for just a few minutes…I pondered as I took off my glasses, curled up, and closed my eyes.

….

"Hey boss, there's some kind of foreign hipster chick laying on our sofa", I faintly heard two voices chime in unison.

Hmm I guess I fell asleep… I should have known I couldn't just 'rest my eyes'.

I stretched a bit and struggled to blink open my tired eyes, only to shoot up into a sitting position as I noticed some slightly blurry forms surrounding me. I quickly grabbed my glasses and shoved them on my face, which of course, was burning at having apparently been watched as I was sleeping. Oh god, I hope I wasn't talking or drooling or anything. Also, kinda creepy of them to just stand there watching me…

Now that my vision was clear I could see that there were seven people standing casually in front of the sofa, peering down at me. Four of them, I didn't recognize, but I did recognize Honey and Mori, and…

"Hello Miss Shima, I see you're awake. I wasn't expecting to see you again this soon," said the glasses guy from earlier. Ugh, two embarrassing moments of mine that he's witnessed in one day; two for two Emi.

"You know this princess Kyoya?" asked a tall blonde guy who was giving off total golden-retriever energy. Princess? Why does he think I'm a princess? I know this is a fancy school but… princesses?!

"Yes, we met earlier today. This is Ms. Emi Shima, a third year psychology student who just transferred from a Canadian university. She comes from a mixed background, her father having been Caribbean and her mother being Japanese Canadian. She completed her first year in University as a music student but I suppose she couldn't handle the pressure as she now just minors in music. Overall she's known for being very shy and only opening up around a very select and small group of friends," glasses guy – Kyoya apparently, spouted off while writing on a clipboard, as if I wasn't right there.

What. The. Actual. Fuck is happening right now?! How does he know all that about me? Is he some sort of weird stalker dude?!, I thought as I felt my eyes go wide and my body shrink away from the newly identified creep.

"What… how-how do you know all that? Couldn't handle..? What…? Wait, who are you people?" I stammered in shock. This all felt so surreal, as if I had fallen down a rabbit hole to wonderland.

"Look what you've done now Kyoya-senpai, you've totally freaked her out," sighed a petite brown-haired person. "Hi Emi-senpai, I'm Haruhi and these idiots and I are in a club together. We usually meet in this room," she explained bluntly. So far she seemed like the most normal person here.

Wow, she really rocks the whole androgynous thing…, I thought as I blushed slightly (again). Why are they all so physically attractive?

Suddenly the golden-retriever guy posed right in front of me and caressed my face. "Yes, princess, we are the Ouran University Host Club! A club where the school's handsomest young men (plus one woman!) entertain young ladies who need to decompress after all their studying. We have a type to please everyone! There's Kyoya Ootori – the cool type, Kaoru and Hikaru Hitachiin – the little devil types, Honey-senpai – the loli-shota type, Mori-senpai – the strong and silent type, Haruhi Fujioka – the natural type, and finally myself: Tamaki Suoh – the prince type!" he practically shouted in my face as my eyes darted to each person he pointed out.

"So Beautiful, what's your type?" he whispered in a way that was probably supposed to be sensual but just felt weird. Then again, everything about this, from the lack of personal space, to the whole escort club in a school thing, was weird.

"Um… well I.. wouldn't say I have a type… Though usually I tend to lean more towards princesses myself, if you know what I mean…," I responded while trying not to look at the only female member of the club. "Anyway, I'm sorry to have intruded, but I'm not really in the market for an escort. Not that I have anything against your line of work- at all! In fact, I consider myself to be pretty sex positive!" I rambled as I started standing and gathering my things to get the hell out of this strange place.

"Escorts?" questioned one ginger-haired Hitachiin twin.

"We're not escorts!" stated the other. They glanced at each other before dissolving into laughter and rolling on the floor hysterically. "Escorts! Hahahah! You hear that boss, she thinks we're all prostitutes!"

"… Escorts…?" Tamaki whispered in despair. "Mommy, this princess thinks we're escorts!" he wailed before retreating to a corner and somehow emitting a dark shadow.

What? Is there some kind of theatre lighting set up in here? And who is he calling mommy? I didn't expect the golden-retriever to be that kinky…

"Wait, so you're a lesbian?" the twins questioned me, suddenly standing right in front of me.

"Uh.. no.. I'm queer.. It's just that I've never dated any guys or non-binary people so it's usually easier to just say I'm into women..," I answered hesitantly. I was pretty open about my sexuality but I wasn't sure how these strange new people might react.

"Ah, I get it Emi-chan! You care more about people's hearts, ne~?" Honey exclaimed as he bounced forward holding a pink stuffed rabbit. "That's so cute~!"

I blushed and focused on the bunny as he bounced on the tips of his toes in front of me. He was saying I was cute, when he was standing there emitting that much cuteness?

"But Emi-chan, you got it wrong, we're not escorts~ Right Takashi?" he continued, shaking his finger and… emitting floating pink flowers around his head?!

"Hn," Mori responded stoically, not seeming at all phased by being called a sex-worker.

Wow, he might actually talk less than me! That might be a first!

"Oh… so I.. misunderstood?" I asked a bit sceptically. I mean Tamaki's description sure made it sound like they're escorts…

"Yep! Looks like someone has a dirty mind~," the twins whispered in each of my ears while wrapping their arms around me, causing goosebumps to erupt across my body.

Okay, this was too much. Way too much! My social battery was dangerously low and I couldn't tolerate much more embarrassment. I started slowly edging towards the door while trying to defend myself.

"No, no, I didn't mean to assume- I just- It's just that he said you had different types to please people…I don't have a dirty mind okay, anyone would have thought that!" I babbled as I continued backing away and the twins kept advancing.

Or at least, I only have a dirty mind in the right situation…C'mon everyone has a somewhat dirty mind some of the time!

Finally, I felt the doorhandle under my hand and mentally sighed in relief.

"Well, anyway, um it's been nice to meet you all but I've really gotta get going. You know how it is, lots of homework on the first day. Bye!" I rushed out and slammed the door behind me. I ran as fast as I could to the nearest bus stop. Well now they all think I'm a pervert.

Therapy did not prepare me for this.

3rd POV

The hosts stared pensively at the door through which the flustered new student had just disappeared, many sporting amused smiles.

"She would make a good new toy," the twins smirked, "Haruhi is too used to us, she's not fun to tease anymore," they pouted.

"That's right you evil twins! My sweet daugh- uh I mean my sweet Haruhi is not your toy!" Tamaki yelled.

"Hmm she was pretty fun to tease~, ne?" Honey said with sparkling eyes.

"…." Mori looked at Honey with a hint of surprise that only Honey could have deciphered, had he been paying attention.

"Guys, she's not a toy and you clearly freaked her out. It's too bad, it would be nice to have a normal person around," grumped Haruhi.

"Yes, adding some diversity to the club could prove to be quite beneficial for our profits," Kyoya muttered to himself, causing Haruhi to sweatdrop.

"That does it! We shall officially commence operation Befriend Emi Shima!" Tamaki declared determinedly.