Hi, everyone! Here it comes… chapter two! Aaah! I managed to finish this the day before I head out to Japan! I'm so excited and proud!
So, this story is by far the quickest of my writings to become "popular", and I hope I don't disappoint you all greatly! (It has come to my attention that I now have to make sure that I don't accidentally write these episodes like I wrote my BSF episodes OR like I'm currently writing my BSF: Manga episodes… jeez, this is getting difficult.)
Thank you to Momochan77, queenglitch, mayfire21, AmbertheCat, and Dark Rose Charm for reviewing the last chapter of Dealing with the New Girl! And thank you again to Infernoinside, LadyAmazon, Momochan77, queenglitch, MediaMaster 263, fishy7073, AmbertheCat, darkangelynn5, Cookies16, Dark Rose Charm, SabrinaTeenagedB, tishtennis, M.v.j.M, HRHPrincessTricia, bootskitty328, Chi, and ktmyldy28 for reviewing the first chapter of my newest story! I hope you enjoy this second chapter just as much!
Disclaimer: While it warms my heart that some of you believe I should own OHSHC, I'm afraid I am not that privileged. I do own Jacklyn, however, which is a consolation prize all on its own.
The Job of a High School Host!
"Mmm…"
Jacklyn forced herself to swallow. It was difficult, due to her throat being so tight, but she managed. Taking in a shaky breath, she lowered her gaze once more from the ceiling to the mirror.
In the reflection, she was wearing a traditional Balinese dress. The beautiful combination of colors and white floral patterns almost made the fabric a work of art rather than a piece of clothing. A large golden headdress and other golden jewelry waited behind her on the bench, the final pieces that would complete the ensemble.
But Jacklyn couldn't bring herself to put them on.
Fighting against the tears, she looked away from the mirror yet again. The outfit was supposed to be pretty… but it didn't look right. In the instruction manual for how to put the dress on correctly, the models were gorgeous. Their hourglass figures the perfect ratio to compliment and accentuate the thick band of fabric that went around the waist. But on Jacklyn…
Her hands came up to the band. There was barely enough of the fabric to tie itself around Jacklyn's waist and not be in danger of falling off. Her muffin top was showing beneath it. How was that even possible when she wasn't wearing pants? She whimpered again, unable to stop staring at her flaws.
Had her shoulders always been that broad? And her waist? The size difference between them was barely the length of her pinkie! Her thighs were pressed against each other all the way down to her knees, the skirt tight around them. How was she supposed to walk in this? She'd have a horrible rash between her legs before the hour was out!
It went without saying that Jacklyn felt… well, chubby. Or chubbier than usual. And she felt horrible about feeling horrible about it. Her dad was a big guy, and he was happy with his life. It also wasn't like she'd ever been anything below a size ten. She'd never fit society's skinny standard before. Plus, the whole skinny and Photoshop trend was total B.S… so why was she suddenly so riddled with anxiety about her looks?
Because Kyoya won't find her remotely attractive like this?
Jacklyn shuffled away from the mirror, the difficulty she had in moving making it even harder to hold back her sobs. Collapsing on the bench, she struggled against the urge to rip the outfit off altogether. She couldn't stand to see herself in it, so how could anyone else? Everyone in the Host Club was slim and toned and conventionally beautiful, their bodies perfectly sculpted to fit society's expectations. They'd been recruited into the club for their looks.
Jacklyn got in on talent.
Because she didn't possess the other bit.
"Jacklyn? Are you alright in there? Have you finished getting dressed? The guests should be arriving soon, so it'd be best if everyone began preparing for the greeting."
She froze, sniffling cutting off. Of course it would be Kyoya who'd come get her. Because the universe couldn't give her a break, could it? But what now? What should she say? And above all… had Kyoya heard her crying? That would be hard to explain without airing all her dirty laundry out for him to see.
So she wasn't pretty. Big whoop. But damn if she'd be taken as shallow.
"I-I…" She cleared her throat, hating how she sounded so stuffed up. "I'm alright. I just… is there something else I can wear? This dress doesn't fit right."
Kyoya's voice changed instantly, confusion and concern the easiest emotions for Jacklyn to read. "Really? That's odd… did I order the wrong size for you?"
"...I guess you could say that."
"What do you mean?"
Hands shaking and lip quivering, Jacklyn pushed herself back up to her feet. She had to use the wall, though. She couldn't bend very well at the waist in this outfit.
She bit her lip before shuffling forward. She didn't want to do this. Not even remotely. She didn't want to face Kyoya wearing this stupid thing… but she didn't have much of a choice. He'd just keep asking for clarification if she didn't.
Jacklyn pinched a bit of the curtain between her thumb and forefinger. Moving it to the side ever so slightly, she whispered through the small opening between it and the wall, "It doesn't… it doesn't fit me. It's too small."
"How is that possible?"
Jacklyn's breath caught. Kyoya sounded so close… he must be directly on the other side of the curtain. She gasped and took a frantic step back when she felt a hand grabbing the curtain from the other side.
"I was positive I got the correct measurements… would you mind if I took a look for myself? You aren't indecent, I hope?"
Please, no.
"No… I guess you can…"
Jacklyn looked down just as Kyoya pulled the curtain to the side. She couldn't look at him. Not directly. Instead, she stared intently at the floor. In her peripheral vision, she noticed that Kyoya was wearing a pair of brown baggy pants and brown sandals. Man, what she wouldn't give to be wearing pants as well.
"Ah, I see the problem."
Jacklyn winced.
"You must've missed a pin. Here, let me." And then Kyoya was right in front of her, his hands on her waist as he reached for something at the left side of her back and oh wow the tightness was already loosening up Jacklyn could unstick her legs from each other and oh my god is Kyoya really shirtless right now?
Face now hot enough to toast marshmallows, Jacklyn held completely still as her crush went on about adjusting her outfit. When he pulled back, she couldn't help but notice how the skirt fell a little looser around her legs, and the waist fabric was no longer trying to crush her lower ribs. He'd fixed it.
Kyoya looked her over and gave a sharp nod. "Yes, much better. I apologize, Jacklyn, for not offering assistance earlier. I had no idea they made the female cosplay more complicated than the male version… an oversight I will not repeat in the future, for your sake. Does it feel more comfortable now?"
"Well…" Jacklyn turned back to the mirror. While it was true that the fabric was sitting better on her waist and hips… all the other stuff that threw the image off was still there. Unfortunately, they weren't things that could be fixed with a few adjustments. They were a little more permanent. Regardless, she forced a smile. "Yeah, much! Thanks for your help, I might've died of embarrassment if I greeted the guests looking like that."
"I doubt it. Not many people would've realized there even was a problem with your outfit if your discomfort wasn't so obvious. You looked ready to cry out from the pain."
She did? Were her emotions that obvious? Did Kyoya already know about her feelings? Oh great… her anxiety wasn't going to let up for a while, now was it?
Seemingly oblivious to Jacklyn's internal struggle, Kyoya went over to the bench. "Now that your outfit is fixed, how do you feel about it? I must say, you look rather exquisite."
"... Wait, what?"
"Here." Kyoya turned around, showing her the headdress and the jewelry now in his hands. "The jewelry is a must, I'm afraid, but the headdress you may leave behind if you so choose. As I understand, it can be very heavy and cumbersome for someone who hasn't practiced moving around with it before. And I'd imagine it would be embarrassing should this piece fall onto the piano."
"I… If you really don't mind, I'll go without. Thank you… again."
"It really was no trouble." Kyoya set the headdress down before bringing the jewelry over. Jacklyn remained still as Kyoya carefully placed the necklace atop of her shoulders. It wasn't as heavy as she thought it would be, which made sense when he informed her it wasn't real gold. Same with the large earrings he gave her as well. At least he was so focused on correctly placing the jewelry he didn't notice how Jacklyn's eyes kept returning to his bare chest… or at least she hoped he didn't.
As the two finally wandered out of the dressing room, Jacklyn poking the earrings in, she couldn't help but go over the last few minutes again and again in the back of her mind, trying to discern their meaning. Kyoya wasn't… flirting, was he? Then again, even if he was it was likely he was simply getting ready for hosting hours. After all, flattery and physical contact were some of the key points to hosting. Smooth talking and casual conversations were one thing, but when it came down to it, the guests of the Host Club were there for flirting.
And since I don't flirt and I'm not here to be flirted with… I suppose that leaves me as the practice dummy.
It wasn't until she stood in her greeting pose that Jacklyn came to her senses enough to realize something was off.
"Uh… wait a second. Where's Haruhi?"
Hikaru, who stood to Jacklyn's right, glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "You mean you don't know either?"
Kaoru added in, "You didn't say anything about it earlier… so we thought there must be a reason behind it."
"What? What do you mean? I'm not her secretary, I don't know her every move!"
"Hush! Jacklyn, you can explain later why you didn't tell us Haruhi was missing earlier, our guests are arriving."
"I didn't even-"
"Hush!"
Fighting to twist her sneer into a more acceptable smile, Jacklyn turned to face the door just in time for it to squeak open. A single student ran inside.
"Welcome~"
"Haruhi!"
Sure enough, Haruhi was standing just inside the room, looking fairly winded and like she wanted to be anywhere but there. After a few moments of silence between them, a toucan landed roughly on top of Haruhi's head. Jacklyn burst out laughing as the twins began to tease the other girl for her tardiness.
Haruhi pulled out her planner and began flipping through it, going on about how it was still early spring. Apparently she used props when she pulled out the sarcasm. Just one of the many reasons Jacklyn liked her so much.
"Oh, relax, Haruhi." Jacklyn walked over, waving the bird off. "It's just a cosplay day, no big deal. We do these from time to time. And you have to admit, the warm air does feel nice considering the cold weather recently."
Haruhi merely hummed, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Whether she would've said more didn't matter, because Tamaki had launched into another one of his usual tirades. He slipped in some mentions of kotatsu tables, of course. Jacklyn would've tried to catch Kyoya's eye and share a silent laugh over that funny story he'd told her during their sleepover… if she wasn't trying to avoid openly staring at his bare chest.
Oh… how come Tamaki is the only one covering up, today?
Deciding to leave Haruhi and Tamaki be for the moment, Jacklyn wandered off into the foliage after Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai. The pair ran around the room in a big circle, Honey on his cousin's shoulders and his hands skimming against the lowest hanging tree branches.
As Jacklyn settled in to watch the show, Haruhi was still getting chewed out for her tardiness and general aloof attitude towards the club.
"Do you have a problem with the way we run our club, Haruhi? Mind you, this setup would've been much more thorough if we hadn't run into a sudden eight million yen deficit."
Haruhi felt her chest seize up. How does Jacklyn-senpai like this guy? Did he slip her a love potion or something?
Not one to take things lying down where she could help it, Haruhi eyed the outfits they were all wearing. "Well, not to be picky, but please don't tell me I have to dress up in something like what Jacklyn-senpai is wearing. As important as authenticity is for you boys, I'm afraid I'm not all that interested in being a dressup doll." And neither is Jacklyn, as far as I'm aware.
Haruhi wasn't sure if she should feel proud or frightened by how her words finally managed to pry Kyoya's eyes away from his journal. The small, confident smile he'd been wearing had vanished.
With a snap, he closed the journal. "Due to your recent arrival and Jacklyn's pressing, we didn't order any clothes for you today. But from this point onwards, you will be required to participate in our cosplay days. On another note, please keep any opinions you have regarding Jacklyn's outfits to yourself unless they are the positive sort. Her anxiety tends to flare up when she steps out of her comfort zone like this, and being the only one in the female version of our cosplay doesn't help. Any attempts to worsen this reaction would be a poor way to repay her for everything she's done to ensure your enjoyment as a member of this club, I would think."
Woah… Haruhi had to take a step back. She must've really touched a nerve. So, Jacklyn had stood up for her at the club. Did that mean her punishment could've been more severe? And clearly, Kyoya had listened. He also seemed really defensive of Jacklyn's well-being, mental or otherwise.
Hmm… so Mister Cold-as-Ice has a soft spot after all. I guess Jacklyn-senpai's not a one-off crush in his mind. Is that a good or bad thing for her, though?
Regardless, the way Kyoya was staring at her had Haruhi more than a little nervous. Maybe she needed to have a talk with Jacklyn-senpai about this little crush of hers… it seemed a somewhat dangerous. Before she could think on it for much longer, however, they were all called together at the center of the room to greet the incoming guests.
Hosting hours had begun.
*\/*
Jacklyn was paying more attention to the piano sheets than usual.
On cosplay days, she liked to play songs that could be matched up with the atmosphere. Disney didn't quite fit the bill, today. Moana perhaps came the closest, but Jacklyn didn't feel like risking it. So, thanks to Kyoya's forewarning, she'd been able to purchase a piano variation of traditional Indonesian music. She hoped it sounded nice to the guests… a little more peaceful than her usual songs.
But at the same time, that meant Jacklyn couldn't use her memory of the song and the lyrics for pacing. Tucked up next to her thigh was a metronome. The clicks were too quiet to be heard over the music, but the speaker buzzed with every vibration against her thigh. A little unconventional, but definitely handy.
Ending the piece after about five minutes, Jacklyn gave the applauding audience a nod of acknowledgement before shutting the metronome off.
"Excellent choice of ambiance today."
"Ah! Is this going to become a regular thing with you?" Jacklyn raised an eyebrow as Kyoya took a seat on the other side of her piano bench. "Just because one of my regular guests is halfway across the world right now doesn't mean you get to ignore your own."
"Hilarious." Kyoya reached behind him to shut the piano key lid before leaning back against the instrument. "I took time out of my busy schedule to ask you to perform at our upcoming dance and you greet me with an accusation?"
Jacklyn let the silence stretch for a few seconds before prompting, "Perform?"
"Of course. We'll likely have a similar set up as our last dance, though the orchestra has requested you join them for a full piece instead of a single duet this time. Will that be a problem?"
"Nope."
"Good. Other than that, you'll be free to dance and otherwise enjoy yourself at the party. We'll be holding a few dance practices for ourselves after hosting hours, but you've been exempt from them to practice with the orchestra."
"Promise you boys won't try to show me up with your fancy moves?"
"Well, I suppose that depends on which of us you dance with."
"Jacklyn!"
"We're here!"
Jacklyn sent a silent prayer/curse duo to whatever Being might control the universe that Akiko and Ena showed up when they did, the girls both interrupting her private time with Kyoya and saving her from attempting to continue the banter. She managed to untie her tongue and smile back at her guests.
"Hello!"
"Well, I do believe that's my cue." Kyoya stood, offering a smile to Jacklyn's newly arrived guests. "I'll take my leave and let Jacklyn attend to her guests. Enjoy yourselves. I'll speak more on the subject with you later, Jacklyn."
"Right." Jacklyn gave Kyoya a smile as he walked away before turning to her guests. They were smiling, too. But theirs were more sinister. Jacklyn's smile dropped. "Um… hey, guys."
Ena leaned forward first. "So… what were you and Ootori-san talking about just now?"
"And was that a lingering gaze on his chest I saw there?"
Jacklyn gulped. Oh, dear.
*Time Skip*
Haruhi ducked her way around another hosting table, keeping her distance as Hikaru and Kaoru began laying their act on thick. She wrinkled her nose, but was distracted by the screams of their guests. What was that about? They were acting more fangirl-y than usual.
"Showing some skin has proved to be popular with the ladies. It adds a layer of intimacy."
Haruhi eyed Kyoya skeptically. "So… are you the one who came up with this idea?" And does your own bare chest have anything to do with the fact you've been hanging around Jacklyn-senpai all afternoon?
"I have no decision making authority as the Vice President… every final decision rests with Tamaki. However… I suppose there's no harm in admitting I've slipped a few brochures and photo books onto his desk before… including a recent one featuring a tropical Bali paradise."
Haruhi had to force herself to not stare at her senpai in fear and awe. So, he's the brains behind the operation. And he's manipulative to boot. That's it.
Spinning on her heel, Haruhi marched herself towards the piano. Jacklyn was just sending off a pair of giggling girls, looking a bit red in the face. Spotting Haruhi, she smiled and quickly gestured her over. "Oh, thank goodness! Someone who's not going to try to embarrass me!"
"We need to have a talk about your interest in Kyoya-senpai."
If possible, Jacklyn's face went redder. She jumped out of her seat and clapped her hands over Haruhi's mouth, shushing harshly as she went. "What the heck is your problem? Don't say that so loud!"
"Then stop being so obvious."
"I'm really glad that was muffled."
Haruhi puffed some warm breath against Jacklyn's hands until they were dropped, crossing her arms. But she kept her voice lowered as she continued, "I don't know what you see in him, Jacklyn-senpai. He's scary. And manipulative. Call me crazy, but those are some big red flags."
"Hmm… I suppose they would be." Jacklyn smiled and sat down, patting the bench beside her. "If I didn't know there was a fun-loving teddy bear hiding beneath it."
"That's a dangerous way to think…"
"I know." Jacklyn continued to pat the cushion until Haruhi finally sat down. "Listen, I understand what you're trying to say. A few months ago and I would've believed you. Agreed with you. Heck, I might've been the one to warn you. He… was a real jerk when we first met."
"He's still a jerk."
"Let me finish. As I was saying, he was a jerk to me for a long time before I finally got him to have fun, laugh, and tell me what was going on in his dumb teenage-boy brain. We talked stuff out, had opportunities to get closer, and now we're good friends."
Haruhi raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment on the lack of crush-talk in the conversation. "So, what you're saying is I have to wait for him to be nice?"
"Um… I guess you could put it like that. He really is a good friend, Haruhi. You should see all the sacrifices and hurdles he's gone through just to help Tamaki out with this club. Or when someone needs help studying. Or-"
"I get the picture. But I think I'm going to be waiting for a long time before he does something nice for me." Kinda because I keep accidentally pissing him off, mostly with talking about you or his crush on you...
Jacklyn raised an eyebrow. "Maybe less time than you think. You've already been adopted into this friendship group."
"Oh no…"
"You're welcome." Jacklyn laughed as Haruhi slid off the piano bench and onto the floor. "Now, once you're done being dramatic, please go attend to your actual guests. Honestly, you're all going to get yourselves in trouble with the girls if you don't stop wasting time with me."
*Time Skip*
"Um, Tamaki? Aren't you supposed to be… y'know… helping?" Jacklyn raised an eyebrow as her words were ignored. Straightening up from where she'd been leaning over Kyoya's shoulder, she tried again. "Hey! Earth to Tamaki!"
"Leave it be, Jacklyn-senpai. There's no use talking sense into him."
Kaoru snorted in agreement. "Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into him. I mean he should've expected Princess Kasuga to take a liking to Haruhi sooner or later."
"Yes… she's had the illness for a while, now. It was only a matter of time."
Spotting the curious expression on Haruhi's face, Jacklyn took pity and explained. "It's a phrase they made up. The 'illness' they're referring to is what they call "Host hopping disease". It's where a guest bounces from host to host every few weeks instead of settling with a favorite. Before you, Princess Kasuga was being hosted by Tamaki, and before him she sat with Kyoya, and so on and so forth. She's rotated through everyone a number of times, actually. Even me."
"So… is Tamaki-senpai upset that I took a guest from him?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Kyoya paused in his typing as Jacklyn's hand tightened on his shoulder. Secretly glaring at Tamaki for startling her, Kyoya reached up and tapped at the back of Jacklyn's hand, silently asking for a second opinion on the budget he was constructing.
Which had nothing to do with how he could feel her body heat when she leaned over his shoulder like this. No. Not even at all.
"Hmm…" she hummed into his ear, "Looks doable. But maybe we should cut out the ice sculptures? If we get rid of them entirely we can save up on both their manufacturing and the cost of keeping them cool all night. Besides, the cold weather's finally starting to let up. Maybe we should be trying to keep our guests warm instead?"
Kyoya hummed in response before entering '0's into the excel spreadsheet, half listening to Tamaki's continued tantrum as Kyoya checked the new numbers. Arguably, without the ice sculptures, the whole endeavor seemed much more manageable…
"Daddy wants you to go back to the way you used to be!"
"Don't blow up my personal photos without asking!"
The host club looked on at the giant portrait of Haruhi's old school ID as the bickering continued. Jacklyn felt a small smile creep onto her face as she remembered the first time she met Haruhi. Long hair really made her look younger.
She raised a hand, waiting for Tamaki to stop shouting before asking, "So… let me get this straight. Tamaki doesn't like how the guests like Haruhi as a dude, even though she's not biologically a dude, and wants her to dress like a girl instead. Is that your argument, Tamaki?"
"Yes! Finally, someone under-"
"Au contraire, buddy. If that's the case, then how come you didn't have a problem when Kanako abandoned you for me last November? Or the other guests of mine? Regardless of Haruhi's gender, lack thereof or perceived, whatever, her guests probably wouldn't care. Yeah, it'll be a bit of a surprise if and when the quote unquote "truth" comes out and some of our guests might end up questioning their sexuality, but in the end... I don't see any real big issues coming from this setup."
Tamaki was sputtering long before Jacklyn finished, screeching about not referring to Haruhi as a 'dude' and he didn't care about Kasuga's preference and how could Jacklyn not side with him and-
"MOMMA! Make Jacklyn and Haruhi stop using dirty boy words!"
"Um… who?"
"Based on club position, I assume he's referring to me."
Jacklyn slid up to Kyoya's side, lips traitorously twitching in the corners. "Hmm… gotta say "Momma", you sound like you want to be anywhere else in the world right about now."
"Astute deduction. You seem to be enjoying yourself."
"Should I not be?"
"Perhaps not… considering you've forgotten how cunning our President can be and how willing he is when a chance at revenge presents itself."
Jacklyn's smile disappeared in an instant for the second time that day. "Uh…"
"Definitely not." Tamaki was no longer crying. "A refined gentleman must know how to dance."
"Oh no."
Now it was Kyoya's turn to internally laugh at the other's expense. To ensure his amusement, he looped an arm around Jacklyn's shoulders to keep her trapped in the room. Perhaps some might've thought that a little mean, but there really was no harm in what was coming… except, of course, to Jacklyn's sanity.
"-Or I'll tell the entire school that you're a girl, and knock you back down to errand boy."
Haruhi stared off into space, eyes glazed over as the gravity of the situation settled over her while Tamaki turned his now-piercing eyes to Jacklyn, who was struggling against Kyoya's hold as casually as she could. "And as for you, Miss "Innocent Questions", it's high time that you came to a party in a dress that was in the same price range as our guests. Therefore, tomorrow afternoon, once our after-school activities have finished, myself and the rest of the male host club will be taking you… dress shopping."
"Noooo!" Jacklyn sank to her knees, head in her hands, before flopping to the side across Kyoya's feet. "I hate shopping…"
"I do hope you've learned your lesson, Jacklyn."
"I hate you, all."
"Aww, c'mon, Jac-chan! It'll be fun!"
"Leave me alone to die."
Kyoya smiled down at the girl on the floor. He had to agree with Honey-senpai. This certainly would be fun. If not for Jacklyn, then definitely for him.
*\/*
Jacklyn found herself mock-waltzing down the hallway the following afternoon, traces of the song she'd just been practicing echoing in her head. She couldn't wait to see the other's faces when she showed up to their dance practice a full hour ahead of schedule. Normally she'd be an anxious mess about cutting down on practice time with the orchestra, but they had sounded pretty darn decent by the time the decorators kicked them out of the dance hall. So, no harm done.
Adding in a quick spin, she grabbed at the door handles for Music Room 3 only to be immediately knocked backwards by said doors opening in her face.
"Eep!"
"Oh, I'm sorry! Please excuse me, Jacklyn-san!"
Jacklyn rubbed at her arm as she watched Kanako Kasugazaki hightail it down the hallway, a handkerchief held to her mouth in an effort to stifle her sniffling.
"Jacklyn? Are you alright?"
She looked up at Kyoya, who was now standing in front of her with a hand outstretched. She took it, eyeing the boy warily. "Yeah, I'm fine. Which of you scared her off?"
"I think that was me…" Haruhi was frowning at the door, a yellow box in her arms. At once, Jacklyn understood what had happened.
She walked further into the room and placed a hand on Haruhi's shoulder. "Was it tea cups? Or…"
"Suzushima paid us a visit to deliver our newest shipment, though I believe it was Haruhi's pursuit of the subject that brought Princess Kasuga over the edge."
"Ah. Well, don't be too hard on yourself, Haruhi. You didn't know."
"Know what? Kyoya, Jacklyn, is there something that you didn't tell me?"
"Oh, we knew, too, Tama-chan!" Jacklyn let out a small grunt as Honey-senpai took a flying leap onto her back. "Suzushima is Kasuga-chan's fiance!"
Catching her breath, Jacklyn straightened her back, hoisting Honey up a little further behind her, "Uh… sorry, Tamaki. I didn't realize you didn't know. I kinda skimmed over it in Kyoya's journal and figured it was common knowledge… considering how she acts around our teacups and everything."
"I see… and how long have you known about their engagement, Kyoya?"
Honey tugged at Jacklyn's shoulder as Kyoya began to explain his reasoning and began whispering in her ear, "Hey, Jac-chan? How come you're here so early?"
"Decorators kicked us out of the dance hall for the rest of the day. Don't worry, I plan on practicing during lunch and free period until the dance. I just gotta ask Kyoya to let me skip club activities for free period first."
"Aww… okay, Jac-chan."
Jacklyn smiled at the boy just as Tamaki called the room to attention, declaring a need to upgrade their strategy.
"Our what?"
"Men… and ladies. It's our job as the elite Ouran Host Club to make every girl happy! And our primary target for this dance is Kanako Kasugazaki!"
Jacklyn nodded along as Tamaki began to explain what he wanted done. Okay… mend whatever rift is between the couple and help them live happily ever after. Sounds cliche, but not a bad objective. Of course, there's a million ways for something to go wrong. I hope Tamaki knows what he's doing… at least a little bit.
"Now, we'll discuss the finer points of this plan at the Hitachiin's boutique. It's time to go dress shopping."
Jacklyn's brown eyes widened comically before she attempted to bolt. One problem: Honey's weight on her back made it hard to move fast. He refused to release her until Mori had his hands on her waist. Honey giggled, dropping to the floor as Jacklyn was lifted into his cousin's arms.
Haruhi watched as her friend was carried out the door, shouting complaints and attempting to wiggle free as the rest of the club followed her and Mori-senpai out the door.
"Make every woman happy… yeah, right."
*Friday*
"The Ouran Host Club bids you… welcome~"
Jacklyn blinked rapidly as the huge chandeliers overhead lit up, dousing the orchestra, herself, and the grand piano she was seated at in warm shimmering light. On cue, she brought her hands to the keys and began to play. Her bouncy, playful melody danced above the pulse of the song, providing excellent background music for Kyoya's beginning announcements. The girls scattered across the hall gasped and applauded at the right times, a few screaming in delight as they were told of the promised cheek kiss come the end of the night.
Jacklyn shook her head and kept playing.
A few guests waved to her from over her music sheets. Jacklyn smiled wider, nodding back occasionally. They all looked so beautiful in their fancy dresses.
And I'm wearing one, too. How about that?
Happy that she'd been able to talk the boys out of putting her in a strapless dress, Jacklyn began pounding the keys a little harder, giving the ending of the song a more fast-paced feel to really bring up the guest's heartbeats and encourage some dancing.
When the piece was finished, Jacklyn stood up and bowed to the congregation. Everyone was applauding. Letting her ego inflate just a tad, she carefully picked her way off the stage for the rest of the orchestra to continue without her for the rest of the night. And if she picked up her skirt a little to let everyone see how she'd been wearing stilettos while playing the piano, well… she was proud of that, dammit.
The night began without a hitch. Girls were dancing left and right. Some with the hosts, some without. Even Jacklyn was asked for a dance or two. Half an hour later, as she was talking with Ena about which girl was expected to win the grand prize, Jacklyn felt her stomach clench painfully.
Oh, so now I'm hungry. Now that I no longer feel like I'm going to throw up on stage. I hate my stomach sometimes. Eh... guess I'd better get over to the buffet before Haruhi eats all the fancy food. Honestly, they have no self-control with that stuff.
Excusing herself from her friend, Jacklyn began making her way to the buffet. There were a few made-to-order sushi chefs at the far end that she was eyeing… they had eel nigiri on the menu tonight, right?
Before she could check, though, someone stepped in front of her.
"Might I have this dance, my Lady?"
A blush spread across Jacklyn's face. She averted her eyes a bit to avoid staring at Kyoya because damn that boy looked good in a suit. First shirtless, now formal… eventually Jacklyn was going to have to just leave the room whenever Kyoya approached her, less she just lose her mind and kiss him regardless of the consequences. No one should look that good all the time.
And yet, Kyoya did it anyways.
"Um… sure."
Hoping her hands weren't shaking, she let Kyoya lead her onto the dance floor. Purposefully ignoring everyone who might be watching, she stood still as they adjusted their grips and waited for the next song to begin. Unfortunately, given that she was ignoring everyone else, that left only Kyoya to look at. He had on his typical small smile, like he wasn't at all affected by how their fingers were laced together or how he was holding onto her waist.
Then he leaned forward a bit and whispered, "I meant to say earlier… but you look beautiful tonight."
Pretending like her heart hadn't stopped beating, Jacklyn managed to respond, "Are you saying that because you helped pick out the dress?"
"Not at all. I'm saying it because it's you."
And they began to dance.
*Flashback*
"Mom!"
"We're here!"
Yuzuha Hitachiin looked up from the dresses she was cataloging at the sound of her sons' voices. She beamed and breezed her way to the front of the store. "My boys! I was wondering when you'd… get here." She paused upon seeing the girl who was being carried bridal-style into the store by the eldest Morinozuka child. Usually when teenage girls were brought into Yuzuha's boutique, their emotions tended to vary from disbelief to euphoric celebration. However, this girl looked rather… unhappy. And embarrassed.
Hikaru followed his mother's line of sight before shaking his head. "We had to make sure she wouldn't run off, so Mori-senpai had to carry her in from the car."
"I wouldn't have run off!" Cheeks a deep red, the girl finally managed to wiggle herself down and onto her own two feet. Even though she looked embarrassed enough to hide until the turn of the century, the American girl offered Yuzuha a smile and a bow. "It's nice to finally meet you Hitachiin-sama. Your sons are good people, and good friends."
Hikaru and Kaoru coughed a little, shuffling their feet while their own cheeks flushed. Yuzuha had to stifle a squeal. Oh, this girl was precious! And such a good friend to her baby boys! How wonderful!
"It's a delight to meet you as well, Prout-san. Hikaru and Kaoru have told me much about you! Well, shall we get started?" The displeased expression reappeared on Jacklyn's face, but she nodded and agreed all the same.
Yuzuha figured out Jacklyn's attitude when she had to ask for the girl's dress size. Immediately she flushed and shook her head, quietly admitting that she didn't know because she didn't go shopping much. And when Yuzuha began to measure her, she went still and rather pale.
Once she read the markings, Yuzuha understood completely. Jacklyn had a rather sturdy build as opposed to most of Yuzuha's regular customers. With a larger bust, waist, and hip measurements than the typical Japanese woman, it left Jacklyn with rather limited options in this country. Yuzuha almost wanted to give the girl a hug, but felt that she might make the situation worse by doing so.
So, instead, she got to work.
Thanking her past self for becoming one of the leading clothing manufacturers that catered to women's sizes across the board, Yuzuha ran to the back of the store and grabbed a armful of dresses that would fit Jacklyn. Normally she'd tailor her choices to what colors would look best on her customers or personal preference or the season, but right now Yuzuha was determined that Jacklyn would finally get to experience a dress shopping trip where everything given to her actually fit.
And Jacklyn was none the wiser.
Although, she was rather suspicious of how much she was enjoying the shopping trip... at the beginning, at least. So far, every dress she'd put on had fit her, which was not something she was used to. But now she was coming up on another part she disliked. The constant motion of pulling something on and off, messing up her hair when the dress had to go over her head… well, Jacklyn was trying to not complain too much. Especially when the boys made it clear they were footing the bill for her.
"What do you think?" She spun around, feeling the blue skirt flare out around her calves. The dress was… fairly pretty. But not exactly noteworthy.
"Next dress!"
Jacklyn huffed, glaring at the twins a little. "I don't wanna… can't we just take the red dress from earlier? I'm tired and really want to go home."
"No can do, Jacklyn-senpai!"
"You've got one more dress to try!"
"...Fine."
"Bon voyage!"
"Shut up."
Jacklyn wished the changing rooms had doors she could slam. Or that her anxiety would've permitted her to slam the doors if they were there. Instead, she had to settle for sharply pulling the curtain shut and pulling the dress off. She gave it one last look before throwing it back on the hanger and turning to the last dress.
She had to admit, the last one looked the most promising. And that had nothing to do with the fact it was purple with hints of grey at the top. She stepped in through the top and pulled the dress on, already pleased with how soft and silky the fabric was. Once the back was zipped, Jacklyn turned towards the mirror. Immediately, her face lit up. The top hugged her chest without throwing her cleavage out for the world to see, and the skirt covered up her muffin top without looking too poofy. And it was gorgeous to boot!
Jacklyn found herself staring at the mirror, expecting to find a flaw... but for some odd reason it was harder to do so than usual. Everything about the image in the mirror looked… nice.
With a new bounce in her step, Jacklyn hurried to the curtain and pulled it aside. The boy's reactions were immediate. They 'oohed' and 'ahhed', Tamaki looking to be on the brink of tears as he and the others requested twirls and curtsies.
And for the first time that evening, Jacklyn smiled the whole way through.
Oh yeah, she was definitely choosing this one.
*End Flashback*
"I must admit, it's refreshing to finally lead in a dance with you."
Jacklyn rolled her eyes, but giggled all the same. She remembered exactly how the suave, cool boy in front of her had tripped over his own two feet trying to keep up with her jazz swings. Not to mention how he'd moped about it for the following week. "True. Who'd have guessed I was the better dancer?"
In response, Kyoya spun her around. Twice.
Jacklyn giggled again, stumbling dizzily against his chest. "Oof… okay, I earned that. Are we even, now?"
"I'd say so. Now, follow my lead. We need to move closer to the doors on the left side of the hall. Princess Kasuga just entered the hall."
Jacklyn sighed, nodding her head in understanding. She knew it was too good to be true. Of course Kyoya had asked her to dance as part of the plan. At least she got to dance with him at all.
Hoping that no one would get the wrong idea, Jacklyn followed behind Kyoya as he pulled her through a side door and down an empty hallway. The twins were already in the classroom by the time Jacklyn and Kyoya walked in. Behind them was their temporary makeup station and Jacklyn mentally thanked the universe that she wasn't the one about to be attacked by those brushes.
They heard the next group long before they walked in, Honey's cheerful giggling leading the way.
"There she is!"
"Our star actress!"
Jacklyn clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. Mori had Haruhi slung over his shoulder like a sack of flour. It was times like this where Jacklyn wished her dresses had pockets. If only she had her phone to record this…
"Y'know, you didn't have to be so forceful!"
"Stop whining and go get changed."
"Yeah!"
Haruhi yelped as she was shoved past the pair of yellow curtains they'd set up in the corner of the room. She grumbled lowly before calling out, "How come I'm the one dressing up? Jacklyn-senpai's already wearing a dress!"
*Flashback*
"Next dress!"
Jacklyn huffed, glaring at the twins a little. "I don't wanna… can't we just take the red dress from earlier? I'm tired and really want to go home."
"No can do, Jacklyn-senpai!"
"You've got one more dress to try!"
"...Fine."
"Bon voyage!"
"Shut up."
Jacklyn pulled the curtain closed, perhaps a little more forceful than necessary, but the boys merely smiled and shook their heads. Yuzuha had already explained that the last dress was likely to be the winner, so they were all excited to see it.
Tamaki bounced his foot across his knee. "Alright, men. Should we go over the plan one final time-"
"Boss, we got it."
"Yeah, the basics are all worked out."
"Now we just need to decide who goes into the room with Suzushima-senpai."
Tamaki nodded his head. "Right. Well, first choice is obviously Jack-"
"Absolutely not."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Kyoya knew he should've phrased them differently. The other boys turned to smile devilishly at him.
Kaoru leaned forward, resting his chin on his fist. "Oh really…"
Hikaru followed his brother's example. "Now, why is that, Kyoya-senpai?"
"Do you really think-"
"-that Jacklyn-senpai-"
"-would fall for Suzushima-senpai that fast?"
Kyoya looked away, pulling his black journal out onto his lap. "My reason has nothing to do with Jacklyn's feelings for Suzushima, or vice versa. Especially regarding his rather strong feelings for Princess Kasuga."
"But you admit you gave it some thought?"
"I did not-"
"Oh, come on, Kyoya!" Tamaki slid around his chair until he was draped sideways across it. "It's not like it's a big secret or anything. Why can't you admit that you don't like the idea of Jacklyn getting together with someone other than you? There's no shame in admitting to a crush."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Thankfully, before anything more could be said, Jacklyn pulled aside the curtain with a beaming smile. What Yuzuha had said was true. The last dress was most certainly the best. Jacklyn looked like 10 million yen and had the smile to prove it. She actually looked happy to be there.
Kyoya eyed her up and down as the others began requesting twirls and the like, his stomach making a weird lurching motion upon realizing the dress matched his rose color in the Host Club. Kyoya couldn't quite find the words to best compliment the smiling girl, so he stayed quiet as the others gushed over her beauty.
And then Jacklyn smiled straight at him and his tongue disappeared altogether. He had no idea how he'd be able to hide his feelings come next Friday when Jacklyn was wearing makeup and had her hair done, save perhaps for pure luck.
As expected, the moment Jacklyn went back into the stall to change, everyone went back to staring at Kyoya, victory etched on their faces.
"You were saying?"
*End Flashback*
"If you must know, Haruhi, if we had Jacklyn in your place she would be immediately recognized and no matter the outcome of this plan her acquaintanceship with Princess Kasuga would be at an end. Given that we live in a world of respect and business relationships, we decided it would be best to avoid inferring that Jacklyn is interested in Princess Kasuga's fiance." Ignoring how Hikaru and Kaoru were rolling their eyes, Kyoya continued, "Remember, Haruhi, you will only have twenty minutes until the climax of the party to achieve your goal."
"Fine, fine."
Haruhi shuffled behind the curtain some more, likely internally cursing about the wig she'd been given along with the dress. Jacklyn inched up beside Kyoya, nudging him slightly. "Do you think this is going to work?"
"We can hope. So long as everyone plays their part right. However… a little accident towards the end of the night might make our little mission more exciting."
"A little what?"
Kyoya shot her an evil-looking smile before the curtains were pulled to the side. Haruhi glared at the boys all the way to her seat by the makeup table, acknowledging Jacklyn's compliment on her dress with a hum. Jacklyn then took one look at the twin's faces and decided a quick reminder to go light on the makeup was the best plan. Thankfully, they agreed.
"Um... I know this is the plan, but now that I think about it, it's kinda unsettling."
"Which part? The Haruhi in makeup and a dress bit, or the Haruhi attempting to flirt bit?"
"Attempting to what?"
"Gentlemen! Here you all are! Our guests are-"
Jacklyn had the divine luck of having a clear view of Tamaki's face when Haruhi turned around in all her girly glory. On the inside she was screaming, Well, you wanted them in a dress! Here ya go! But on the outside Jacklyn gave Haruhi a quick compliment and a 'good luck', hoping she wasn't going to end up on Haruhi's permanent shit-list by the end of the night.
"Good luck, Haruhi!"
"I can't believe... she looks so pretty!"
"Ahem? Tamaki? If you're quite done drooling over Haruhi, maybe you should go and fetch Princess Kasuga for the second part of the plan?"
As she'd expected, Tamaki immediately went on the defense. Running off down the hallway, he called out over his shoulder how he'd only been surprised by Haruhi dressing like a girl in real life and so on and so forth until he finally disappeared back into the dance hall.
Jacklyn shook her head. "For a guy who spends nearly every day of his life flirting with girls, he's awful clueless about the ones he actually enjoys spending time with."
"And you're surprised by this development?"
Standing behind the two remaining 2nd year students, Kaoru abruptly clapped a hand over Hikaru's mouth while holding his brother back with the other. Honey and Mori settled for staring at the back of Jacklyn and Kyoya's heads in utter disbelief. They were all struggling with the sudden desire to shake some much needed sense into their friends.
They'd heard that love was blind, but seriously?
*\/*
Ten minutes and a brief explanation to the remaining guests later, the Host Club lead the way out onto the balcony overlooking a small garden between the school buildings. As planned, Princess Kasuga and Suzushima were standing in the middle, four spotlights trained on them as Tamaki declared that they'd be the last dance of the night. Haruhi inched up behind Jacklyn as Suzushima released Kasuga's wrist.
In the silence of the crowd, even her whispers sounded too loud. "Do you think this will work? She was so upset when she found us..."
"Hush. Look."
Suzushima was bowing, offering a hand and a request to dance. And Kasuga... smiled.
Cheesy smile creeping up onto her face, Jacklyn leaned against the railing to watch the show, Haruhi by her side. The other guests cooed and twittered about the lovely scene taking place below them, many of them slipping into verbal daydreams of their own fiances dancing with them under the cherry blossoms. Jacklyn's smile dipped only once, when she felt a sudden twinge of jealousy for the clear love the pair felt for each other, but managed to push it down. The whole thing was just too sweet for her to be thinking of her lack of a love life.
And then she was smacked in the face.
Haruhi had been smart enough to duck when Tamaki threw his arms out to "bless" the "awkward couple", but Jacklyn hadn't been nearly as quick. It was only a graze of Tamaki's fingers against her cheek, but it was enough to take Jacklyn out of the moment and register a small pain blossoming on her face.
Before she could say anything about it, a hand was grabbing at her wrist and pulling Jacklyn to the side. At first, she assumed it was because Hikaru and Kaoru had begun to announce the Queen of the dance while standing directly behind her. But instead of a gentle reminder to keep to the side, Jacklyn suddenly found herself nearly nose to nose with Kyoya. He was inspecting her cheek where Tamaki had accidentally struck her, quietly asking questions under the twins announcement.
When she managed to find her tongue, Jacklyn gently grabbed Kyoya's hands and pulled them away from her face. "Hey, cut it out. I'm fine, he just grazed my cheek."
Kyoya let out a sigh, sending a warm wave of air across Jacklyn's face. "That idiot... if you were standing any closer he could've easily bruised you. Or scratched you."
"Kyoya, it's no big deal."
"Yes, it is. You could've been hurt."
"By the accidental graze of a hand? What harm could that have done, seriously?"
"I'd rather you not be our guinea pig in that regard."
His last statement is what caught Jacklyn off guard. It wasn't the usual care he displayed for all of his close friends and their health. No... this was concern and worry specifically for her.
"... Do you really mean that?"
Kyoya's grip on her hands tightened, his eyes widening behind his glasses. Oh god, was he getting closer? Was this happening? Was this literally about to-
"Haruhi Fujioka will stand in for Tamaki to deliver the prize!"
At the sound of their best friends shouting in rebellion, Jacklyn and Kyoya abruptly pulled away from each other and looked over. The twins looked far too pleased with themselves as Kaoru insisted the idea was spawned from Kyoya's desire of a more thrilling evening.
Haruhi glared at Kyoya, noting just how close he and Jacklyn were standing as she spit out, "There's no way I'm kissing her."
To which he replied, "Do it and we'll cut your debt down by one third."
"... Well I guess if it's just a peck on the cheek..." Haruhi pushed herself away from the banister and made for the stairs, leaving Kyoya to once again turn his focus to Jacklyn. Who was, once again, smiling at him.
"That was really nice of you to do, Kyoya."
"Well, given how highly you speak of Haruhi, it was only fair I do my part to assist your friend in their dilemma."
... If Jacklyn hadn't felt like kissing Kyoya beforehand, she most definitely did now. It would be so easy for her to just throw her arms around his neck and pull him down to her level. Or maybe to roll up onto her toes with her hands on his cheeks. Or perhaps tangle her fingers in his hair. How many people would even notice them, given how they were all staring at-
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Jacklyn nearly jumped out of her skin. Spinning around, it took her a few seconds before she understood what she was seeing. Haruhi was kissing Princess Kasuga... on the lips! And was that Tamaki face-planted on the ground behind them? What happened?
As Haruhi and Kanako sprung apart and the crowd continued to cheer, Jacklyn turned her head to eye the boy behind her suspiciously. "Did you plan that?"
"Not at all… but it certainly has been a rather exciting night, wouldn't you say?"
"Hm." Jacklyn glanced back down at her neighbor, who was smiling as well. "Yes… I suppose it has been."
AAAAAHHHHH! I wrote this while surrounded by little cousins, a birthday boy, and one whole side of my family while suffering from a mix of food-poisoning and pre-travel anxiety the day before I jump on a plane to fly out of the country for the first time ever! I guarantee I've never been this sick/stressed/overwhelmed while writing a chapter before and I really hope it doesn't show in my writing.
Anyways, this is normally where I'd apologize for how long these updates are taking, but at this point I'm also reading fanfiction that takes a while to update and I'm fine with it. Hopefully everyone reading this understands, too.
Either way, I hope you enjoy this!
See you next chapter!