"So then I said: If you're here, and I'm here, and the Captain is here, who's steering the ship?!" I laughed at my own stupid joke as I follow my friend around her, soon to be our, school. "And that's how I taught myself how to sail a small yacht!" I ended the story, causing her to let out a snort.

"That sounds a lot more… interesting than I expected that story to end." Her amusement was pretty evident in her tone as she stared back at me lazily. "Are you sure you want to check out the Host Club? I really don't think it's your kind of thing." She asked -not for the first time- stopping in front of the third music room.

"Aww, Haruhi, are you jealous that I might get wooed by one of your infamous idiots?" I teased, throwing an arm around her waist as I pulled her closer, leaning seductively into her face.

"Honestly, Belle, it's them I'm worried for." Haruhi spoke casually, letting her arms snake around my neck as she continued on, oblivious to how suggestive our pose may seem. "You're a better smooth talker than these guys anyday."

"That's the sweetest thing you've ever told me!" I sniffled dramatically, leaning in closer to place a small peck on her cheek, just as the doors behind me swung open.

I heard some sort of squeal and various other unmanly noises coming from the door as I sent a smirk towards the shorter girl. With an OK from her, given in that silent challenging eyebrow lift that basically said, 'do it for the vine,' I continued on, peppering her face with kisses and leaning lower to whisper in her ear.

"How hilarious is it?" I barely managed to whisper before Haruhi was pulled swiftly from my arms.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" The tall blonde screamed in her face, shaking her back and forth as I tried in vain to keep the smirk off of my face. I was vastly amused by the reactions I was earning, stoic and curious looks from the tallest and smallest males, a smirk from the megane, and the two ginger twins gave me a sort of predatory look, one that might have made me fear for my life but instead sent a pleasant shiver down my spine; the tall, blonde moron had yet to look at my face.

"Why're you yelling at me, anyways? She's the one that started it!" Ahh, Haruhi, selling me out to the man like the best friend she is.

"AND JUST WHO IS SH-..." The moron trailed off mid sentence as he took in my face, my features so very similar to his own. After all we do take after our mothers.

"ANNABELLE!" his enthusiasm levels haven't dropped obviously, nor his volume control.

"René!" I responded as he spun me wildly through the air like an overenthusiastic idiot. "Please let go! I'm getting dizzy!" I managed to gasp out closing my eyes as he set me down so I could regain my equilibrium.

"Well, that was interesting…" The megane* spoke up, pushing his glasses up his nose, a smirk settling on his features as he looked between Haruhi, Tamaki, and myself.

"Yeah, what was that, Boss?" One of the ginger twins spoke up.

"Who's this girl?" The other added.

"Is Tamaki your brother?" The smallest male asked, pulling on the sleeve of my sweater to gain my attention. I scoffed, sending a look over my shoulder at the moron.

"God no, that idiot is my cousin. I don't share THAT many genes with the lovable oaf." I snorted, scoffing at the wounded look he adopted.

"Belle," Haruhi interrupted seemingly detached from the going ons surrounding her, "Meet the Host Club."

I sat at a table towards the back of the room, a private table for two where I could speak to René Tamaki alone, and explain the situation as to mine and my family's sudden reappearance in his life. He may be bouncing in his chair with excitement, but I knew he was also burning with questions: about me, my life since he left, my mother and father, my sister, why we're here? Why am I with him again despite what Grandmother Suoh may say. As if the old lady would be able to keep me from him. And of course, maybe most desperately, about my Auntie, his mother, Anne-Sophie.

"...and that's the last time I saw Auntie. It was months ago, Tama. I think my Mother might've seen her more recently. I'm almost positive she has, but they've kept me away." I spoke sadly, my hands reaching out to smooth out Tamaki's own from where they had been grasping at his glass too tightly. The tea I had been served earlier had now become cold. "She was getting better though." I comforted, keeping the firm grasp on him, "When I told her I'd be moving here permanently she was happy we'd have each other again." I took in the expression on Tamaki's face, so far away and almost detached from the conversation, but really it was his eyes- they always did give him away- they were a mix of opposing emotions, a profound sadness and longing, but also a twinkle, almost a sparkle, of extreme joy. I didn't notice I had been watching him for so long until worry flashed over his face- an expression I had missed over the past three years.

"Belle! What's wrong?" He asked, quietly if you can believe it, startling me from my thoughts. I quickly wiped my eyes, catching the tears before they could fall and gracing him with a bright smile.

"I-... I missed you…. Very much, René. It wasn't the same at home without you." I spoke quietly, almost sheepishly as I leaned over the table and hugged my cousin. The gentle smile and warm embrace he returned were like walking back into a warm home after being in a snow storm for hours.

"Me too, Mon Belle, me too." He spoke patting my hair down like when we were kids. The familial moment was broken by the squealing of the dozens of girls who had been let into the room before René and I began our conversation. I could hear dozens of theories flying back and forth across the room about who I was; an old friend from France- as if Tamaki had friends outside of our family in Paris; a foreign lover, or even fiancee- that one made me gag, a deadpan settling onto my face; the most accurate theory was that I am a long lost sister, separated from him in some dramatic turn of events. It would make sense, our faces are somewhat similar, even if my hair is almost dramatically lighter than his, and my eye color is a bottle green as opposed to the violet shade of his own.

"René, perhaps you should stop these rumors before they continue beyond this room, I adore you mon ami, but you're really not my type…" I dryly joked, trailing off with a smile as I pulled away from my cousin.

"Of course, Mon Belle!" René agreed, a light hearted smile gracing his features once more as he pulled me to stand with him and cleared his throat loudly immediately getting the entire population of the rooms attention. "Ladies, fellow Hosts, I have a special young woman I would like to present today, one very dear to my heart," He began, I could already see his fans beginning to glare daggers in my direction, probably thinking there was something to the foreign lover theory. "This is my lovely younger cousin, Annabelle de Grantaine Ueno." He gestured grandly at my form and suddenly under all their curious stares. I felt underdressed in the baggy sweater and shorts I wore.

"Eh… Salut?" It was more of an amused question than an actual greeting, something to say to get them to stop staring at me in such an obvious and curious manner, but it started a flurry of questions. Not just from the girls either, but from a few of the Host boys, after all, I hadn't gotten a chance to really do more than greet them before their club began and René dragged me to the side for our Q&A session. "Uh…"

"...really your cousin?"

"...from france…"

"...tall…"

"...pretty…."

"...which school…" I only caught bits and pieces of the questions that were hammering me from all sides. It was overwhelming and after trying and failing to get a word in for the fifth time I snapped.

"PLEASE SHUT IT!" I shouted, my cheeks fading from that angry, hot, red color back to the porcelain tone i'm known for as everybody took a step back. "Thank you!" I grumbled, breathing deeply as I regained my composure, and snickering at the shocked looks they had all gained. "Sorry, I don't like being crowded." I apologized, trying to reign in the smirk as I cocked my head to the side, looking down to the shortest host. "Now, what was your question?"

As Belle answered questions for the club's guests the male hosts converged around the two 2nd year members, looking for answers about the bright girl from such a… dysfunctional family.

"So, your cousin, Tono?" One of the twins asked, earning a happy nod from the Clubs king.

"Yes, I haven't seen or heard from her since I left France!" He answered.

"Well she seems pretty cozy here, already." The other twin added in nodding back toward the crowd of girls surrounding her as Haruhi brought her fresh tea and snacks, speaking of, "how does she even know Haruhi?" A confused look crossed Tamaki's face as he watched his daughter and cousin flirt, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders when that failed to produce an answer. Everybody then turned to Kyoya expectantly.

"Though I'm flattered you think I would know such information," the megane spoke amusedly, on eyebrow perked up, "I don't know much about the girl personally, nor her relationship with Haruhi." He answered, opening his little black book to scribble something down. "What I can say, is her family have recently moved here and as far as I've been able to ascertain will be living here on a semi-permanent basis."

"Semi-permanent?" Honey asked, mentally noting that Tamaki was nodding along with everything the shadow king said, so obviously he had covered this information with Annabelle already.

"Yes, Honey-senpai, Belle and her sister, Remi will be living permanently in Japan for the next three years, while her parents fly between here and France. The Ueno family is establishing another headquarters here in Japan for their newest business, and Belle will be charged with keeping everything on track here." Tamaki explained, clapping his hands happily.

"That's so cool!" Honey exclaimed, before freezing with a large grin creeping onto his face, "She said she's going to be starting here at Ouran soon, Tama-chan, we should invite her into the club!" The youngest host suggested, giggling as the taller blonde choked and spluttered at the idea as the twins laughed.

"You're joking!" Tamaki finally gasped out.

"Actually, the idea has merit." Kyoya spoke up, looking over at the slowly thinning crowd that surrounded Belle, club would be ending soon and some of the ladies were leaving early, "She could assist Haruhi with her workload, and entertain the girls while they wait for their appointments." He explained.

"I suppose, as long as she's not required to actually host anyone, we could ask." Tamaki gave in with a shrug.

"Ask what?" Two voices spoke from outside of the impromptu group huddle, scaring the shit out of the half the hosts. It took a bit of prodding and shoving, but eventually it looked like Tamaki was voted as spokesman.

"M-mon Belle," He stuttered, before regaining his (over)confidence and offering a hand dramatically, "How would you like to be a host?"

*MEGANE- THE GLASSES CHARACTER OR THE PERSON KNOWN FOR WEARING GLASSES