Well…this will be my first (published) fan fiction in a long while. For those of you who read it, I hope you enjoy it. My purpose for writing this is that I think all the host club members could use some character development outside of their club activities (e.g., regular class and other clubs, like Kendo club), and Mori just needs more screen time, period. Having said that, I am a big fan of romance (Ouran is a romantic comedy, after all) and because I believe that Haruhi belongs with Tamaki when all is said and done, I decided to create an Original Character for Mori. I've done my best to avoid Mary-Sueism, and this is in no way a self-insert. If you think all OC/established character pairings are Mary Sues and are determined to attack my authorial competence for producing a story centered on said pairing, you are welcome to leave, now. For all the rest of you, thank you for stopping by my humble little corner of the internet, and I hope you enjoy your stay.

A black town car, freshly waxed, pulled to a stop in front of the massive clock tower. The driver jumped out, checked his watch against the massive timepiece, and nodded to himself. They were early. He stepped around to the passenger door to let his esteemed employer, and his employer's daughter, out of the car. His employer was Kasuga Kyon, a well-traveled and wealthy Japanese ambassador, and this was his daughter's first day at a new high school. Kyon was a tall, robust man in his mid-forties, and his black hair was just starting to turn grey at the edges of his beard and temples. He boomed his approval when he set eyes on his daughter's new educational facility for the first time.

"Thank you, Max! We're here in plenty of time, don't you think so, Kana?" Kana stepped onto the sidewalk with much more hesitation than her father; her thick, brown hair curled around her shoulders, half-hiding her face and the freckles which dotted her nose. She was also so much smaller than her father it was comical; the top of her head barely reached his massive shoulders.

"This is a school?" Kana wondered, looking nervous. "It's so big…"

"Ouran High School. That's right. They are also an elementary and middle school." Kana's father beamed at her. "You'll be all right. We're only a week into the first semester, and you'll catch up quickly. I've already made arrangements with your teachers. I expect the atmosphere would be about the same as a foreign boarding school-"

Kana shuddered. "I hope not…."

"-With several improvements. You'll still get to live at home, sleep in your own bed…and it's co-ed." The gleam in his eye made Kana turn red.

"You aren't planning to marry me off already, are you?"

"At your age you should be spending time with young ladies and young men. You'll learn much more about people than at an all-girls school. And if you happen to meet someone in the process…"

"Father!"

He shrugged. "I'm only teasing. Well, half-teasing. I'll send a driver to bring you home when school is out."

"Thank you. I'll see you when I get home." She waved as he signaled the driver to depart, and glanced at her new school. She stamped her foot. "This year will be different!" With that announcement, which elicited a few strange looks and raised eyebrows from passing students, she began to ascend the gigantic marble stairway.

And promptly tripped over the hem of her uniform, spilling books everywhere.

Or not.

"Rise! Bow!" The class president commanded as the teacher entered the room. Kana had not attended a Japanese school since her elementary years, but she had studied culture and habits extensively over the summer to be sure she did not commit any glaring faux pas. So far, so good. It felt nice to be back home. The teacher began calling role, and she attempted to make mental notes of all the students in her class, matching names with faces, just as her father taught her. She picked one or two identifying features about each of them and paired it with their name to help her remember. Let's see…the girl with the longest hair is Miho. Long hair, Miho. The blond boy over there is Tamaki. Blonde, Tamaki…Unfortunately, she nearly missed her own name being called.

"Kasuga Kana!"

"Let's see…the megane's name started with a…oh what was it…"

"Kasuga Kana!"

"Oh! Uhh…Here! Sorry!"

And promptly forgot every other name in the room. The teacher made her stand and bow to the class in greeting, and introduced her as the daughter of a Japanese ambassador who had been living at an American boarding school for the past five years. A few of the students exchanged glances, but they all seemed very polite and merely asked her a few questions about how she liked living abroad. She was relieved when she was allowed to sit down again, and all eyes turned away from her and back to the teacher.

The rest of class continued without incident until the lunch bell rang.

Maybe lunch would be a good time to look around, get my bearings…find a quiet place where I can eat alone, and gather my thoughts…

"Welcome to our class, Kasuga-san!" the boy who sat next to her greeted her with a pleasant smile and a bow. Megane. She thought automatically, but could not think of his name.

"Ah, yes, thank you!" She smiled and bowed in return.

"My name is Ootori Kyouya. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

Megane, Kyouya. Megane, Kyouya. Got it.

"I understand that you have been studying abroad?"

"Huh? Oh, yes…in America."

"Because of your father's work?"

"Yes. He's an ambassador…"

"I see! I'll bet you've had many opportunities to travel." Kyouya smiled again, the same pleasant, polite smile, but Kana thought that his glasses glinted rather creepily.

"Mom! Are you coming?" the blond boy Kana had noticed earlier was calling in their direction.

"Mom"? What-

Kyouya's eyebrow twitched, and he turned around slowly. "I'll be…right along…Tamaki."

Tamaki looked as though Kyouya had called him something very cruel, and clutched his hands to his chest. "Mom! Have I done something to make you angry with me?"

Kyouya was about to respond when Tamaki noticed Kana. His entire countenance changed, and he glided over to her and took her hand.

"Welcome, Princess! I'm terribly sorry I neglected to greet you properly before. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Suoh Tamaki. It is an honor."

"Uhhhh…" Kana felt her cheeks flush at this unexpected attention. She mustered a bow and a smile. The two young men in front of her were very tall, and very good-looking. It was a bit intimidating, as she had very little experience with men (having spent the entirety of her middle school years in an all-girl boarding school) and her father's comments that morning came, unbidden, back to her mind. She quickly withdrew we hand from Tamaki's grasp.

"V-very nice to meet you both!" she stammered, "I think I-I'll just be going to lunch, now!" She walked briskly toward the door, nearly tripping over a desk in the process, and scurried out of the classroom.

Kyouya watched after her for a few moments, then took out a file and made some notes. Tamaki smiled happily. "Cute! I think I'll invite her to the host club! I wonder what her type is?"

Kyouya smirked. "Really, no guesses? That surprises me, even for you, Dad."

Kana ran outside, and clapped a hand to her forehead. "Oi. I'm such a dunce. Why couldn't Father have arranged for a private tutor, or something? I'm just no good with people…" She looked around the grounds. Surely there was someplace she could eat her lunch in peace.

Her eyes alighted on a nearby tree, and she glanced around. No one was watching…

She deftly hoisted herself to a comfortable branch with her lunchbox, still looking around nervously. I never got in trouble for this at my old school…I hope it's all right here…

There were some birds in the tree, and their gentle singing relaxed her, and she began to eat her lunch, sighing contentedly. Yes, this was very peaceful…

She hurried back to the classroom long before the bell rang, not wanting to risk being late on her first day. Several of her classmates had returned as well, and were talking and laughing (more like twittering, she thought) together. She quietly made her way back to her desk. She was just sitting down when she noticed the whispered comments that had begun to spread:

"What is that in her hair?"

"I didn't see her at lunch…did she get in a fight?"

"Twigs…I wonder if she was climbing trees or something."

"Climbing trees? Surely not, what a thing to say!"

"There are sakura blossoms stuck to her lunchbag…"

Kana tried to ignore them. This happened at her last school, but after awhile they got used to it, and left her alone…

A tall, glamorous brunette strode over to Kana's desk. She was smiling, but the smile was not pleasant. Let's see…her name was…oh shoot…I can't remember…

"Kasuga…Kana? Was it?" She asked politely.

"Ah….yes. Pleased to meet you." As Kana inclined her head to bow, a leaf fell from her hair to the floor.

The brunette smirked, and bent low to whisper in Kana's ear. "Kasuga…this is a prestigious school for young ladies and gentlemen. Do you understand that?"

"Um…yes…but I-"

The taller girl stood up straight and lifted her chin haughtily. "I assume that in the future you will take care to not embarrass our school by coming to class in such a state…yankee."

"Ayanokoji Hime!" Tamaki's voice rose above the sneers and giggles. He was smiling, but his deep voice held a tone of command. "I believe class is about to start. Don't you think we should take our seats?"

Ayanokoji stiffened, and to Kana's surprise, obeyed. Kyouya was just taking his seat beside her, and she could have sworn that the corners of his mouth twitched upward. He made a few more notes on his clipboard before taking out his class notes. As the teacher began the history lecture, Kana stole a glance at Tamaki, and met his eyes. He gave her a warm smile and a wink before turning his attention to the lesson.

Kana bolted out the door of the classroom before the bell finished ringing. She didn't want to talk to anybody, didn't want to make polite conversation. She just wanted to go home and brush the stupid twigs out of her hair. She'd make up some nice story for her parents…tell them that everyone was very friendly, and it wasn't at all like the American boarding school….

"Kasuga Hime!"

…"Hime"? Kana stopped, looked for the voice that addressed her so strangely. Tamaki was bolting down the hallway in her direction. The sight of a handsome young man running at her and shouting "princess" was rather alarming, so she did the most logical thing and began running in the other direction.

"Hime!" He was gaining on her rapidly. What, exactly, did she hope to gain by running off? He was obviously faster, longer-limbed…if only she could duck into the ladies' room…

Just as she was rounding a corner, something caught her by each arm and hoisted her a few inches off the ground. She was left kicking and swinging in midair, without much effect. Craning her neck, she saw two heads of red hair, each of them with an elbow hooked under one of her arms. They began marching back toward Tamaki. Two voices in perfect unison asked, "Is this what you're after, m'lord?"

"Hikaru! Kaoru!" Kana heard his voice behind her, as he apparently skidded to a halt. "Put her down! That is no way to handle a lady!"

The twins shrugged and dropped her. When Kana turned around, she realized that she was now standing in the middle of a circle of very tall and unnervingly good-looking young men; the two redheads, Tamaki, and Kyouya, who had somehow appeared out of nowhere with his clipboard. She was out of breath, but Tamaki seemed to have forgotten that he had been careening through the halls just a moment ago, and had regained his perfect (and slightly annoying) composure. He coughed into his fist. "Kasuga Hime…"

"Kana."

"What?"

"Kasuga Kana. I'm not a princess; I don't know what gave you that idea...I mean, I'm sure there is a lot of royalty at this school, but I don't want you thinking…"

"It's not that he thinks you're royalty. Anyone with eyes can look at you and see you're not," Kyouya interjected matter-of-factly. "We refer to all our customers as "Hime", but Tamaki applies the term to all female-kind."

"…Oh…" Kana wasn't sure if she was supposed to feel offended or not. "Customers?"

Tamaki coughed again, and then grabbed her hand with flourish. "Kasuga Hime, I sincerely apologize for the treatment you received today from our class. Please come and visit our club and allow us to welcome you properly to our school."

"Your…club?"

"Yes, Hime! Our club exists for the sole purpose of bringing happiness to girls like you. We have something for everyone!"

"Happiness…? What kind of club is this?"

The twins suddenly started giggling. "What's you're type, hime?" said one. "We are that kind of club!" said the other.

"Wh-what kind?" Kana asked, thoroughly confused.

They grinned at her, their red spikes of hair curling like horns. They emphasized each syllable, grinning wider as the realization dawned on her face."H-O-S-T C-L-U-B!"

"H-h-h-host club?" Kana backed away, out of the circle of males. "They have that kind of club here? At a high school?" She could feel her face turning red at the idea. "Suoh-san, that is very generous of you…very kind…but I-"

Somehow, the twins had crept up behind her and caught a hold of her shoulders, blocking her exit. Each of them leaned down to whisper in her ears. "So…what is your type, Kasuga hime?" "Cool-type?" They gestured to Kyouya, who seemed to be obliviously jotting notes. "Prince-type?" They gestured to Tamaki, who bowed chivalrously. "Or…"

"Brotherly love!" Dramatically, the twins fell into each others arms in front of her.

"Um…" Good grief, have I stepped into some kind of bizarre shoujo-manga? "Once again, thank you for the offer, but I really must be getting home, now…"

Tamaki teleported to her side. "Very well, Hime; but the offer stands. If you ever feel the desire, please feel free to stop by Music Room 3. We are open every day after school. We would be delighted to have you." He took her hand, and to her great embarrassment, kissed it.

"I-I'll keep it in mind." With that, she turned and walked briskly to the nearest exit, eager to return home as soon as possible.

The four host club members were soon on their way to the music room. Tamaki rubbed at his chin, thinking carefully.

"M'lord, maybe she doesn't have a 'type'." Kaoru suggested.

"She wasn't affected by the brotherly-love act!" Hikaru sighed. "How boring!"

"Every lady has a type," Kyouya spoke up unexpectedly. "Some are subtler about it than others. Besides," he grinned slightly as they opened the doors to the music room. "Kasuga Kana Hime has not yet met all the members of the host club."

Hunny, Mori, and Haruhi looked up as the four entered. "You guys are late!" Hunny scolded. "You all have customers waiting!"

"I'm sorry, Hunny," Tamaki apologized, going to open the curtains and let some more light into the music room. Mori was sitting at the window with Piyo, watching the various students that were still trickling out of the classrooms. One female student had stopped in the middle of the walkway and was staring directly toward them, apparently transfixed by something.

Tamaki looked at her more closely, grinned, and opened the window. "Kasuga Kana Himeeee!" He called. "Yoo hooo!" This greeting did not have the effect he intended. She looked horrified, turned away, and ran off as quickly as she could. Hunny climbed up Mori's back and peered over his head at the running girl. "Aw, Tamaki! You scared her off!"

Kyouya glanced up from calculating profits, and reached over the make a note on his clipboard. "I don't think it was Tamaki that scared her."

END CHAPTER ONE

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