Chapter Thirty-Three: A Couple of Love Stories

"S-so...should we tell them?" Kiiro attempted to act casual, watching her neighborhood pass by on the way to Kyouya's house.

"Oh?" Kyouya smirked. "So you've thought about it, too?"

"Well, it's just, I suppose the reason I wanted to keep it a secret in the first place was because of the other love situation in the club." she fidgeted with her shirt cuffs. "But, since that's all worked out..."

Abruptly, her calm expression changed to one of panic, "Th-then again, what do you say in that sort of situation? ""Hey guys, sorry for the secrecy but we've been in a relationship for almost a year now!""

Kyouya seemed mildly surprised, "Has it almost been a year?"

Kiiro's panic seemed to increase, she held a hand over her mouth, looking over to him, "It's almost been a year?!"

He smiled, "You said it yourself." then he raised an eyebrow, "Why do you sound so upset about it?"

"Because it doesn't seem like it's been a year!" she argued.

"Though, I suppose if you really think about it, one could say we were like this from about the time you came to Ouran..."

"We?" she recalled all those times before their first kiss that he had held her hand or invaded her bedroom. Her face grew ever more red when she remembered the time they had shared a bed when they had gone to the beach, and the time they had both used the mixed bath at that ryokan. "But when I think about it, wasn't most of that you?"

He shrugged, "It's not my fault you're so submissive. Not that I'm complaining, of course." his glasses gleamed.

"Wha-what's that supposed to mean?!"

"Dominance suits me, and I'm beginning to think you have a fondness for it." he ran a finger along her jawline, making her heart stutter.

"Kyouya..." her voice was a bit more quiet than she preferred, she cleared her throat and spoke up, "W-well, let's not change the subject." she avoided his gaze. "Are we going to tell them about us?"

He smiled, "Of course, but there's no need to worry about rehearsing some speech. I've got something in mind."

She sighed, "So, are you going to let me in on this plan of yours?"

"No." he said simply. "It would be better to surprise you."

She rolled her eyes.

"Nothing!" Tamaki shouted in exasperation. "I can't come up with a plan for the most perfect first date in the universe with Haruhi!"

They, this time excluding Haruhi, all sat around in one of Kyouya's rooms trying to help Tamaki.

"Hey, Tono."

"A movie...no good!" King hadn't heard the Twins. "Haruhi would be more focused on the popcorn than the movie! Furthermore, halfway through, she'll get bored with the movie and probably fall asleep...no, she'll definitely fall asleep! As for the zoo, I'll get overexcited and Haruhi will definitely be bored! If we go to an aquarium, the food we eat will remind her of the animals we just saw!"

"Tama-chan~! What about an amusement park~?" Hani suggested.

"Hani-senpai!" Tamaki screeched, crying profusely. "Don't you know about the legend that says that couples that go to an amusement park for their first date have a fifty percent chance of breaking up?"

"Isn't that just superstition?" Kiiro tilted her head.

"Ah! But if we go to the beach, Haruhi will be embarrassed because she can't swim!" he went on. "And, because her reflexes are so slow, taking her to a sports club would be an absolute insult!"

'Isn't he insulting her right now?' she raised an eyebrow.

"Tono, calm down! For some time now, you've been horribly insulting Haruhi!" the Twins yelled. "No wonder Haruhi said Tono seemed busy."

"Putting aside a whole lifetime's worth of memories so he can secretly plan a perfect date won't make Haruhi happy." Kyouya stated. "But, I suppose sooner or later it will occur to him to go with something simple."

Tamaki's face brightened up, "Magic."

Kiiro had to jump up and help restrain Kyouya, who asked, "Can I kill him slowly for his stupidity?" with an evil aura about him.

'It's like he wants to die...'

"What about magic?" he repeated. "It's a tactic I can use instantly if Haruhi gets bored!"

"That distraction sounds idiotic." the Twins tried. "Even more so if you're downtown trying to get Haruhi's attention."

"Yes! It's decided! Kyouya, stock up on magic equipment immediately!"

"If you want to talk nonsense, do it in your sleep!" Kyouya ordered, his dark aura growing.

"Calm down, Kyouya." Kiiro scooted away from the hostile aura.

"Mori-senpai, practice being the person I will cut in half, please?"

"..." Mori was shocked.

"L-let's not try that, Tamaki!" Kiiro tried.

"Hani-senpai, get me a saw!"

"What?"

"Tono, don't be so rash! Together, with us, we'll help you come up with a plan!"

"Hikaru! Kaoru! You guys are angels!" Tamaki hugged the Twins.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll pull an all-nighter."

"Tama-chan~! We'll help you, too~!" Hani smiled.

"Why are you still in my room?" Kyouya sighed.

"Hello, Fuyumi." Kiiro greeted, as she was the first one to see Kyouya's sister walk through the door.

"Kiiro!" she hugged her. "It's been so long since I last saw you! I don't believe I've been able to see you since you moved to Japan! My how you've..." she hesitated, looking down at the short girl. "...grown." she fake-smiled.

"I-it's okay, y-you don't have to lie." Kiiro slumped. "But, it has been a while hasn't it?"

"What are you doing here?"

"We're helping Tamaki practice his first date plan." she smiled.

"What? What? Oh my! Oh my!" she looked astonished. "Practicing the first date plan? Tamaki-kun?" she ran over to where everyone else was standing. "Tamaki-kun? You got a girlfriend? Congratulations! It's so nice, the first time I met my husband was wonderful!" she gushed.

"Fuyumi-neesan, I know my brother-in-law is on a business trip but please don't come over here on a whim." Kyouya sighed.

"Father's at an academic conference, so he isn't here, right? It's fine!" she laughed.

Tamaki sighed, flipping over another page in his little king notebook. "Which place would Haruhi enjoy?"

"Tono has a tight schedule already..."

"One day in Kyoto and Kamakura?"

"Yeah, it ought to be worth it to bring Haruhi along!"

"This plan could make Haruhi quite happy~!"

"...Kizuchi Marketplace?"

"Mori-senpai, nice!"

"Wait, what are we doing?" Kaoru interrupted.

"Yeah, we have a secret weapon, Tono!" Hikaru agreed.

"Ah! W-what is it?"

"Kiiro-senpai is a girl, right?" the Twins smiled.

She glared at them, "I don't like the tone with which you said that..."

"Right! Kiiro!" Tamaki's face lit up. "You can help me! Which is the better idea?"

Kiiro sighed, "There are two errors in your request: One, I haven't been to half of these places. And two, I've never been on a date in my life." she shrugged.

"But, how can that be yo-!" the Twins began to tease her.

"Boys." Kiiro warned. She turned towards Kyouya and Fuyumi with a distressed look on her face. Kyouya just smiled and waved. Fuyumi chuckled.

"All right! With your help, the plan is complete!" King announced holding up a slip of paper the next day at school. "I'm off!"

Kiiro sat down beside Kyouya again, feeling a headache coming on, "Honestly I'm not sure why I bothered offering to help." she grinned. "Considering the advice I gave Haruhi the other day."

"Advice?" he leaned back in his seat.

"Well, I may have told her about an amusement park I went to once." her grin only grew. "One that I remember quite fondly."

"Oh?" he returned her smile. "I think I know the one. But, I'm a little surprised that you would suggest something in that way."

She shrugged, "Ah, maybe your shadowy-ness is rubbing off on me?"

'Well, I suppose we have to keep true to Host Club form...' Kiiro sighed while walking with the rest of the club as they watched Tamaki and Haruhi. "Stalking, again?"

The two being observed stood by the fountain, and then in the fountain as they tried to retrieve various papers from the waters. Kiiro couldn't hear what they were saying but they both looked happy and...

'...awkward.' Kiiro smirked.

"What's going on?" Hikaru asked. "Is Haruhi actually merrymaking?"

"That's what it looks like~!" Hani grinned.

"Hey? Aren't you guys supposed to be in the university division?" Kaoru asked of the alumni.

"...Yeah, this morning." Mori replied.

"Why are we stalking them?" Kiiro raised an eyebrow.

"...This is ridiculous." Kyouya agreed.

"You two be quiet!" the Twins hushed them.

Kiiro muttered, "I can't figure out whether they want to help Tamaki and Haruhi or hinder them..."

"Yet another odd contradiction." Kyouya shrugged, before looking back at the others, "Why are you dressed like that?"

The Twins were changing into random clown outfits that seemed to come from nowhere. Hani had on large glasses with swirls on them and an attached mustache and Mori was wearing sunglasses and an afro wig.

"You weren't listening, were you?" the Twins huffed.

"Tamaki and Haruhi are going on a date to an amusement park~!" Hani cheered.

"Right now?" Kiiro raised an eyebrow.

"Well, no...~"

"Then why are you dressed like that now?" Kyouya asked.

"Kiiro, it's time to wake up." Kyouya- yet again- let himself into Kiiro's bedroom.

"Why?" Kiiro rolled over.

"Because everyone wants to watch Tamaki and Haruhi on their first date."

"...I don't." she burrowed into her blankets. "I'm not worried about them like everyone else."

Kyouya sighed and chuckled, "I'm not either."

"Then why don't we just stay in bed?" she tried.

There was a silence, "You do realize what you just said?" he smirked.

"I know what I said, Kyouya." she smiled.

He turned her over and was on his hands and knees above her, "As tempting as the offer is..." he ran a finger under her chin. "I really don't think we're on the same page." he chuckled. "Now, come on, get up." he pulled her up.

"Last chance, Kyouya." she pulled back.

"I still have to decline." he picked her up out of bed on his shoulder.

"Aah, Kyouya!" she tried to balance herself.

"Let's get you dressed."

"Not before you get out of my room!"

'At least I tried to disguise myself...' Kiiro raised her eyebrow from behind her opaque sunglasses. Her floppy straw hat kept her face from view.

Kyouya hadn't disguised himself at all. The Twins were dressed as maintenance workers, Mori was a balloon vendor, and Hani was a tiny clown.

'I'm glad I came, though... Haruhi is adorable!' Kiiro smirked from their viewpoint.

Haruhi wore a multicolored sun dress with a flowy light jacket on and a large flower pin. She looked surprisingly girly in all her accessories.

'I bet Mei-chan had something to do with it. ...Where is Tamaki?'

Hikaru sighed, "Our plan was to watch those two undoubtedly embarrass themselves so we could tease them about it afterward but..."

"You know, I want to date that cute Haru-chan, too~!" Hani pouted.

"Mitsukuni, your voice is too loud." Mori cautioned.

"More than jealous, I'm annoyed." Kaoru stated. "Why is he making Haruhi wait? He should have arrived first even if it meant not sleeping!"

"Well, I don't know about that but..." Kiiro sweatdropped.

"I'm sure he's making a big deal about what to wear." Kyouya sighed.

"Tsk! Nobody cares about your clothes!" Kaoru patronized King.

"It would be better if he showed up with totally weird attire and got dumped on the spot." Hikaru added.

"Oh, come on, Tama-chan isn't that stupid." Hani tried.

"Haruhi! Sorry for making you wait!" Tamaki appeared. "I'm sorry! I couldn't decide what to wear!"

The shock was clear on all of the eavesdroppers' faces.

Tamaki wore a heavy formal hakama which was imprinted with his family crest.

'He is that stupid!'

The Twins and the alumni grabbed Tamaki before he could get to Haruhi and carried him off to the boy's bathroom. When they threw him out he was in casual wear.

"Eh?" Haruhi rubbed her head. "I got the feeling you were dressed in clothes that made me want to go home..."

"W-what?" Tamaki stuttered.

"That was close..." the Twins sighed in relief.

"Nice save, guys." Kiiro held her thumb up.

"He really was about to get dumped on the spot!" Hikaru shrieked.

"It's a good thing we brought some clothes just in case!" Kaoru added.

"Wait, you were preparing for this?" Kiiro smiled.

"It is so like Tama-chan not to betray our expectations at all!" Hani sighed.

"Weren't you all annoyed at him?" Kyouya raised an eyebrow.

"I-in any case, how about we go inside now, Haruhi?" Tamaki went on.

"But this is the special gate."

"Welcome, Suoh-sama, Fujioka-sama!" a collection of workers chorused.

'What is he thinking?'

"Congratulations on your first date! Congratulations! Congratulations!" the workers said as a smiling Tamaki and a mortified Haruhi walked through the gate.

"Thank you! Thank you, everyone!" Tamaki waved.

"Senpai, what is all this?"

"Surprised?" he smiled. "Actually, the was supposed to be a rice shower, too, but I thought wasting all of that rice would make you sad, so I had it saved for you! And, I was also offered the entire park to ourselves but I knew you wouldn't like that! I firmly refused it!"

Haruhi looked like she was about to kill him, the gang rushed in and shooed away all the workers and the readied carriage.

"Clear the area! Nothing to see here!"

"Eh? It disappeared?" Haruhi turned back.

"It's over already?" Tamaki questioned.

"Like I said, what were you trying to do?" Kyouya asked the drained Twins and alumni.

"It's true that in the corners of our hearts we wanted them to break up...but..." Hikaru huffed.

"Yeah..." Kaoru agreed.

"If we leave that idiot alone he really will get dumped in one single day... We need to do something!"

"I'm so torn between wanting this date to succeed and wanting our usual stupid Tono, this feeling is weighing my heart down..." Kaoru sighed.

"Might it be love?" Hani questioned.

"Mitsukuni, no, this feeling is...the feeling of a parent who wants to look after his child after he leaves the nest for the first time." Mori explained.

"You guys..." Kyouya pushed up his glasses. "If your brains have nothing to do but think of these useless thoughts, maybe you should reflect on other problems..." something caught his attention.

"Hm?"

"Is something wrong, Kyou-chan?" Hani asked.

"Oh no, nothing, I just thought that my eyes were deceiving me for a moment."

Surprisingly what went on afterward wasn't as awkward as it could have been.

Around lunch time Hani said, "The atmosphere is nice~! Maybe we worried needlessly, it might be better if we just go home~!"

"If it goes smoothly, it's boring." Hikaru said annoyed.

"It would have been better to add wasabi to their takoyaki." Kaoru commented.

"Still saying this like that?"

"And you know, Haruhi was cute even before, but it's as if she's a real girl today~!"

"Hani-senpai," Kyouya spoke up, "actually this is what-."

"Haruhi, Haruhi, here, Ahhh..." Tamaki waited for Haruhi to feed him takoyaki.

The Twins dropped their lunches.

"Ah! But, there are two toothpicks, you can help yourself!" Haruhi tried.

"But you fed me at the school festival!"

"But there are so many people!"

"At that time, there were a lot of people!"

"No way! No way!"

He grabbed her hand, "So...feed me?"

"I guess there's no choi-..."

The Twins threw a sandal at King's head.

"Hika-chan! Kao-chan!"

"That was so close!" Kaoru sighed.

"Haruhi was about to snap and go home!" Hikaru added.

"Liars..." Kiiro shook her head.

"You're both so obviously selfish." Kyouya crossed his arms.

"By the way, Haruhi, where do you want to go now?" Tamaki asked as he recovered.

"The nearest attraction is a haunted house."

"Anywhere but there!" Tamaki screeched.

"Are you scared?"

"No, it's just, I already experienced a terror previously that was worse than the haunted house! When I called, the devil himself could have answered or a demon incarnate! Even remembering it makes me shudder! Kyouya is absolutely frightening when he wakes up!"

Tachibana and the rest of Team Kyouya showed up in pig suits and stomped on him.

"Good job!" Kyouya smiled evilly.

"Thank you!"

"Y-you..." Kiiro's eye twitched.

Kyouya shrugged, "He'll be fine."

In order to cheer Tamaki up, since he was beaten up by Kyouya's bodyguards, Haruhi took him to the park's aquarium to look at the beluga whales. After some time there a kid tripped by them and began to cry. In order to stop his crying, Tamaki showed him the magic tricks that he had been practicing to impress Haruhi, making flowers appear seemingly from nowhere. And one couldn't deny that Haruhi was impressed. All in all, the date appeared to be going off without a hitch.

But then...

"Young maiden? Is that you?"

The smile Kiiro had disappeared when she recognized the voice.

The Zuka Club appeared before them.

"N-no way... What are they doing here...?"

"So I wasn't wrong..." Kyouya said simply.

"Oh my, you are so cute today!"

"To meet by coincidence. This is our fate..."

"Let's ride the Ferris wheel together!"

The trio hugged Haruhi.

"Hold on! Wait! Haruhi is on a date with me!" Tamaki stood up.

"You're kidding me, right? Who would date a vulgar person like you?" Benio yelled.

"Stop right there, lovely ladies." Kyouya and the rest of the Hosts stepped up. "Those who get in the way of love's path will be kicked by horses. If it's alright with you, we would like to be your opponents."

"You...everyone?" Tamaki freaked out.

"You just realized it now?" Hikaru sighed.

"You should have noticed it when we changed your clothes~!"

"By the way, how did you still have magic tricks in different clothes?" Kaoru asked.

"This way!" Kiiro pointed to a separate hall.

"Hurry up, go!" Kyouya pushed the two off.

"Kyouya... Everyone, thank you!" they ran off.

"Young maiden!"

"We are your opponents!"

Truthfully, there was no battle, they just explained how this date came into being.

"I see, since when did those two develop such a relationship?" Benio questioned. "So I guess our young maiden has stopped participating in that silly club, eh?"

"No way, why would she do something so stupid?" the Twins asked.

"Who is the stupid one here?" she yelled. "How long do you plan on keeping her gender a secret? You can't go on like this! If you just leave it be, it's just a matter of time until everyone around her finds out. Don't you understand this? She looks too much like a girl!"

"When a maiden falls in love, she changes!" Hinako added.

"Shut up! That's none of your busi-!" the Twins were cut off.

"Wait, she's right." Kyouya said. "The reason is not only this development with Tamaki. It's true that we can't keep on hiding her true gender forever."

"Kyou-chan?"

"Then, what do we do?"

"Well, actually, there's something I noticed a while ago..."

He was interrupted by the sound of the Zuka Club running away.

"The Zuka Club!"

"Young maiden!" Benio, Chizuru and Hinako caught up with Tamaki and Haruhi.

"Wait!" the Hosts and Kiiro caught up with the Zuka Club.

"Aaaahh!"

"Haruhi! Can you run for a little bit more? Just until the center square's fountain?" Tamaki asked.

"Weren't we going somewhere else?" Haruhi ran.

"Yes, but, I think, even if we use a car, they'd follow us, so, maybe this will be a good distraction."

As the separate groups ran, the clock rang to announce that it was one o'clock. Just as it did, a flock of doves flew out above the central fountain, "This was today's best illusion!" Tamaki laughed as everyone else stopped. "Come on! Let's go, Haruhi!" they ran off.

"Young maiden wai-! Ah, the doves!" the doves attacked the Zuka Club.

Mori whistled and all of the birds flocked to rest by him.

'He must have been an animal tamer in a past life.'

Amidst all the chaos, she caught sight of Kyouya's smile, he glanced down at her, "I think, with this, she'll accept that opportunity, you know?"

Despite the vagueness, Kiiro smiled back and nodded, watching as Tamaki and Haruhi hustled into a car and quickly receded from view, "The offer to study abroad? I know."

"What will we do then?" he leaned against her.

She chuckled, "What? It's not like you weren't offered the chance, too." she crossed her arms. "Mr. Highest-grades-in-all-of-Ouran." she bumped him with her hip. "Which reminds me, why was I also offered the opportunity? Since I'm already a transfer student?" she eyed him.

He grinned, "Are you implying I had something to do with that?"

"Kyouya..." she raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's not like I would have gone without you." he shrugged. "We made a promise, remember?" he presented his pinky.

"I remember." she entwined her pinky with his, knowing in that moment that when she came to Japan in the first place, it wasn't exactly a new place she needed, it was all of these people she had befriended and bonded with here. She grinned up at him.

The next day after school...

"Eh? Haruhi-kun will go to study abroad?" the guests screeched.

"To Boston for one year?" the Twins and Hani joined in.

"Are you stupid? Boston is basically the countryside!" the Twins yelled.

"Ah, there's a misconception..." Kiiro held up a hand.

"Actually, I've heard that the school in that city is perfect for studying abroad." Haruhi explained.

"You should have got an exciting city, like Las Vegas or Beverly Hills!"

"I'm going there to study, so I don't need it to be exciting."

"That's not what we mean! It's just that studying abroad is something that can be done after high school!" they threw their fists up in the air.

"Actually, this has been something I was bothered by as well, and my father also offered to pay my expenses to go but..." she smiled. "Now it will be completely free."

"Come on, Tono!" the Twins whined. "You've got to stop her, too! After all you've just become a couple, are you fine with her going?"

'Did they just scream that?'

"Hika-chan, Kao-chan, shhh!" Hani warned.

The guests looked on excitedly, hoping to hear more about this 'couple'.

"I'm supporting this, actually." Tamaki smiled. "It's something Haruhi decided after being troubled a lot."

"You're making the face of somebody who is incredibly understanding, again!"

Tamaki looked at the clock, "It's already that time? And by the way, for the time being, I'm putting a lot of effort in training for the job at the Suoh company!" he smiled. "But I will try to show myself from time to time at the club!"

"Wait, what do you mean? Kyouya-senpai! Kyouya-senpai! Do you get it, this bas-!"

"The Host Club will surely hold a goodbye party for Haruhi." Kyouya went into business mode. "We're also planning to have a special edition photobook, special goods and more."

"Kyaa! I'll definitely buy it!"

"Kiiro-senpai, do something!" the Twins ordered as they held Tamaki back so he couldn't leave.

"About what?" Kiiro smiled, acting oblivious.

"Haruhi, when are you leaving?" Kyouya asked as all the guests ran out of the room to spread the information.

"Ah, yes..." she thought. "The school there starts in September, but, I'd like to get used to my life there a little before that time, so I think I'm going right after the closing ceremony of the first term."

"I see, there is also the exams before the end of first term, so we will be busy as well. How about we have your goodbye party the evening of the day of the closing ceremony?"

"Wai-Wait! Everything is happening so quickly!" the Twins protested.

"Hikaru, Kaoru." Haruhi turned to them. "I'm sorry if I decided all of this by myself, but I would like you to understand if possible. I'm also really sad to part from all of you, but it's thanks to all of you that I could make this decision. Thanks to all of you, I was able to expand my world so much. That's why, now, I feel the need to see more and more things."

"Haru-chan."

There was a pause before, "Got it." Kaoru and Hikaru were pacified.

"Then, Tamaki-senpai, Kyouya-senpai." Tamaki froze before opening the door and Kyouya turned his head. "I have something to ask you. If my horizon expanded, it wasn't because I met all of you, but it was also because of everyone in my class and our guests at the Host Club. For this reason, I don't want to leave keeping my secret. Would it be possible for me to reveal everything to everyone?" she smiled.

After that, the days flew by, studying for exams, planning for the goodbye party, Haruhi's studying of the English language, 'She could have just came to me for that...instead of Jounouchi...' Kiiro sweatdropped, and Tamaki's business with the Suoh company kept everyone's agenda full.

And, finally, just after exams...

"Okay, everyone, did you get it?" Tamaki asked from the head of the table. "Tomorrow we'll have the goodbye party, finally, and...at the same time, the fulfillment of the project we talked about. You all need to handle everything very carefully."

"What big words from someone who basically didn't help in anyway for this party..." the Twins criticized.

"Just in case, let's review everyone's positions again, one more time..."

"Tono, a question!" the Twins raised their hands. "Do you really think everything will end well? It's kind of a big bet, if Kyouya's guess is wrong."

Kyouya sighed and turned to Kiiro, "Kiiro, having known me longer than anyone else in this room has, how many times have I guessed wrong?"

Kiiro thought back, "Not often..."

"Not ever." he corrected.

"We'll see when the time comes!" Tamaki smiled.

"Too easy!" the Twins yelled.

Tamaki went on, "It's because I want to believe in it... That the time that Haruhi spent with all of us... The days when our guests continued to support us no matter what..."

Kyouya raised his hand, "I have another thing to say. There is something that our leader has to tell us..." he gestured towards Tamaki.

"Eh?"

July twentieth, five o'clock, central building, great hall...

Tamaki bowed, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming here to celebrate this party for our scholarship student who is going abroad. It's called a goodbye party but...our club's motto is to always provide entertainment for our guests... Therefore, the theme this time is...a masquerade party, Host Club style!"

Kiiro looked through her glittering silver mask at all of the attendants in their lavish outfits and masks. She hadn't had much time to design her dress, but, she liked it a lot. The black straps tied around her neck, there was a white and black polka-dotted bow on the breast, the waist had stripes leading down that were also black and white, a glittering silver scarf tied around her waist and the skirt of the dress was red and was adorned with two fabric black roses, it ended with red lace a few inches above her knees. She wore plain black heels and white gloves as well. Her hair was pinned up to reveal her mask that had red gems and two red feathers on one side.

The dance had just begun, but already there was so much time being lost, as Haruhi was dancing with Kasugazaki of her class, Kyouya caught her attention, "Is it already time?" She ran off with Hikaru and Kaoru to help prepare.

Kiiro got out the dress as the Twins prepared the makeup.

"Haruhi! Ah, she's here, she's here!" the Twins announced as Mori set Haruhi down.

"Wha-wha?" Haruhi frantically looked around.

"Ah, all this rushing is so nostalgic~!" Hani laughed.

"Come on, sit down, I'll put some light makeup on you!" Hikaru ordered. "When I'm finished you'll change your clothes right away!"

"Kiiro-senpai, is the dress ready?" Kaoru asked.

"Yes!" she chirped.

"Wait! You don't mean?" Haruhi screeched.

"Well, we also said that this was a bit reckless." the Twins went on. "But, Tono and Kyouya-senpai..."

Kyouya entered the room as if on cue, "...Haruhi, I'm not someone who bets on a situation easily if I can't predict victory or defeat, but, I think that, for this time, I will do it and agree with Tamaki's opinion." he smiled.

Kiiro revealed the dress to Haruhi, who nearly gasped. Bows and pointed-petaled flowers lead up from one side to the only strap on the opposite side, populating the ruffled waist and draping down her back, the bunched up skirt was also covered with large bows and pseudo flowers and went to her mid-thigh. The hairband that went with it had the same two flowers on one side and her sandals had multiple straps and tinier flowers. She wore a long wig that was the same color as her hair. Her mask was plain and white.

Tamaki could be heard from the other room, "Everyone, please put on the mask that you have in your hands. From now, with the light a little lower..." the chandeliers were dimmed. "it will be quite hard for you to recognize everyone around you. Among these people, I would like you to find someone. Someone that will be away from Ouran for some time. The real form of Fujioka Haruhi!" he grinned. "The title of this game will be: 'Let's look for Haruhi-kun!'" he pointed.

An audible gasp rippled through the crowd.

"Haru-chan, you're so cute, do your best~!"

"You do look lovely." Kiiro smiled at her.

"...Haruhi." Mori added.

"Haruhi." Kyouya added.

"Haruhi!" the Twins pushed her out of the room. "Go!"

Everyone in the next room could be heard searching for Haruhi.

The Hosts came out just after the guests had found Haruhi, claiming they had known her secret all along, even about her love for Tamaki. With that they had urged Haruhi to dance with Tamaki at the last waltz.

"Besides, I found something far more precious, and I have no intentions of ruining it." Kiiro heard Kyouya say as she made her way up the stairs to the balcony that overlooked the Great Hall.

"Ah, there you are, boys, I know this is the last dance, but, there are still a lot of requests from your guests to dance." Kiiro chuckled. "I can lead you to them if you want."

"Ah, Kir-chan~!" Hani laughed.

"Yes, what is it, Hani-senpai?"

Before he could say anything, Kyouya walked up to her and took her hand.

"Kyouya?"

"Well, you said it was the last dance." he smirked. "I'll just have to send flowers to the girls I left out."

"Wha-what?" she asked, completely confused.

After a short while, Haruhi and Tamaki had went out and, suddenly, Haruhi's voice could be heard, "EEEHHH?"

"I think that was Haruhi." Kiiro analyzed expertly.

"Finally, Haruhi realized it, too." Hikaru laughed.

"It's kind of incredible." Kaoru commented.

"And, when he said, 'I thought everyone knew already.'"

"'I'm definitely not letting Haruhi go there alone.'"

"The reason why Tama-chan was so busy," Hani began. "was because his grandmother had said she would agree with his plans to study abroad only if he complied to the tight schedule that she made up for him. But, if Kyou-chan hadn't informed us yesterday, we wouldn't have realized it either..."

"Aah..." Mori agreed.

"Well, I can see him planning something like that." Kyouya sighed as all the guests mourned the temporary loss of Haruhi and Tamaki.

"And..." the Twins continued. "for that reason, we were all in hurry and emergency mode."

"That's right~!"

"One second.. Hold on... Why is that moron going with her? Come down, you idiot! Give me back Haruhi!" Ranka screamed as they saw Haruhi and Tamaki off on their plane.

"Ranka-san! Papa-san! Calm down!" Hani tried restraining him.

"I will remember this!" he continued. The guests, who had also come to say goodbye, marveled at his rage. "I will kill you if you even lay one finger on my daughter! You idiot!"

"Eh? Daughter?" one of the guests prompted.

"Haruhi-kun is..."

"He's a girl?" they all asked in unison.

"Ne? I thought they knew?" Kiiro was caught off guard.

Kyouya's mouth was agape.

"B-but, you said you knew..." the Twins croaked.

"But, that was about how we thought Haruhi would look nice in women's clothes..."

"And, what about supporting her and Tono?"

"That's because we thought we ought to definitely support their forbidden love!"

"But as fans you try to get as much information as possible!" the Twins persisted.

"Haruhi's conditions are pretty poor, so we thought it would be rude!"

Renge looked broken, "Ehh? Ehh? EEHH? Haruhi's a girl?"

"So you're sure you want to go?" Kiiro's mother asked her over the phone.

Kiiro's bedroom was mostly empty, all packed up again. It was the second time she would travel in just over a year. She sat up on her bed, one of the few things left, through her gauzy curtains sunlight streamed in. She smiled, "Yes, Mom, I'm sure."

Her mom chuckled, "I suppose there's no talking you out of it then. You really did inherit your father's stubbornness."

"I won't deny it."

"Alright then, but, before you have to go, one more thing."

"Hm?"

"Can I trust Kyouya?"

"Honestly?" Kiiro blushed, she heard her bedroom door open and the aforementioned devil let himself in. He had come to take her with him to the airport. She held up a finger to her mouth, and he paused where he stood. "Yes." she smiled.

"That's all I need to know." after a moment's hesitation, she quickly added, "Just make sure to be safe, okay?"

Kiiro tilted her head, "Safe? Of cou-" then her mother's meaning hit her. "Ack! I-I'm going to be late getting to the airport! Bye!" she clicked her phone off, heat rising to her face in mere moments.

"What was that about?" Kyouya raised an eyebrow.

"N-nothing!" Kiiro deflected.

Later at the airport with the rest of the Hosts, who had all decided to follow Haruhi and Tamaki to America, Kyouya smiled, "You know, I'm surprised your parents are letting you go."

"Why?"

"Well, haven't you seen the room plans?"

"Not yet, I haven't had a chance to." she confessed.

He whispered in her ear, "There's a door that connects your room to mine." he smirked and grabbed her hand.

"W-what?" her eyes grew wide.

"You heard me." he raised an eyebrow. He kissed her, in front of everyone.

"K-Kyouya!" she hid her blush, she wondered if this was what he had meant when he said he had a plan to reveal their relationship to the others.

"We knew it!" the Twins cheered, smug expressions on their faces.

Hani and Mori only smiled, having known before anyone else, perhaps.

"Oh, come now, Kiiro." Kyouya grinned. "It's not like it wasn't obvious."

They knocked on the door that was just down the hallway in the apartment complex after the trip, "Good afternoon, we just moved in next door!" the Twins, Kiiro, Kyouya, Mori and Hani announced in English.

"Ah!" the door opened to reveal Haruhi. She said, in English, "Hi! Sorry for not introducing myself!"

"Hello!"

She shut the door in their faces.

They pushed the door open.

"Heh? Every room has got the same layout?" Hikaru asked.

"The view from the third floor is very good as well~!" Hani smiled toting Usa-chan.

Mori patted Piyo, who was now fully grown, and Pome as Tamaki's dog, Antoinette, ran around his feet.

"You two's rooms are on the fourth floor, right?" Kaoru asked. "Our room has got a huge tree in front of the window." he glared at Kiiro and Kyouya.

"Sorry." Kiiro chuckled.

"Okay, okay, no complaining about something that was decided by drawing lots." Kyouya smirked.

"G-guys?" Tamaki panicked.

"Ahaha! Did we surprise you?" the Twins snickered. "You know, it was very hard to make preparations the day before the goodbye party..."

"We thought that, well, we would have to study abroad too one day~!"

"And there are also some unoccupied rooms here." Kyouya grinned. "Yes, by the way Haruhi, you took the bold decision to study abroad to pursue your great dream. You can't say that something like this is going to interfere with your studies, right?"

"Aah..." she looked torn. "Aah... No... No!"

Kiiro smiled as she woke up in her new bed. She looked over to the clock, 'Ah, that's right, everyone's meeting up later today, and surprisingly I didn't sleep past nine.' she chuckled. She stepped out of her bedroom and wondered if Kyouya was still asleep or not. She looked to the door which joined their two apartments.

'...should I?' her face grew red.

Then she smiled, plotting revenge for all of those times he woke her up in her room.

'Maybe I should change out of my pajamas, first.' she glanced down at her low-cut gray tank top with pink frills at the neck and tiny shorts of the same color. 'On second thought...'

She tiptoed through the doors to his room, where he was still sleeping. She closed the door quietly.

"Wake up, Kyouya." she said a little too quietly.

"What was it you said once, oh yes, it was, 'If you don't wake up now I'll have to do something more thorough.'" she chuckled, doing a purposefully bad impersonation of Kyouya, who was beginning to stir. "Come on, Kyouya, wake up." she laughed.

He sat up and in one quick motion pulled her towards him. She fell against his chest. He wrapped one of his legs around her own.

"Do you have a death wish?" he said darkly.

Her eyes widened.

"Or, perhaps, you just wanted me to..." he trailed off licking her neck.

"K-kyouya!"

He smirked, "Kiiro, you're in my bed there's no mercy now..." he continued to trail down her collarbone.

"H-hey!" she struggled to get out of his grip and managed to pull away a bit, he kept hold of her wrists. "I was trying to be nice and wake you up so you would have plenty of time to get ready for our plan's today."

There was a pause and he grinned, "I'm surprised... You've gotten a little better at lying."

"N-no! That wasn't a lie!"

"Stop lying to me, Kiiro." he smirked and pushed her backward so that he was on top. "You'll only make it worse for yourself."

Her face was bright red as he nipped at her exposed stomach.

"I know what you really came here for." he glanced up at her, an intensity in his eyes.

She tried to get out from under him and was successful due to how tired he was, "But, Kyouya, we have to be somewhere soon." she stood off the bed.

"They can go without us." he said simply, kneeling on his bed, he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, wrapping his arms around her torso.

She laughed, "Kyouya, would yo-!" she slipped on the blanket that had fallen off of his bed.

He landed right on top of her again, he snickered, "Really, Kiiro? I have a perfectly good bed right here, but, if you want to try it on the floor, who am I to refuse you?"

"Y-you pervert!" she blushed brighter and got out from under him.

He followed her and laughed as he realized she had no intentions of making for the door. He pushed her up against a wall and pulled one of her legs up on his hip, "Against the wall? And you call me a pervert." he kissed her and she kissed him back.

As she pulled away she tried something, she ran her hands through his hair and whispered, "Please, Kyouya-sama." into his ear. He was caught off guard, and she maneuvered him onto the bed.

She straddled his hips and laughed, "You're not the only one who doesn't play fair, you know. I win."

He glared at her, "Oh, we're far from finished, and I don't lose."

"But, we're decided on the 'where', finally?" she chuckled, drawing closer.

"Yes, the bed..." he whispered into her ear. "for now."

"Text Tamaki and tell him we won't be able to make it."

He already had his phone out.

A/N: Well, finally all of this story has been rewritten. I want to thank you all for reading, following/favoriting and reviewing because it really means a lot to me to see that you enjoyed this. And, if you want to keep following I'll shortly begin revamping the sequel 'Afterward'. Thank you very much!