She sat there in the third music room, frowning as she read over the note for the fourth time that afternoon. Slender tan hands crumpled the paper with its immaculate handwriting as she glared at the floor. Damn it. He finally had her, didn't he? White teeth ground against each other, hidden behind a pair of rose dust colored lips. He had finally done it, hadn't he? He had beaten her at their little game…

Or had he?

Critical eyes rescanned the note for what would be the fifth time as a slow smile tugged her lips upwards. It wasn't a joyous action rather it was filled with malice and a pleasure that could only be described as sadistic. He may have thought he finally beat her but she had one last trick up her sleeve. It would be risky but it would be worth it, wouldn't it?

"Hey, are you gonna sit there all day or what?" She slowly looked up as she registered the voice of the person speaking to her. Slender, cat like features inherited by a model for a mother, tawny eyes, red hair parted to the left. Hikaru Hitachiin. She watched as he huffed, "are you out of it today?"

"Perhaps." The girl murmured, standing. "Actually my head does hurt a little."

"Take an aspirin then." He huffed again.

"Your concern is as touching as always, Hikaru." She smiled for him, touching his shoulder. She listened as Kaoru approached as well.

"There you guys are. What's going on?" His voice was slightly raspier than his brother's but held a hint of the sweetness he possessed.

"Hikaru is manstrating."

"I am not!" He snapped. Tawny eyes met cerulean ones where it was a battle of wills, one of which neither had the desire to continue. There was a chuckle emitted from the girl at the expense of Hikaru before another voice joined them.

"Guys, can we just hurry and clean up? I want to go home and study and you should too." The three looked toward the brunette who had spoke, instantly recognizing Haruhi without even needing to see her. Who else would want to hurry home to study?

"It's so much effort!" This time a whine was emitted from a dashing blonde who was currently moping as he mopped up spilt tea.

"Sempai, it's just a little cleaning." Haruhi told Tamaki flatly, ignoring the puppy eyes he gave her.

"Besides, Tamaki, it was your shenanigans that caused today's mess," the final voice came from a raven haired boy who currently sat behind a laptop, typing quickly, his glasses glinting with the reflecting light from the screen. "If you hadn't made a scene over the girls when there was a mention of bunny cosplay you wouldn't have leapt for them, spilling all the tea." He paused, pushing his glasses up with one slender finger. "How you manage to get clumsier with each passing day is beyond me," the final line was spoken softer; likely to himself though everyone else could still hear it.

"Mama! You should have leapt to their defense too! Those filthy twin perverts were harassing our little girls!" His arms were suddenly about the two women, neither of which looked pleased at the fact.

"Boss-"

"-You can quit calling Haruhi your little girl-"

"-everyone knows you're dating." There was a simultaneous blush spreading on the guilty party's faces, Haruhi looking away while Tamaki grew flustered.

"How did you-THAT ISN'T EVEN THE POINT! AND WHAT ABOUT TINASHI, HM?!" At mentioning of her name the tan ravenette's eye twitched, her hands balling into fists.

"Well, Tinashi feels like letting go of her would be beneficial to your health and safety." Tinashi frowned, her blue eyes cutting up to the blonde still holding her. She then extracted herself from Tamaki's grip, frowning as she smoothed down her uniform. As her eyes slowly floated about the other hosts her gaze met a dark one causing her to narrow her gaze. Even as they stood in the midst of the others, Tinashi could feel the hatred between them like an invisible yet tangible force field. There was a moment before she felt her lips curl up slowly into a smile. This caused the typically collected boy to blink, his eyes flickering for the briefest of moments with confusion before a slender finger pushed his glasses up the bridge of his angular nose, the lenses glaring so nothing could be seen. Another beat paused before Kyouya, too, slowly smiled though his was not openly malicious like the tanned girl beside Tamaki.

"Ah… well, Ms. Akuma," Kyouya opened his black notebook as he spoke, his laptop having been put away already whilst the others (idiots, every last one of them) had gone about their (moronic) antics. "Since this whole mess came from your tasteless comment-"

"So I make one comment about Playboy… that wasn't all that tasteless Mr. As-"

"Regardless, it was that comment which spurred the twins on and that in turn led up to this. Therefore we can conclude that you are to blame for the mess and the resulting damages shall be added to your own debt."

"You can't do that!" Tinashi shouted, her smile gone and replaced by pure unadulterated rage. There was a split second before the twins caught her, holding her back though her eyes blazed.

"I believe I just had," Kyouya replied calmly, unfazed by her outburst. He turned away, striding towards his belongings to gather them, pausing with his back to the group. He smirked slightly, his tone still even as he spoke again, "You would do well, Tinashi, if you were to learn your place. This is not America and you are here on a condition… It would not be wise to bite the hand that feeds you." Without another word he strode out, leaving the remaining hosts to stare after him.

"Tinashi?" Haruhi prodded, her brown eyes reflecting her concern for the younger girl. There was an uncomfortable silence as the group watched the American gathered herself, inhaling deeply to control her inflamed temper.

"I'm fine."

"But you-"

"I said I'm fine," Tinashi's voice was firm. "I'm going home." Silence fell over the music room cut only by the thud of the door and the click of its handle.

"Was it just us or was something seriously up?" The twins asked

Meanwhile on the other side of the door, Tinashi leaned against the wall, eyes focused on the now crumbled note in her hands.

Meet me at the Kobayashi hotel in the city near your apartment. Wear something attractive as you shall be there to work off your debt in the most ancient of ways. I expect to see you there at 11-sharp. Should you deny this… the consequence could prove to be fatal to your stay here in Japan.

-K.O.

Tinashi ripped it up before stuffing it into the trash can, hand over her eyes. Slowly she let her hand fall and a cruel smile grace her lips.

Let the games begin.