Yay, a new story based on one of my new obsessions. Please don't kill me; I'm still working on my other stories, slowly but surely! Please R&R!
Disclaimer: I odn't own Ouran High School Host Club, unfortunately. If I did, things would be much more crazy.
Nayami Kawadoko wandered through the nearly empty hallways of Ouran High School, which she had recently been transferred to. She didn't particularly mind the change; the school had a good reputation and the students' grades were excellent, but the only thing that bothered her about the school was that the students never seemed to have to work or study or anything at all to attain those grades. Nayami wasn't exactly complaining, it was just a change from her last school. These people seemed to have too much time on their hands, though.
As she walked past a group of chattering girls, Nayami remembered something else that she hated: the girls' uniforms. Just the thought of those high, lacy collars made her neck itch. Sure, she got a few stares from wearing the boy's uniform, but it sure was a hell of a lot more comfortable than those over-poofy dresses would ever be. Also, she refused to wear hair ribbons like the other girls, since a simple elastic hair tie was enough to hold her ponytail in place, in her opinion.
Nayami walked up to the large double-doors of a room that she was sure wouldn't be occupied, so that she could read her book without distraction. Unfortunately, it tuned out that the room was full to the brim with a study group of seniors. Sighing, Nayami closed the door and continued her search for a quiet place.
Her luck wasn't any better with the next few doors that she came across. Finally, she reached the third music room.
"Hmmm…I doubt anyone would think of studying in a music room," she muttered to herself. "I dunno. It's worth a try." She hesitated before opening the door, but took a deep breath and turned the handle.
"Welcome," a chorus of voices said at once when she walked into the room. Nayami blinked at the source of the voices, seven guys in the center of the room, three of which were in her class. They all wore charming smiles, were well dressed, and were the kind of people that would have tons of fangirls. Unfortunately for them, Nayami wasn't a fangirl.
"Oh, it seems as if we've surprised our newcomer," one of them said. He was tall and blonde, and was apparently the leader of the group. He walked over to Nayami, who stood her ground, but was tempted more than ever to walk right out the door.
"Oh, Nayami-san!" one of the others exclaimed. "I never expected to see you here!"
"Haruhi?" Nayami asked.
"You know her, Haru-chan?" a small boy asked Haruhi, who nodded.
"She's in our class," the twins explained. "She just transferred here, so we don't know her much."
"Yes, according to the records, she came from a large public school in Tokyo, where she was on the track team and was also valedictorian, and came here because of her high grades." This one had black hair and glasses, and was busily typing away on a laptop.
"Ah, so you might not have heard of us," the blonde said, now putting his arm around Nayami's shoulders and holding up a pale yellow rose that he seemingly pulled out of nowhere. "Well Nayami-hime, welcome to the Ouran High School Host Club."
"Care to explain?" Nayami asked, glaring at him. "And I don't even know you people! Except, of course, Haruhi and the Hitachiins, but I have no idea who the rest of you are!"
"Otori Kyoya," the one with the laptop and glasses said, looking up.
"I'm Haninozuka Mitsukuni, but you can call me Hunny, Mi-chan!" the small boy said.
"'Mi-chan'…?" Nayami began to ask, but was cut off by another black-haired student standing next to Hunny.
"Morinozuka Takashi," he said.
"And Suo Tamaki at your service," the blonde said, bowing gracefully. " Here at Ouran High School, there are many prosperous families, who have much time on their hands. Therefore, our Host Club is about these handsome guys who have time, giving hospitality to these lovely ladies that also have the time and profit—" Tamaki then looked up, and nearly fell out of shock.
"I'm leaving," Nayami said, interrupting his speech, walking toward the door. But when she turned the gleaming handle, the doors wouldn't budge. She tried kicking them, but nothing worked. She was locked in the same room as these lunatics. Nayami turned to face the club, her livid expression making the others back away a few paces.
"What kind of sick joke is this?" she growled.
Tamaki, apparently oblivious to her displeasure, strolled over to her. Putting one arm around her waist, he cupped her chin in his other hand and tilted her face so that they were staring directly at each other.
"Please don't be angry at them," he said, gazing into her furious eyes. "It was my fault for forgetting the key."
"Tamaki, I don't think you're helping," Kyoya said, uninterested, as Nayami pushed Tamaki's hand away and walked to the far side of the room. He then muttered while picking up a clipboard, "Locking customers in the room, bad idea."
"Ooh, rejected!" the twins said gleefully. Nayami sat down on one of the sofas with her arms crossed, still glaring. Tamaki crawled over into his corner of woe, curling up into the fetal position.
"I'm not a mindless sycophant like most of the girls that come here," she said. "All I want to do is get into a good college and, eventually, finish my book."
"Mi-chan, don't be angry," Hunny said, coming to sit on her lap. His large brown eyes were brimming with tears, and Nayami had no choice but to smile gently.
"I'm sorry Hunny-chan," she said. "But I'm wondering, since you're so little, why are you in High School?"
"Actually, he's a senior," Kyoya said. "He's the same age as Mori-senpai, and is also his cousin."
"Wha-" Nayami stuttered, looking back and forth between Hunny, with his stuffed bunny, to Mori, his tall, quiet cousin. "But how can that be? I mean, they're nothing alike!"
"I thought so too at first," Haruhi said, smiling. But at first I didn't think that you were a freshman, since you're so tall!"
"Yeah, I get that a lot," Nayami replied.
"Oh, but your svelte figure only adds to your elegance and grace," said Tamaki, appearing out of nowhere with another rose. He had apparently recovered fairly quickly.
"Go away," said Nayami. Tamaki then returned to the corner of woe. Nayami ignored him and turned to the others. "Why isn't there anyone else here? I mean, it seems like a popular place to be."
"Well, today's been sort of slow," Haruhi said. "There's been a lot going on with preparation for another dance coming up, so everyone's getting the decorations up and everything."
"And since the Host Club is sponsoring it, we've had our hands full, even without the usual flow of customers," Kyoya added.
Nayami thought for a moment. "When is this dance...exactly?"
"Not for a month and a half," the twins said in unison.
"You guys really take these things seriously, huh?" Nayami asked. "Well, personally, I can't wait to see the results. If you need any help setting up, I'll be glad to."
"Really? That'd be great!" Haruhi replied. "We'll need the help, since it's such a big event."
"Well, now that we're all comfortable," Tamaki said, appearing at Nayami's shoulder again, "which one of us do you fancy?"
"Wha—" Nayami began, caught off guard, but Tamaki cut her off.
"Tamaki-senpai, you're a cruel being," Haruhi said.
Tamaki, ignoring her, continued. "Oh, speechless, are we? Can't decide between us?"
"Th-that's not true—"
"Still indecisive? How about me?"
"I don't—"
Tamaki took one of her hands in his. "I'll make you my queen at the dance if you do, Nayami-hime."
"I'm not—"
"This will not do!" a high-pitched voice said out of nowhere. A revolving platform rose from the floor in the middle of the room, revealing a girl in one of those poofy dresses. Her hair was held out her face by a red ribbon, and she held a megaphone in her hand.
"Who's she?" Nayami asked, but was ignored.
"This girl's everywhere," she heard one of the twins mutter.
The girl pointed at Nayami, frowning. "As the Host Club's manageress, I, Houshakuji Renge, forbid her from being the dance queen!"
"And since when did you have the authority to make such decisions?" Kyoya asked. Renge's face twisted angrily, and she held up the microphone again.
"I can see what kind of character you are, Nayami!" she said loudly.
"Well then, what am I?" Nayami asked skeptically, wrenching her hand out of Tamaki's grasp.
Renge jumped off the platform and scurried over to Nayami, staring hard at her. "You're the kind of girl that never really cares about appearance, and tries to stay out of romances and drama! You shun those around you, only because you're afraid of heartbreak!"
"And…how did you come to that conclusion?"
"Don't worry about her, she obsessed with living in a fantasy world where she shapes people's personalities to fit her liking," Kyoya answered. "In other words, she's an otaku."
Oh, well that explains it, Nayami thought to herself. But then she asked out loud, "Well then, what does this have to do with me being queen at the dance?"
"You're accepting…?" Tamaki asked hopefully.
"No. Not yet," Nayami replied. Tamaki's face fell.
"Hm, I'm not sure what this has to do with the dance," Renge replied, her face thoughtful. "Oh well! Nice meeting you, anyway. Tata!" With that, she disappeared back underneath the floor.
"That was random," Nayami said after a few silent moments. Suddenly, she stood up. "May I leave now?"
"Why, Mi-chan?" Hunny whined. "You just got here!"
"That's okay Hunny-senpai," Nayami replied, "I'll probably be back. But are the doors still locked?"
"Um, they were never really locked in the first place," Haruhi said, smiling sheepishly. "There was just a wedge under the door so that there wouldn't be any drafts in the room…"
"WHAT?" Nayami shouted. "That's it, I'm getting out of here." She strode toward the doors when Tamaki jumped up.
"Wait, Nayami-hime!" he pleaded, grabbing her by the elbow. Instinctively, Nayami whirled around with her arm outstretched, slapping Tamaki in the face.
Tamaki instantly let go, his hand flying to the raw spot on his face. The rest of the Host Club watched in shocked silence as Nayami kicked the door wedge away and tore out of the room into the hallway, her footsteps echoing through the corridors.