Disclaimer: Haruhi Fujioka, and other things related to Ouran Highschool Host Club (Ouran Koukou Hosto Kurabo), is owned, copy written, and trademarked by Bisco Hatori.
Author's note: OKAY. This is my first story for Ouran and in my new account, and I am a little nervous as to what my readers are going to say and think of this little masterpiece. I dare think that you (you gorgeous person you) are going to review and favorite this story. I succumb to sheer silence of gratefulness if you author alert someone as un-worthy of your kindness, I, a noob writer.
--
PREFACE
My name is Fujioka Haruhi, I am an 18 year-old, and I work in the nearby drugstore to fill our stomachs at night. My father, Fujioka Ranka, is a cross-dressing person. He is my father. He is my mother, mostly. We are not rich, but neither are we poor.
I study in Ouran High School, wherein I am at my last year. Ouran High School is a school for rich kids, with a lot of money to spend or rather throw away. I used to be in the Host Club—a club for rich men with lots of time, to accompany and give joy to women with lots of time—even though I was a girl. It's a long story, but I'll shorten it anyway. I was minding my own business, looking for a place to study, when I stumbled into the third music room, knocking down an 8,000,000 yen worth of a vase. I had to work as a host to pay of my debt.
My debts where soon paid off last year, the final year of the Host Club. Tamaki Suou, the king and founder of the host club, had graduated with Kyouya Ootori. The year before that, two other members—Haninozuka Mitsukuni (Honey-senpai) and Morinozuka Takashi (Mori-senpai)—had graduated too. All that is left of our group are Kaoru and Hikaru Hitachiin, who are in the same year as I.
People say that I am too skeptical, tactless and practically dense.
I can't see it.
--
ONE
Greetings.
You are cordially invited to the annual MTOG (Medical and Technology Ootori Group) ball of the Ootori family,
Held at the Ootori grand hall, at 8 p.m GMT daylights savings time, 9th of January 2011.
The attire is formal, floor length/ cocktail dress for women and coat/ tuxedo for men. The guards will not allow entries otherwise.
We hope to see you there.
Medical and Technology Ootori Group
I stared blankly at the invitation in my hand, wondering how on earth it got there. If there was one person in the world who would never waste time like this, it would be Kyouya-senpai. Kyouya is the shadow king of the prestigious Host Club at Ouran High school. He is the brains and the man behind the glasses and the clipboard of merits. He, as far as I know, is a busy man. So why do I have an invitation, when he knows I have no money to buy a dress?
I sighed and placed the gold-lettered invitation back to its envelope, when I saw a small box in the corner of the apartment door. It is wrapped in silver paper, with a note on top with familiar handwriting. I knew instantly that Kyouya-senpai isn't exactly as stupid as I fleetingly thought he was.
Smirking, I took the box in my hand, and opened the note on top:
"Haruhi, did you actually think that I'd forget all about your current commoner excuse? The dress in your hands right now is a Vera Wang exclusive, handmade and can only be bought in Paris. The price is 4,000,000 yen. This is from me, Tamaki and the others. We will all be there, so don't forget to go tomorrow, or I'll charge the dress on you. Best regards, Ootori Kyouya."
I rolled my eyes at the note. It was really quite likely that he'd threaten charging me, and it felt kind of familiar and nostalgic that way. But I really can't help but wonder, why would he waste so much time and money to invite and buy me such an expensive dress?
Despite the handwriting, and the threat, I somehow knew that this was not Kyouya-senpai at all.
--
"Oh dear, my Haruhi has final grown into a lady," cooed my dad as I stepped into our cramped living room, trying out the dress the Host Club gave me. I must admit, it really is a beautiful dress, and it was quite obvious that it took some time to make it as wonderful as it is. It is a dress in pink with gold crystals and diamond accents. The package they gave me not only included a dress, but also a pair of pink strap sandals and a pair of diamond earrings.
I grimaced as I stared in the mirror, my now long hair tied in a ponytail. The dress is great, but the truth is, it just isn't me. The real me would have been wearing a huge sweater and a pair of blue jeans with my favorite blue and silver flip flops. Dad cheered as I turned to the side and gave me a tight hug smothering my head with kisses.
"Haruhi, you will be married by a rich man who will treat you like a queen!!" he burst into happiness his voice high-pitched.
"Ah, dad, get off me!" I cried out in annoyance as he started to tickle me, "I'm just trying it on. I don't know if I even want to go!"
Dad gasped and staggered back in shock. I rolled my eyes. Yes, he over-acts, you'll get used to it soon.
"No, you will go, you must," he whispered, as if the devil were lurking nearby.
"Why? Do you know anything about this?" I asked, tapping my high heels. He stared at it and blushed.
"Of course not! It's just that your cute little friends are there too. You haven't seen them in quite some time, ne?" he asked, wiggling his plucked eyebrows at me. I groaned.
"Fine, fine. I'll go. But this is only because I don't want you to drag me out tomorrow, okay?" I asked, hoping that this conversation would be over soon. He grinned and gave me a huge thumbs up.
"That's my girl! If you want, I can go there with you. I will dress up as your father, with a nice flashy coat and tie. I'm sure there are a lot of handsome, rich bachelors out in that fancy party…" he thought batting his eyelashes. I won't even try to think of it.
"No, you stay here," I said firmly, taking the pink shoes off my feet. I grimaced as my heels started to ache. He smiled.
"You better keep those on if you want to get used to them for tomorrow," he said, winking cheekily at me. I stared at the shoe closet next to me, where his wo-men shoes (men sized women shoes for cross-dressing gays like dad) are placed. They almost blinded me.
"Okay okay, I'll go out for a while, I think I need some fresh air," I announced, putting on my jeans and rock star shirt, which look quite out of place with the pink shoes they gave me. I waved, not looking at dad and escaped out the door.
--
Despite all the hard-work that I had to do to live my life, I love being the way I am. I enjoy walking at night, in the streets where anyone knows everyone, where you won't have to be lonely because it feels just like home. The sky seems to dark, yet the cold wind feels like a nice blanket of air. I raised my hands up in the air, and stretched them as far as I could, closing my eyes for a minute.
"It's freezing, and you didn't bother to bring a coat out," said a deep voice from behind me. I froze and whipped around, my eyes widening in surprise.
A black limousine was camouflaged in the darkness, the window at the back was open, and I could see a head peeking out.
He wore spectacles the shone in the light, almost evilly and shockingly striking, his black hair seemed to have grown longer than I could remember. He was smiling at me calmly, as if it was normal for him to pop up in commoner suburbia in a limo.
"K-Kyouya-senpai?" I asked anxiously. He snapped his fingers and a body-guard in a black suit popped out of nowhere. He was wearing dark glasses. I almost laughed out loud. Who wear glasses at night?
The body guard opened the door, and Kyouya stepped out slowly. I stared as the suspense seemed to rise in anticipation.
"Tachibana, you may leave for a while. Please return for me in a hour," ordered Kyouya. Tachibana nodded, and as fast as a second, they were gone. I stared at the spot where the limousine seemed to have been.
"Haruhi, did you get the invitation? The dress?" asked Kyouya, arranging his glasses. I could see his brown eyes boring into me, as if searching for something. He looked at the shoes on my feet, and he smirked.
"Yes, I did. Thank you for the package," I replied, keeping my cool. Kyouya reached for my shirt, and felt the fabric as if it were placed on top of a mannequin. I watched him.
"I suppose you will be there tomorrow?" he asked quietly. I nodded, and he let go of my shirt.
"It's not that I don't like seeing you, but—"
"-- But you're wondering why I am here," he finished. I nodded again.
"You didn't come all the way here to ask if I am going to your party, I'm sure. You even told your body guard—"
"Body guards." he corrected.
"—your body guards to leave for an hour. What is going on Kyouya-senpai?" I asked, looking at his face. It seemed so smooth in the moonlight.
"I believe this is to be discussed with your father, come…" he said, placing my hand on his arm. I raised an eyebrow, but followed anyway, letting my curiosity get to me.
--
Author's note: I used to do 6,000 word chapters in my other account, but I decided that it seems too hard to pressure myself to write a chapter that long in a week, so I limit my chapters to at least 1,500 words a chapter in order to upload my 'chapter a day' policy. That way, I won't have to be stuck on myself to write too many un-necessary things in my story.
I hope you don't mind that way, but still, it seems like a fair bargain, right? :D
BTW, I now accept suggestions and comments in my reviews. I would LOVE it if you give me more ideas to incorporate. The suggestions will be put in the dedications before the chapters.
Thank you for reviewing.