A chill randomly runs down my spine. "EEEEEE!!" I hear Tamaki squeal like a girl, or more accurately, one of his princesses. Blech, stupid snobs. Although, some of them are pretty nice to me, oddly enough. Woah, going off topic. 'Hm, wonder what he's doing here...' I muse, a smirk creeping up onto my face as I imagine Tamaki's expression right now. I laugh at the image, then turn and walk out into the main section of the Third Music Room.

"Do you need something, Nekozawa?" I inquire softly, not wanting to give Tamaki a heart-attack, since I'd come from behind him.

The Host Club's "King" turns and looks at me with a terrified/concerned face. "NO, MY DAUGHTER!! Do not fall victim to his curses!" he cries.

I only snort at his "warning". "Thanks for the 'heads-up', 'Dad'," I say sarcastically, then look back at the boy in black. "As I was saying, what can we do for you?" I see him smile under his hood, though anyone else probably would've thought it to be creepy.

"Ah, the Dark Beauty of the Host Club. To be honest, I am in need of assistance," he answers, not noticing me blush at that first line.
I smile again, almost laughing at his reference to my "improved" uniform. I subconsciously smooth out my black, shin-length girl's uniform. What? I just think the yellow was too bright, not to mention the fact that I kept tripping over the excuse for a dress. So, I dyed and cut it. I also changed the collar to a V-neck with white lace across the lower part, and the sleeves are gone. Yeah, just a few minor alterations. I shake my head a little and quirk one eyebrow, my smile still in place.

"Assistance with... what, exactly?" Haruhi asks before me, randomly popping up at my side.

Nekozawa still wears that same smile. "Actually, since Miss Haruka, specifically, is the one I've come to ask for help, she will find out... if she agrees," he replies.

I sigh mentally, 'Why can't he just call me Sakuno, like I asked him?' "And if I decline, Nekozawa?" I say curiously.

He half-shrugs, "Then you leave me to face this predicament alone. Will you accept?"

I roll my eyes, "You know damn well I wouldn't turn down someone who needed my help."

He chuckles, "And I use this fact to my advantage."

I laugh a little at that. "Alright, then. I'll help you."

Tamaki just about dies right there. "NOOOO!! NOT MY SWEET SAKUNO!! YOU CAN'T G-"

"Stop it, Tamaki," I mutter, placing the middle and pointer fingers of my right hand on his forehead. He calms down immediately, going to his "corner of woe" when I pull my hand back to my side. I have no idea WHY that works, but every time I do it, everyone else swears it's some kind of spell or something. I sigh, rubbing my temples, 'I love him to death, but sometimes I wonder...' I turn back to the "Dark Prince" and smile as kindly and apologetically as possible. "Sorry about that, Nekozawa. I hope he didn't offend you or anything..."

He simple waves it off, Beelzenef gesturing for me to follow him.

I chuckle quietly and turn to Kyouya. "I'll be back soon, okay? Think you can handle 'Dad' for a while?"

He just pushes up his glasses and shrugs, "I handled him before you got here didn't I?"

I laugh, "Fair enough." With that, I follow Nekozawa, despite Tamaki and the twins' calls of protest, through the black doorway that, once again, has sprung up out of nowhere. On the other side of the door, however, I look over at the Black Magic Club's President. "Okay, spill it, Nekozawa. What do you need my help with?"

He sighs, his "eerie" smile finally leaving his lips, replaced by an embarrassed frown, accompanied by a slight tinge of pink across his face. "Remember the other day, in the hallway? We'd run into each other and my hood and wig had fallen off. Do you recall?" he questions.

I look up in thought, then look back at him, "Yeah, I remember. What about it?"

He continues to look ahead as we walk down the hall. "Do you remember what you told me when you handed me my wig back?"

I think back on it again. "Err... I think it was something along the lines of, 'I think black hair suits you better'... I think..." I muse aloud. He nods. I look at him, completely confused, and ask, "What's that got to do with anything?"

Still walking, without looking at me, he holds something out in front of me. I look down between it and him, then take it from him. I stop and read the small text on the object. 'It's... a bottle.' I notice. Realization hits me as I figure out what it is. Before I can even say anything, his low voice murmurs, "I can't figure out the instructions..."

I laugh slightly, trying not to for fear of making him feel bad, and run up beside him again. "Don't worry about it, Nekozawa. It's not a big deal, really. It's just... from the way you were talking back in the Club Room, it sounded like something serious. I thought you were in trouble or something and didn't want the hosts to know. But nevertheless, I'll help you," I state.

He looks at me for the first time since we'd left the Club Room. "Thank-you, Haruka."

I sigh and give him an exasperated look, "You're welcome, but I'll only do it if you promise to call me Sakuno from now on. I'd call you by your first name if you'd let me, but I know you prefer to be called Nekozawa, and I respect that. But I'd really rather you call me by my name; it seems so formal when you call me Haruka."

The pink tint on his cheeks comes back with a vengeance, but he still smiles and answers, "I promise... Sakuno."

I exhale, throwing my arms up in the air, "THANK-YOU! Hallelujah!"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Sakuno?" The Dark Prince gently brushes my cheek with his fingers.
I look up, "Hm? Oh. Sorry. I was... thinking," I explain.

He strokes my face softly. "What were you thinking about?" he asks, almost in a whisper.

I smile, "About the day you came to the Host Club, asking for my help."

He chuckles, before leaning in and capturing my lips with his own.

I reach up and tangle my fingers in his dark hair, pressing up against him slightly. As we part, I can't help but laugh to myself.

He looks at me with a genuine smile, mixed with curiosity. "What?"

I look into his beautiful blue eyes. "Nothing... I was just thinking about how funny it is..." I trail off.

He leans his forehead against mine, even more curious. "How funny what is, Sakuno?"

I giggle, "That all of this started... with a bottle of hair dye."