A/N: Sincereaders (hopefully) have been waiting for this I shall not babble. (Honestly, I'm trying hard not to) I just have to say this:

This is a response to moipaintsasmile-chan's bribe.

DISCLAIMER: Oh look, I'm Bisco Hatori. But wait, I'm insane. (Meaning I'm not liable to things I say) So, just carry on! :D

(Kyouya's POV)

"How old is she exactly?" I asked out of shear curiosity.

"She says she's second year in high school but she's only turning sixteen in July," Tamaki answered, clearly well-informed. 'Poor girl,' I thought rather sarcastically. Tamaki must persist on interrogating her while she worked.

"And you knew that when you hired her?" I added as I typed away madly on my laptop. The Host Club's finances didn't balance itself on its own.

"Not exactly. She told us she was eighteen when she applied. But one of the other maids figured out. I was going to fire her; she's too young to be working! But then she said she badly needed the job and you don't just say no to a damsel in distress!" Tamaki was once again in his own little world where all the girls were princesses and he was their prince charming.

I didn't find it necessary to form a reply so I didn't and just continued with my work. There was a brief moment of silence between us and the only thing that could be heard was the soft tap-tap of my swift fingers across the keyboard. I wished Tamaki could be this tranquil during other days when we're together. He'd usually babble on about something irrelevant (to my standards) or share his hare-brained ideas for the Host Club (which was—more often than not—quite expensive). But now, there he was with his mouth shut, deep in thought.

Actually, I should think it was a bad thing when Tamaki was thinking. Most of the things he came up with—one way or another—led to some sort of trouble for me. This could not end well. This was just the calm before the storm and so I braced myself for whatever Tamaki had in store for me. I figured I wouldn't like it one bit.

"Hey, Kyouya," Tamaki called, his eyes still distant.

"What is it?" I questioned, deeply tensed beneath my cool composure.

"I asked Tamiko-chan about her family. She has six siblings!" Tamaki stated, smiling fondly at the thought. "I thought it was just like the Host Club but," he continued, suddenly frowning.

"But?" I prompted.

"But she doesn't seem happy."

"I don't see how that's any of your business—"

"Tamiko-chan works really hard for her family—that's why I couldn't fire her even if she lied to me," Tamaki was looking gloomy again and for a moment I thought he'd go to his corner of woe. He stayed put, though, and settled with fiddling with his fingers while considering what else to say. "She's a good girl. Tamiko-chan is very bright, optimistic and hard-working.

"She works in the mansion on weekends since she has school but I heard the other maids talking about how many part-time job she has! 'No less than three at a time', they said!" as Tamaki spoke, he looked enraged and sort of worried.

"She's worse off than Haruhi," I commented, thinking this would distract him from Shiori Tamiko's dramatic personal life.

"I wouldn't know what I'd do if I'd hear that my daughter has even just one part-time job!" Tamaki screamed, looking like a deranged lunatic.

"Technically, Tamaki, being in the Host Club is her part-time job," I said as a matter of fact.

But it seemed as if he didn't even hear what I said.

"Tamiko-chan is the oldest so I think she feels compelled to do all of that work. I wonder how she keeps up with her studies after working so hard? She's even maintaining a scholarship and says that she'd stop studying if she lost it. Poor Tamiko-chan!" Tamaki wailed.

I didn't know why he was telling me this but with one frustrated sigh I agreed with him. 'Yes, what a poor girl,' I thought. It wasn't like we—or rather, I—could do anything for Shiori Tamiko. She had nothing to do with me. She was just my (so-called) best friend's new maid.

However, it seemed as if Tamaki took my answer in a whole other perspective.

xXx

A few days later, I had come for a visit to Tamaki's place. There was a new idea Tamaki was practically insisting upon. As usual, my common sense was completely overshadowed by Tamaki's obstinacy and optimism and we ended up having to plan an extravagant soiree anyway. Apparently, it was the third anniversary of our friendship.

"I brought some tea for you and your guest, Tamaki-san,"

Tamaki's face instantly brightened after I'd sent him to his corner of woe for being such an idiot when he saw the ebony-haired girl come into his room. I surveyed her closely but discreetly, of course. She was of average height with fair skin and a really petite figure. Her hair was in layers. It reached the small of her back but the front bits only reached her chin and framed her face while semi-long bangs covered her forehead. It looked . . . weird as if a toddler had cut it. She didn't look like the type who cared, anyway.

From the description, I assumed this was Shiori Tamiko.

"That's great, Tamiko-chan! Why don't you put that tray down and I'll introduce you to my friend!" Tamaki declared so ecstatically that the girl didn't have time to say any "buts".

She walked extra slowly, careful so as not to break the very expensive china. Tamaki told me she had broken a few little things before but he always said it was because she was easily surprised and he thought it'd be funny to sneak up on her once or twice. Honestly, the twins were rubbing off on him.

"Kyouya," Tamaki turned to me and said, "This is Shiori Tamiko," then, he turned to her and introduced me, "And Tamiko-chan, this is my best friend —Ootori Kyouya!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ootori-san." As polite as possible (even though it was quite obvious that she wanted to strangle Tamaki), she bowed in greeting.

I nod my head once to acknowledge her and returned to my work. With the new event coming up, there was a need to balance accounts again. There was no end to this just as there was no end to Tamaki's schemes. I knew now what he was trying to do. I could see it in the blush in Shiori Tamiko's face. She was madly in love with me.

xXx

How could Tamaki harbor the thought of being cupid while our party was still in full swing? How could Tamaki ruin the night I practically slaved over? How could that blonde dolt lock me in a closet with her?

This did not help my temper one bit. Perhaps I could increase Haruhi's debt for this; that would be unreasonable but who cares? I've had a long night. I barely got any sleep when Tamaki barged into my room this morning to propose sudden changes to the celebration of our firendship anniversary. I had to make a lot of calls for last-minute bookings and also send out flowers of apology for having cancelled on the girl group that was supposed to perform tonight. I had to win over the replacements with a few couple of gifts. To say it cost a lot would be the greatest understatement. I felt like I was going over the edge of my sanity.

'Tamaki, you are an idiot,' I chanted over and over in my head and I had to admit, it was not working. Instead of calming me down, it did the opposite. I was even more infuriated.

The only positive thing that I could draw out of this experience was the party still being a huge success but besides that, nothing else seemed to fall into place; not my revenge on the Host Club for doing this to me plan; not my blame-it-on-Haruhi plan; and especially not Shiori Tamiko.

SECOND A/N: Revenge of my Author's Note! BWAHAHAHA! I do hope I didn't murder Kyouya's character here. I just felt the need to explain his bad temper in the last chapter.I know it takes a lot to rile up Kyouya. So I had the most annoying person do that for Tamiko - Tamaki! xD Anyway, please leave your reviews (If you're Moi-chan, I mean you! LOL). But if you aren't Moi-chan, still, tell me what you think! Opinions are always welcome. ;)

Oh and about the Friendship Anniversary thing. It seems like something Tamaki would come up with, isn't it? xD Presuming they were friend in their last year of Middle School (anyone correct me if I'm wrong), it's 3 years, right? :D

And I finally got to describe Tamiko in this chapter! :) Now you should have a face for the name. :)))

Ending this note riiiiiiiight........

NOW!

See you in the next chapter! x3