Bittersweet

Chapter 2: Teddy-Bear Kick!

"Citrus! Citrus-chan! Wanna eat cake with me?" Honey-senpai held out a piece of cake for you with his fork. You had walked past a group of girls eating sweets with Honey. They were all staring at you, wondering what you'd say next. They weren't even aware the Host Club had an additional member, especially not one that was a such a new student.

"What kind?"

"We have strawberry, chocolate, blueberry, mango, and orange!"

"Ooh..." You scratched your chin, "They all sound good...can you choose for me?" You looked at Honey. Your question wasn't how you spoke to your younger siblings. Honey-senpai was your senior, after all. You decided to speak to him like he was seventeen, so when you asked, it was fervently.

Honey found this refreshing and liked you a lot for it.

"Um...this one!" He pushed the orange cake to an empty seat, signaling you to sit. He chose the orange cake because of your name, it seemed.

"So, how was everyone's day today?" You asked plainly, cutting into the cake. You looked up with big ___ eyes. The girls smiled at your plain innocence.

"Um, well, I had a French Language test today..."

"French test? Do you have any family from France? I think Tamaki's French, right?" You stared at the girls, then turned to Honey, who shrugged. You suddenly got worried about whether you had just interrupted her. "Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you..."

Again, the girl grinned. It felt like a genuine conversation.

"That's fine—actually, that's why I took it—because Tamaki-senpai's half French!"

"I knew it! He gave off a very romantic vibe..." You paused to take a bite of cake, then added, "...Also Kaoru told me..." The girls giggled. You were a natural, really, but it wasn't a very romantic host you were. Actually, the girls you spoke with found a more big-brotherly sense. They liked you a lot and felt comfortable around you, but not in the way the Host Club required.

You see, that was your trope: supportive, comforting, and simple, yet effective. For a lack of better words...the "big brother" type. Honey and Mori were a little concerned that you'd steal their trope, or have them combined into one. Honey being innocent, and Mori being the caretaker/silent-strong type. Tamaki was more concerned you were taking Haruhi's plain but cute type. In the end, it was an individual trope everyone tolerated. "Big brother/childhood friend type."

"Citrus? Someone is requesting you," Haruhi smiled. She pointed to a little girl with long brown pigtails and a hard stare; Penny. You sighed and checked your phone. The Host Club was after school, and you certainly remember telling your mother and father. Penny was probably here to check on you.

"Penny, what're you doing here?" You asked in English, getting up from your seat. She walked over to you and ordered you to sit down in Japanese. Much to the other girls' delight, you complied without question. They thought it was cute, a big brother doing what his little sister told him to.

You mirrored her expression, which was a stern pout. The rest of your conversation was in English.

"You're upset."

"Obviously. Would you like to tell me where you've been? I thought you were going to get me a keychain."

"I told Mom that I had after school club activities, and I'm sort of in the middle of something," you answered with a business-like tone, again echoing hers. Although your voice was monotonous, you felt a twinge of guilt for not getting her the keychain today.

"You didn't tell me." You chuckled at this and gave her a genuine smile. 

"You're right. I'm sorry," you apologized with sincerity. You looked over to the sweets. "Do you want some cake?" You asked this in Japanese, so it wouldn't be completely awkward for your table.