Keep It Together (OHSHC/Hikaru Love Story)

Chapter 8

I removed him and said, "Thank you, Tamaki. I'm trying my best." If I was doing something I didn't really want to do, I might as well been good at it, right?

"You'll have tons of customers in no time!" he assured me.

Nearby, we heard a girl say, "I didn't know you liked sweets, Haruhi." I saw Haruhi had some sort of dessert in her hands.

"Well, to be honest with you, I don't really. But, you know, I think it would be a nice memorial offering for my mother," Haruhi smiled at it. A memorial? I hadn't known Haruhi's mom was dead....

Tamaki cried, being overly dramatic again, "How admirable of you! Such devotion to your mother's memory. Please, Haruhi, take as many of these as you like." He started stacking the desserts in her hands. The rest of the hosts clapped.

"Let me guess. The tears are fake," she figured.

"How could you? My tears are always genuine, Haruhi. Being able to cry without the use of eye drops is the mark of a true host," he told her.

I took the eye drops out of my pocket and asked the twins, "Is that why you gave this to me earlier?"

They responded, "It's a real hit with the ladies."

Kaoru began, "If you can show that you're in touch with your sensitive side..."

Hikaru finished, "... you become a lot more desirable."

"Huh. I'll have to remember that," I said, sticking it back in my pocket. "I might be able to use them later."

Something moved out of the corner of my eye, and I noticed that it was the figure of a girl. I couldn't quite see her, though, because she was standing halfway behind the door. The twins spoke up, "Looks like the Host Club has a brand-new guest."

They moved over to the door, and Kaoru welcomed her, offering her a red rose, "Come on in. What are you waiting for?"

"Watching from afar is no fun," Hikaru commented, also offering her a rose.

"Please, Miss."

Tamaki scolded them, "Stop that. How many times do I have to tell you boys to be more courteous to our first-time guests?" He offered the girl his hand. "Please, you don't have to be afraid, my princess." He put a finger under her chin and got closer to her. "I welcome you to the Ouran Host Club." I could hear her make a noise. "Yes?"

The girl suddenly pushed away his face and shouted, "No! Don't touch me, you phony!" I gasped. I knew that voice.

He held his injured cheek and demanded, "What do you mean I'm phony?" I could finally see her. C'est impossible! I denied what was right in front of me. How could it possibly her? There must be some sort of mistake.