"I hear there's a new host club member!"
"I wonder what he's like?"
"Don't you know? It's the commoner that got in with a scholarship!"
It's all she's been hearing about this morning. She frowns, turning towards the group of girls who were standing in the hallway, talking excitedly. Who's this so called commoner they're talking about? She shakes her head and continues walking past them. After all, they were only rumors. It's nothing she has to concern herself with.
☆☆☆
When she opens the doors to music room three after school, after being greeted by seven boys instead of six, she finds that she needs to eavesdrop more often.
"I can't believe you actually got Haruhi Fujioka to join your club!" Aya swoons. "How hard was it to convince him?"
"It wasn't hard at all actually," Kyoya grins, peering up at them from behind his laptop. "He was just as eager to join."
"Wait, so the rumors are true, Kyo-kun?" she frowns.
"Of course they are," Kyoya replies. "How have you not heard of... him? He's the most talked about in the school. "
"I've been a bit preoccupied lately," she curses his ability to make her blush and make a fool of herself.
"I see," he hums.
So that's why he's been in a good mood lately.
"But why would he join?" she catches herself asking before she could stop herself. "Don't you have enough club members already?"
"Let's just say, he's in the same predicament as you," Kyoya smiles.
But she catches that small flare of purple aura around him. Oh, that poor commoner.
Then she notices him.
He already has customers waiting for him and they were listening to what he was saying with rapt attention with blushes on their cheeks. His bangs reach his brown eyes which which were shining with a hint of sadness and longing.
He's... oddly adorable and currently being crushed underneath one of Tamaki's bear hugs. Their height differences made her lips quirk up slightly, especially with how easily Tamaki is able to pick the boy up. Fujioka's faces turns a sickly green, like he just might barf all over the floor.
"You okay there, Kanade-chan?" Aya's voice startles her. She whirls around in her chair, about to protest and defend herself, but catches the sly look in her friend's eyes. "You're a bit red."
"No, no, I'm fine!" she says, fast and flailing her hands around. "I was just... admiring the scenery!"
"Sure, you were," Aya sing songs. She smiles smugly behind her cup of tea. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a crush on someone."
She deflates, slouching in her seat. Was it that obvious?!
"Ah, please excuse me again ladies, " Kyoya slides his seat over and abruptly stands up, startling the two. "I better go make sure our new host is properly settled into the club. He seems to be doing quite well, don't you think?"
He smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes.
Kanade frowns at him. She's unsure why he's so hostile all of a sudden when he seemed to be in a good mood before.
"It's alright, Kanade-chan!" Aya giggles. "You shouldn't worry so much!"
She's been worrying ever since she entered the world.
"S-should I request him?" she asks, tilting her head slightly to look at him again.
This time her and Fujioka's eyes meet. She jumps with a start and whirls around so quickly that she almost falls off her chair. She slouches in her chair in shame at the sound of Aya's laughter.
"You should!" Aya encourages. "I'm sure Kyoya wouldn't mind!"
Then she finds her eyes drifting over to Kyoya instead. Would he really mind? She's gotten so used to his company that hanging out with the host club didn't seem like such a bother anymore.
"Don't think I haven't noticed."
"N-noticed what exactly?" Kanade's fingers curl up around her tea cup tensely.
"That you stopped calling him 'Ootori', " Aya's brown eyes are sparkling with mischief.
"Aya-senpai, " she warns.
"Oh, fine, fine!" Aya rolls her eyes. She thankfully drops the subject. "Are you really thinking about designating Haruhi, Kanade?"
"I'm thinking about it," she answers quietly.
"Well, if you do," Aya says, "I hope you know that I'll support you two no matter what."
She smiles slightly. She's oddly touched.
"Thank you, Aya-senpai," she tells her. "Why don't you designate him anyway? You could get to know him better. "
"I'm off limits, remember?" Aya winks at her.
"Right," Kanade chuckles.
☆☆☆
"Phew, today was so exciting wasn't it!" Aya says cheerfully, stretching her arms as they walk down the hallway together.
More like mentally exhausting, she thinks but doesn't say out loud. She just wants to go back home and jump in her comfortable bed and nap the rest of the year.
"Kyaaaa!"
"W-what wrong?" Kanade jumps away from the girl nervously.
"There he is!" Aya squeals, followed by some incoherent babbling.
"A-aya-senpai?! Should I call a nurse?"
"You should talk to him!" Aya manages to compose herself. "Don't worry, I'll watch your back! I'm just going to give you little shove, okay?"
Wait, what?
Without any warning, Aya shoves her forward despite her protests. Kanade yelps and ends up tripping over her shoe laces, falling flat on her face. She could've just sworn she heard Aya scream out "go get him!" in her dizzy state.
"Are you alright?" a new voice asks.
Kanade's breath hitches as she tries to hide her face from the new person, dying from shame. She'd like to go crawl in a corner, far from him as possible
"Would you... like some help?" The same voice asks hesitantly.
"Y-yes please!" she squeaks, looking up at him. She silently takes his offered hand. She doesn't trust herself to speak in front of him. Not after all that trouble just approaching him.
She fiddles with the strings from the red bow on her dress, shying away from Fujioka's look of confusion.
"Oh, is there something you needed?" Fujioka asks. He wipes away the dirt on his knees as he stands up.
Her cheeks warm up when he says her first name. She doesn't have the guts to do that like he can.
"I--" she stammers. She takes a deep breath to calm herself. You can do this, Kanade! Treat him like how you would want to be treated. "Why did you decide to join the host club, Fujioka-san?"
"Hmm?" Fujioka tilts his head cutely, vaguely reminding her of a doe. "Why do you ask?"
"I just-- you don't seem the type," she admits. Her breath hitches at what she just said. She waves her hands around frantically. "I didn't mean that in a bad way!"
"Oh, no that's alright!" Fujioka laughs. "I get what you mean. I sort of just stumbled into the room and made a fool of myself."
"Kyo-kun's not forcing you to join, is he?" she asks hesitantly. At Fujioka's raised eyebrows, she says, "Oh, sorry, I meant Kyoya Ootori."
It's so hard saying his first name without getting embarrassed. Her cheeks were turning warm again.
"O-oh I see," Fujioka's smile falters. "Well, I'm not exactly sure if I should be revealing that or not. But he was definitely involved that's for sure!"
She knew it.
"Will I be seeing you in the host club more often?" Fujioka's back to smiling again.
"Of course!" she exclaims. "I'll definitely be there tomorrow!"
"Oh wait, I don't think I even got your name!" Fujioka says.
"Mine's Kanade," she grins, shyly tucking a strand of her brown hair behind her ears. "Kanade Fujishima from Class 2-B."
"Ah, nice to meet you, Kanade-senpai!"Fujioka bows respectfully.
"Likewise, Fujioka-kun," she says.
"See you tomorrow!"
She repeats the pleasantry exchange, bowing back to him.
She quietly watches as Fujioka waves, and disappears around the corner. She sighs happily. She never had the courage to talk to one of her crushes before.