This beuty by &nihht_bat_
And I was finally able to update too . So yay
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Saiki and Ootori got back to the Host Club, and soon they were going out to the courtyard to play a game, called (what Saiki suspected) Daruma. Which was practically a Red Light, Green Light game, where Suoh insisted to play with the club.
"The Daruma doll fell over!" He quickly turned around when he said 'over', and everyone froze. Even Saiki was playing since his boredom and frustration towards both the Hosts in the Host Club and the members of the Newspaper Club have been making him livid, so he supposed one childish game with the club wasn't going to hurt anyone, nor make his frustration change, but be managed.
The Newspaper club watched awkwardly from a distance, as they blankly stared at the stupidity of the Host Club.
You're new here.
'He's pretty cute.' Ukyo thought as he looked at a specific club member through his all-around bowl-cut hair, though he was even fazed by the Host Club and their shenanigans, as Suoh continued to loudly say in the outdoors 'The Daruma doll fell over!' or a style of saying that, as the Host Club shimmied their way up to their king (most of the Host Club members, as Ootori, stayed in the back and watched, so Saiki took the liberty to stand next to the twins who were enjoying this more than anybody else).
And by the time the Host Club were nearing Suoh and Suoh 'saw' Hikaru and Kaoru move, the Newspaper Club was quick to judge. Saiki didn't mind that though, he had more power over him as a commoner, than they did on him both physically, mentally, and emotionally (when talking about Akira and his practical plans to sabotage the club in one way or another)
"Is this some kind of new religion?" Ukyo asked, his face turning a shocking shade of blue along with the rest of his members.
Considering our followers, we might as well be.
"You know," Souh made a seven pose with his pointer finger and thumb, resting it on his chin as he spun towards the Newspaper Club who watched from a few steps further away from the club. "I can't blame you for being shocked." he began to bedazzle himself in self-made sparkles like he was some sort of protagonistic love-rival to his peers.
"I was unfamiliar with it myself." Suoh posed again as he made his way over to the Newspaper Club.
"It's a commoners game!"
I don't think that's why they were shocked.
Suoh's eyes turned stary like a Sailor Moon character, as he outstretched his arms as if taking in the commoner-ness from Haruhi and Saiki, both who were now just standing there and listening to Suoh. The twins were still in some crazy position, as well as Haninozuka as they both froze as they stood on one foot.
"They have a wide variety and none of them require spending any money, all you need are a few friends to play with."
So what you need are friends. Good luck getting those Komatsuzawa.
Suoh tried to sell off the game like he was selling off real estate or medical equipment (that might as well have been Ootori's profession)
Akira's eyebrows crumpled as he fixed his glasses while clearing this throat. "So, what does this have to do without coverage over the Host Club?" he asked, getting straight to the point. His thoughts were far from his words, as he craved attention, money, and watching the downfall of the people who he was up against. In which, this case was the Host Club.
Saiki irked at those thoughts. If someone were to be the one to create the downfall of the club, that would need to be him. No way was he going to let some snot-nosed man-child take his spot on that, but it wasn't as if Saiki was going to make the club crash and burn... not yet anyway.
He still needed to take upon those recipes Haninozuka and Morinozuka have been giving him during his baking programs, and if the club were to disappear (or even better: all the Hosts were to disappear,) no one would give him recipes and baking ideas. Only affecting him in the worst way possible.
"You need to learn friendliness!" Suoh yelled, and pointed an accusing finger at Akira, making all the members of the Newspaper club step back and wonder what the hell got over Suoh just a second ago. Ukyo looked over to Saiki as if asking for some help (his thoughts proved that he wanted to get out of this situation as fast as possible,) but Saiki couldn't do much. Not when Suoh was guarding them like some sort of kid playing capture the flag.
Now that he was thinking about capture the flag, maybe the club should play that game together. He's like to see Mori or Suoh sliding to catch a flag. It'd be an amusing event to watch, he wouldn't mind if he saw the twins playing either, they'd make things more dramatic.
Souh quickly calmed down and turned away to them. Crossing his arms over his stomach. "If you want to clear your negative reputation of the Newspaper Club and attempt to capture the hearts of your readers, you must try to be more down to earth!" he informed them, sticking a finger and waving it in the air.
What he's saying, Akira Komatsuzawa is get your head out of your ass.
"I can just imagine the headlines now: 'The Handsome Boys of the Host Club Enjoy Commoners' Games!',"
That's a bit of an 'extra' title.
"And then there will be pictures of us frolicking in the scenery of early summer,"
Who's 'us'
Suoh kept his head in the clouds as he daydreamed about the article, clearing thinking too high of the Newspaper Club. Saiki was still unimpressed, as Suoh added to his extended talk: "And you can add the fact that a few certain commoners are reliving their childhoods with us!" he added as Saiki irked with a tick mark.
I had a childhood! I can't say the same for any of you.
Saiki huffed audibly at Suoh's words, and the twins looked at Saiki.
"Just ignore him," they both said waving their hands as if trying to calm him down, "He's usually like this anyways." that didn't seem to help their point very much as Saiki was still irritated, so was Haruhi. Both knowing that they were the 'certain commoners' Suoh had been talking about.
The Newspaper Club blanched at Suoh's words, looking at him with mixed horror and shock. All of them began to re-think Suoh's sanity.
As they should.
Akira went out of his to faze, as he began to drone Suoh out, and head to his first two prey. The commoners. Going up to the two of them, both looking unimpressed as he walked up to them.
"Hello. Yes." the two commoner's turned around to face Komatsuzawa, "You both are Fujioka and Saiki, is that right?"
We talked in the last chapter, can't you remember.
Haruhi perked up and gave off a 'yes' to his first question, "Neither of you two would mind if I asked you a few questions, would you?" Saiki was quick to attempt to shut them off, but Haruhi cut into his response first.
"Uh... yeah." she said awkwardly, "Go ahead."
"So why did you two join the Host Club." to Saiki it was clear that Akira was trying to get something out of it Ukyo shifted in his spot as Akira talked to both of them, that might have gone unnoticed to Haruhi, but not to Saiki.
'I want to be a customer at the Host Club...' he thought, 'And it's not like my parents mind me flirting with other boys... but." his thoughts drifted as Saiki seemed to be paying more attention to Ukyo rather than Akira or Haruhi. 'If Komatsuzawa were to find me at one of that club, he'd ruin the family business.' Saiki took those thoughts in mind, and he'd likely be speaking to Ootori about it later, talking to him about dismantling the Newspaper club now, since it was clear that the other two members weren't enjoying it, and Ukyo feared that his family would be brought down if Akira were to find him spending time with the Host Club.
"So, you being a part of this Host Club is just another way of the Suou family trying to flaunt their power." that was off.
It's Suoh.
"Say what?" Haruhi was confused
"Now if you could, please tell me all about Tamaki's dark side."
At least try to disguise your question in a way that doesn't seem power-hungry.
"Enough questions," Saiki said this was the first time he was to speak to Akira like this. He was probably going to regret it, but he was taking it a little too far.
"No--,"
"Yes." Saiki cut him off, as he gently moved Haruhi back to the remaining Host Club members who played the game they were originally at, with Haninozuka, Ootori, Mori, and Suoh. But Ootori had made it to the finish line already and was holding onto Suoh's pinky, like the couple the club thought them out to be.
Akira tightened his grasp on his pen. 'Why you.' Haruhi confused, ended up following to Saiki's non-vocal commands, and went up with the Host Club to begin playing
As the Host Club went to play some games, Akira held Saiki back. As the two other members took pictures of them together.
"I know what you're trying to do," Saiki said looking down to Akira who held a firm stance, but gulped, and began to think of ways to charge Saiki, even without him getting physically hurt. Saiki was unamused. "And if you continue, I will manage a way to bring down you and your entire club with it."
Akira didn't see any points in Saiki's threats, playing him off as a delinquent commoner, as the Hosts didn't see anything happening between Akira and Saiki, tensions were high, As they stared darkly to one another. Akira was going to try and take it to his advantage that Saiki didn't own as much money as he did. While the club split up, a few heading into the rose garden, and into the trees.
"I'm leaving," Saiki said, as he tried to play the game with the rest of the Host, but was rudely stopped, and dragged by Akira into the forest. Both of his other members suddenly lost, likely due to his non-verbal command. Saiki let himself be dragged, not like there were any witnesses nearby to stop him, no one to take his side. Saiki knew he could use that to his advantage.
"Now you listen here--,"
"Leave me alone."
"You will not tell me what to--,"
"Let go of my wrist."
"You're just a rat from the slums--,"
"I don't think you heard him." two voices popped out from the trees. Saiki knew they were there as he looked up to them, Akira was frozen in his steps as the two jumped down from the trees. "You leave him alone now." Kaoru was defensive very quickly, Saiki saw this amusing as he saw Akira stutter back, and letting go of Saiki's wrist.
Akira knew he couldn't win now, the Hitachiin's had more money than he did, and could ruin the Komatsuzawa's reputation. Stepping back, he walked away, all three watching the salty man-child walk away.
Saiki could have almost flashed a smile to the two, (Mostly Kaoru thought,) but he still wanted to play the game, as Saiki gave the twins a nod, as each set of peoples headed into their respected directions to avoid Ootori. Though the twins dropped out of the game and chose to follow Akira to the Newspaper Room.
Saiki couldn't help but be proud of them for at least knowing what was wrong, and what was right.
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Everything was back to normal by the time everyone had made it to the club room, where they feasted on cakes but by the time everyone had left the club room, it was only Ootori and Saiki packing their things up, when the club's door suddenly but slowly opened, in waddled in Ukyo, a member of the Newspaper Club.
"He-hello." He stuttered coming into the room, looking around the hallways before shutting the door behind him.
Ootori perked up, "Is there a problem?" he wasn't specifically mad at Ukyo, but he sure was a little irritated about him being a part of the Newspaper club. Ukyo shook his head, and Saiki almost saw a peak of his eyes.
"I was wondering if I could request a Host... when other customers don't hear..." Ootori looked a little shocked but managed it well.
"I suppose we could find a way to do that." he but a hand on his chin and looked up, "Before or after school." he was thinking out loud as Ukyo walked up to where Ootori and Saiki stood. Saiki pulled his bag up to his shoulder. The boy who's eyes you couldn't see nodded lightly and looked down in embarrassment.
"Who did you have in mind? Oh, and it might be a little extra since no one else would be here." Ukyo nodded respectfully under Ootori's command and looked slightly to Saiki then away, his face was turning red and he seemed embarrassed, to say the least.
"Saiki... please," he asked, and Ootori paused for a second. Thought about nothing specific, and flipped open his journal. Supposing he could make it work.
"We can have you with Saiki during his break period in the garden if you'd like." Ukyo nodded. Saiki wasn't at all bothered by the fact that he was losing his break period to be with a guest, after all, he usually was with the Host Club during his break.
A few minutes of Ootori talking with Ukyo until the boy left to pick up his things, it was back to only Ootori and Saiki.
"I suppose you don't mind with your first male customer," Ootori said, and Saiki shrugged, he didn't exactly care what gender they were, as long as they gave him food. Ootori half awaited Saiki's reaction but figured out that the half-shrug was his reaction.
His lips came up slightly, before nodding a goodbye. Ootori hadn't lost that smile for the rest of the night.
He supposed his 13% chance of Saiki's swinging in his direction, was more correct than he originally thought.*
*Refer to the end of Chapter 29