Chapter Text
"Ouran Academy. A place where the rich study to become an asset to their families. A place where heirs go and prove themselves worthy of running the family buisness. A place... WHERE SPOILED KIDS LURK!"
Yatsumi crumpled the pamphlet into a lump, and threw it on the ground. Ouran was an academy that always vexed her. Especially since it required the female students to where that ridiculous yellow dress. She was certainly never going to wear that.
"Ugh! Ouran... Those snobby kids always think too much of themselves!"
She had originally gone to school in the Okinawa region. But now, because her father's syndicate had entered a gang war with another syndicate, she was forced to move away and attend the 'prestigious school'. Her father had insisted, saying that if he died, he would at least have peace of mind knowing his only daughter would become the new mob boss.
Yatsumi sighed. She had no problem becoming the leader of her family. In fact, she had dreamed of the day she would lead the syndicate into prosperity. The only real problem she had was the dress. Ever since she was a kid, she was conditioned to hide her gender. It wouldn't do for the other syndicates to know there was no male heir. Luckily for her, she had an appointment with the chairman to discuss the matter. She was walking towards the school instead of riding her car. Although her driver had offered to take her, she was just in the mood to walk.
Her black, pixie-cut hair was tickling her cheek as she walked. It was fall so the breeze was picking up. She was wearing her favorite jeans with chains in the pocket, as well as an oversized hoodie that hid her slender face. One of the main lessons her father had taught her was to never appear weak. So to appear fearsome, she always wore her yankee clothes. No one could even tell she was a girl unless they actually looked at her in the nude. If she was wearing normal girl clothes, it would be obvious that she was female. Otherwise, if she wore guy clothes, she would just look like a thin, somewhat feminine male.
She picked up the pace, hoping to get away from the chilly wind. She checked her watch, noticing that her meeting was in fifteen minutes, she started to sprint towards the school. As she rounded the corner, she collided into what she can only compare to a brick wall, but was actually a boy, making their ramune bottle drop to the floor with a crash. She fell to the floor and glared at the tall figure who caused her to fall, "Hey, watch where you're going!" The boy turned to look down and gave her a menacing look. His face was intimidating and his expression would cause alarm in any normal person. But Yatsumi wasn't having any of that. She returned the look and even added a snarl. She got up and flipped him off, "Be happy I'm in a hurry, kid, otherwise I'd take my time with you!" She walked around him and started dashing towards the school.
When she got to the gate, she couldn't help but marvel at the size of the building. Her old school was a public one, so this one was a castle in her eyes. The students had started to arrive in the fancy cars, all dressed in their gender's uniform. She noticed the stares she was getting, probably because she stood out from the crowds in her clothes. She glared at the crowds as she walked to the main building. By the time she reached to doors, every single one of them kept their distance from her. She smiled inwardly, knowing that as soon as she was enrolled, no one would dare bother her. And yet...
She shook off the emotion and entered. The chairman's secretary smiled at her and showed her into the office. Yatsumi went in and was greeted by chairman Suoh. He smiled and motioned for her to sit. As soon as she made herself comfortable, he sat across from her, "So mister Inuzuma, how may I be of assistance?"
Yatsumi sighed and removed her hoodie, "I'm sorry if I appear as a male chairman, but I am a girl."
The chairman chuckled at his mistake, "I'm so sorry miss Inuzuma. My eyes aren't what they used to be."
Yatsumi waved it off, "No harm done. Its perfectly aceptable that I appear to be a boy. Which is part of the reason I requested this conversation."
"Oh? So, what exactly is the matter we are discussing?"
Yatsumi pulled her hoodie over her head again, "You see sir, I would prefer to wear the boy's uniform."
Suoh-san raised his eyebrow in amusement, "I see. Is the female uniform not to your liking?"
She gave a shy smile, "I'm sorry sir. You see, I was never really fond of dresses. I'd prefer to wear something more... comfortable, if I may."
Suoh-san nodded and stood, "I see. Thats perfectly fine. If you'd like to wear the male uniform, by all means do. We at Ouran work to make our students as comfortable as possible."
Yatsumi smiled grayefully at the acceptance and stood as well, "Thank you so much chairman." She bowed and left the room.
As she closed the door, the chairman smiled as he stared out the window, "So we now have another cross-dressing girl. This will be interesting..."
~X~
Yatsumi awoke the next day feeling gloomy about starting her school she showered and dried off, she looked at the uniform laying on her bed. It wasn't bad looking, and it would hide any evidence of her being female. She just prefered her old school's black and red uniform. She changed into the clothes and picked up her bag. For now, she had no help in her apartment. It was just her, alone with the exception of her driver who showed up whenever she phoned him. Everyone else was back in Okinawa, helping her father in the war. She kind of missed waking up to the laughter of yakuza members. Kind of.
As she headed out to school, she decided to take the same path as yesterday. She kept walking until she heard voices coming from outside a Japanese style house.
"Young lord, have a nice day at school."
"Have a nice day in school!" The second sound was definitely more than ten people. As the door opened, she saw the same boy from yesterday emerge. He glanced up and noticed her. She glared and turned to leave.
Behind her, the boy jogged to catch up with her and stared intensly at her, "So what. Not only do you bump into me and flip me off, but today ya' gotta insult me in front of my house?"
Yatsumi said nothing and only walked faster. The boy ran in front of her, annoyance now evident in his face, "Ya' little punk. You think you're better than me?"
Yatsumi rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Listen bub, I'm havin' a pretty shitty day. New school and stuff. So would ya' mind leavin' me the hell alone?"
The boy looked at her, noticing her uniform was the one his school issued. "Oh, I see. Well then, I'm sorry."
Yatsumi just kept walking, hoping to lose him. Instead, the boy only kept up with her, "Uh, I'm Ritsu. I, uh, I'm sorry for my rudeness."
She continued to ignore him, but Ritsu still tried to make her talk, "So, whats your name?" Yatsumi picked up her pace, trying hard not to even look at him.
Ritsu kept up with her and was starting to look annoyed, "Hey, listen, I'm just tryin' to be nice to ya. I know we didn't start of good, but maybe we could be friends!"
She stopped in her tracks, causing Ritsu to stop as well, confused. She looked up at his eyes and he saw the look of annoyance, "I don't care. I'm not here to make friends, I'm just going to Ouran 'til my old man finishes his buisness. So as for your attempt at friendship, I say no thanks. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta finish this year as fast as I can."
She ran this time, going into alleys and jumping fences, all to get away from him. When she finally realized he was long gone, she calmed herself and walked to school.
By the time she arrived, almost everyone had arrived. It was something she wanted to avoid, because as soon as they saw her, everyone started talking.
"Hey, its that boy from yesterday."
"No way! Is he really going here now?"
" He is kinda cute though. He can really pull off the uniform."
"Yeah, he is. Too bad he's so scary looking though..."
Yatsumi took every comment personally. She hated being talked about. It was one of the reasons she got into so many fights. Of course, she couldn't really punch anyone here, unless she wanted to be thrown in jail by the victim's family.
As she entered class 1D, she heard a grunt behind her. As she looked up, she once again faced with Ritsu.
"Let me guess, you're in this class?" He nodded and walked to his desk.
As she looked around, she couldn't help but notice all the kids in the class were obviously from yakuza families. In fact,there wasn't a single one who wasn't obviously affiliated with a gang. The fact that she was the only girl in the class didn't escape her eyes, and she was a bit relieved she decided to wear the boy's uniform.
As she sat in an empty desk, two thuggish guys came in front of her and looked down menacingly. She was aware they were testing her, trying to find a glimmer of weakness. She wasn't having that.
The one with spikey hair smirked at her. "So, whats a shorty like you doin' here anyways? Shouldn't you be in kiddie school?" His friend snickered at the comment.
Yatsumi wasn't really short, but for a boy, her 5'6 frame did make her appear small. She glared at them and said nothing.
The boy with the helmet-hair looked down at her, "Whats wrong ya' dwarf? You don't like us? That don't matter. We're part of the Sendo Syndicate, so you's can't touch us."
Yatsumi burst out laughing at his comment. "The Sendo Syndicate? Are you serious!"
She kept laughing, aware that her mocking was angering them, "Heh, I'm sorry. I just thought you were gonna say an actual gang. But the Sendos? Those losers can't pull off a single heist without getting some of their men caught!"
She laughed again, angering the thugs to near beserkers. Spikey hair pulled her by the collar and stared straight at her face, "Oh yeah? Then where're you from, ya' little bastard?"
Ritsu stood from his desk and stood next to her, "Why the hell does it matter where he's from? I doubt you punks are even near this guy's rank."
The two thugs only glared at him. Yatsumi was getting tired of being held.
She slapped spikey-hair's hand away and glared with malious, "I'm not some underling like you maggots are. I'm the heir for the Inuzuma Syndicate. Ever heard of us?"
As soon as she had uttered the name Inuzuma, both of their faces became shocked. It was well known that the Inuzumas were a well organized gang, responsible for the execution of many unsolved robberies. Suffice to say, the Inuzumas were the strongest gang in the Okinawa region.
They backed away from her, nervously smiling and bowing, "We're so sorry Inuzuma-san. I-Is there anything you require? A drink, a snack, this week's Shonen Jump?"
Yatsumi glared and sat back down, "All I need from you idiots, is silence."
They shivered and quickly ran to their desks. Ritsu stood next to her, unable to comprehend what Yatsu had just said. If he really was the heir to the Inuzumas, then that meant...
"Hey, Ritsu!"
Ritsu jumped, surprised at the acknowledgment, "Y-Yeah?"
Yatsumi looked at the floor as she talked to him, "Thanks for...trying to help, I guess." She looked at him in the eyes, "But next time, I'll handle my problems myself, 'kay?"
Ritsu looked aggrivated. All he was trying to do was help, and instead, he was being treated like a pest! He just looked away and went to his desk. He didn't care anymore.
~X~
Yatsumi spent the rest of the day either in class, or hiding from a group of girls who found her, as they said, 'irresistable'. As lunch came around, she went to the library to eat her small meal which consisted of a rolled omlet, some onigiri, and octupus-shaped sausages As she ate, she couldn't help but feel a pressence behind her. Every time she looked back though, she saw no one. She shook off the feeling, until she definetly felt someone behind her. She turned, and saw lavander eyes looking at her eagerly.
His blonde hair shone in the sunlight, making him appear even more bright. He smiled at her, "Hello, my name's Tamaki, Suoh Tamaki."
Yatsumi groaned, she had heard that the chairman had a son attending the school. She had just hoped she'd never have to meet him. Especially when she was in the middle of eating.
She swallowed her omlet and forced a smile on her face, "Hey, I'm Yatsu. Inuzuma Yatsu. Good ta' meet ya, Senpai."
Tamaki's eyes sparkled, and for some reason, Yatsumi knew she wouldn't like what was coming. "Yes, I suppose it is a pleasure to meet me! Few people ever have the chance to meet someone both beautiful inside and out! This must be a treat for you!" Rose petals appeared out of nowhere, and frankly, it creeped her out a bit.
She was now completely confused at the situation, "I'm sorry, but what?"
"I just wanted to welcome you to Ouran. And I wanted to extend an invitation!"
Yatsumi held her hands up, "I'm sorry Senpai, but I don't do parties."
Tamaki chuckled, "No, my good man, not a party invitation. I want you..." He held out a rose and kneeled in front of her, "To join the Host Club."
Yatsumi literally froze and looked around for cameras. When she found none, she turned back to him, "I'm sorry, but did you just say a host club?"
Tamaki nodded, "Yes, the Ouran Host Club. I saw you yesterday, and earlier today. Most of the girls are even talking about you! I just knew you would be an excellent addition!" He pulled out an envelope and a card. "If you're interested, we meet everyday in music room three. The envelope has the registration papers to join." He smiled one last time, "I really hope you do come join us. Till then Inuzuma-kun."
He walked away, leaving a very confused Yatsumi. She looked at the card he gave her, the words Ouran Host Club was written in caligraphy, making it seem like an important piece of paper. She stuck the card in her pocket and the envelope in her bag. She was definately going to burn them later.
~X~
As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, she headed back to her class. For her first day of school, it wasn't going so good. As she walked back to class, a girl approached her, looking nervous. Yatsumi wasn't positive, but she was pretty sure of what was going to happen. She looked down at the girl but didn't show much acknowledgement.
The girl looked up, having found the courage to speak, "I'm sorry to disturb you Inuzuma-kun, but, um, I was wondering..." Yatsumi sighed, but let the girl continue. "You see, I was hoping, maybe, you would consider... going out sometime?"
Yatsumi groaned. It hadn't even been a full day and already the love confessions were starting. Not to mention she had the task of turning away the girls. She shook her head and looked down, "No, I'm sorry. I'm not one for relationships and stuff. So just forget about me, 'kay?"
The girl started to cry, unable to comprehend why she had been rejected. It tugged at Yatsumi's heart. She really hated when this happened. But it wasn't like she could accept them. She just wasn't into girls.
Against her better knowledge, she placed her hand atop of the girl's head and smiled, "Don't worry. You're a really beautiful girl. I'm just not looking for a relationship right now. Someone's bound to ask you out soon, so just be patient for your Prince Charming."
The girl blushed and smiled softly, "Thank you Inuzuma-kun, that really helped."
She gave one last small smile and walked away. As Yatsumi watched her leave, she sighed her relief. For being rejected, the girl handled it pretty good. She walked to her classroom, ready to just about go home and take a nap...
~X~
Chapter 2: Ch 2
Chapter Text
The alarm clock rang, signaling the beginning of a new day. Yatsumi woke up to the beeping and quickly turned off the annoyance. It was Sunday, meaning there was no school. It had been two weeks since she had enrolled.
It was the same thing everyday, Ritsu would try to talk to her, the two idiots (whose names were Taka and Waru) would shower her with gifts in hopes of being granted invitation to her organization ,Tamaki-senpai would keep trying to convince her to join the host club, and some shy girl would come up and proclaim their undying love. It was driving her insane. She hadn't made any friend, by choice of course. It would be tiring if she had to commit crimes against their families later on in life. And to make matters worse, she still hadn't heard from her father. It was natural for her to feel a little anxious.
Seeing as she had nothing better to do, she put on jeans and a t-shirt, and headed out to buy groceries. She had just run out of anything edible, so it was the perfect timekiller. However, it was going to be the first time she ever shopped for herself.
She walked alongside the road, ignoring the cars beeping at her whenever they nearly hit her. She finally found a supermarket and went inside. It was strange to see all the food. There were aisles of goods stacked, many that she'd never seen before. Was there a special section where they served yakuza?
As she stood, wondering what to do, a small figure bumped her from behind, making her stumble a bit. "I'm sorry! I didn't see you there."
Yatsumi turned and saw a familiar face. Haruhi Fujioka. Dressed in khakis and a blue t-shirt. Haruhi, in turn, recognized her and and looked confused, "Oh! Inuzuma-kun, what are you doing here?"
Yatsumi shrugged, "Not much, I just need to get some food. What are you doing here Fujioka? Don't you have servants to shop for you?"
Haruhi shook his head, "No, I got into the school because of the scholarship. I'm just here to get this week's groceries. But uh..." He looked around Yatsumi, "Where are your servants? I could of swore that you were the heir of some family."
Yatsumi sighed, "Yeah, but all of them are in Okinawa, helping my old man."
"That explains it. I was wondering why you were alone. Do you want me to help you find your stuff?"
Yatsumi hesitated. It was true that she had no idea what she was doing. But she couldn't befriend him, because one day...
She blinked. Haruhi was a commoner. Meaning he had no wealth to steal from. Meaning there was no need to avoid him. Meaning that it was alright to befriend him! Yatsumi nodded, "Y-yes, please. I'd like that very much."
Haruhi smiled. For a guy, Yatsumi noticed that he had really feminine eyes. They put her at ease as she was shown around the store. She saw weird things like instant ramen, powdered milk, powdered orange juice, and instant coffee. Apparently, if you added water, you would get food in no time! Haruhi laughed when she asked if something called baby powder would make an actual kid!
After buying all the essentials, and getting a free sample of a new pocky flavor, Yatsumi thought it would be best to at least help Haruhi take his bags to his house. They chatted about various things. Apparently, Haruhi was in the Host Club, due to circumstances. He talked about sales going on next week in another supermarket, saying they should go check it out. Yatsumi nodded, and inwardly, she smiled. It felt good to have someone to talk to. Even if it was just about groceries.
As they got to his apartment complex, Haruhi groaned. Parked in front were two black cars. And by the look of them, they belonged to someone rich. As the doors opened, a familiar blonde-haired person stepped out. Behind him stood a black-haired person with glasses, twins with orangish hair, a small, lolitaish boy, and a tall black-haired guy. When they noticed Haruhi, all of them rushed over, Tamaki especially.
"Haruhi! We've come to visit you!"
The twins pulled Tamaki off of Haruhi, tsking at his idiotcy, "Come on boss, you know better to go and molest Haruhi." "Yeah, especially after you made us take this surprise visit with you."
Tamaki looked mortified. He turned to Haruhi with tears in his eyes, "Is it true Haruhi? Are you mad at me? I'm so sorry! Its not like I wanted to be a burden!"
Yatsumi watched the strange conversation with slight irritaiton. She was hoping to be able to talk more to her new friend, and all of a sudden they're bombarded by the Host Club. As she stood, wondering whether or not to just leave, she was approached by the boy with glasses.
"Inuzuma I presume?"
She nodded, not even bothering to look at his face. It didn't matter though, because glasses boy just gave an obviously false smile, "My name is Kyoya Otori. Tamaki told me he had his eye on you, and I can see why."
Yatsumi glared at him. It always bothered her whenever people talked about her. All eyes went on her, finally being noticed by the rest of the club. Tamaki and the twins looked shocked knowing that some yakuza guy was hanging out with their precious Haruhi.
The twins came over to her and looked her over, "So you're Inuzuma eh?"
"The boss told us alot about you."
"Like the fact that you keep rejecting his invitation."
"Or that you prefer to be alone."
They stood side by side, " "So why are you hanging out with Haruhi?" ", they asked in unison.
She growled at them, "Whats it to ya' if I hang out with him? I don't see some tag sayin' he's yours!"
They hid behind Tamaki, who was still shocked at the thought of Haruhi hanging out with yakuza. "Hey boss, you sure he's the one you wanted for the club?"
"Seems like he'd scare all the girls away."
Tamaki put his arms around them, "Don't worry men, I'm sure of this. Now I know he seems standoffish, but believe me, he could be the last piece we need to complete the perfect club! Not to mention, it seems our Haruhi has befriended him! This could be the perfect chance to make him join!"
The three turned to her, confidence seeping out of them. Tamaki put his hands on both of Yatsumi's shoulders and bent down to look her straight in the eye, "Inuzuma-kun, have you thought about joining us yet?"
She shrugged his hands off, "Yeah, I have. And I still say no thanks."
Tamaki got a gleam in his eyes, "Not even if it meant being able to hang out with Haruhi everyday?"
Yatsumi blinked. It was true, if she did join, she'd be able to talk to Haruhi everyday. And she'd be able to protect him in case of anything.
Haruhi gave Yatsumi a reassuring smile, "You don't have to do this you know. We can hang out everyday after school if you want."
That did it. Yatsumi definitely wanted to keep him as a friend and spend as much time together. She turned to Tamaki, "Fine. If I can hang out with him everyday, then I'll join."
Tamaki beamed at the fact that he'd just gotten the last piece of the perfect host club. Haruhi just looked exhausted at today's antics. And the twins were just a bit scared at the prospect of the new member. All in all, everything worked out in favor of Tamaki.
~X~
"Did you hear? The Host Club is closed today."
"Yeah, I heard they were going to have a hard time today!"
"Really? Why is that?"
"You mean you didn't hear? Inuzuma-kun joined yesterday!"
"Waahh? No way!"
"Its true! Apparently he and Haruhi are friends and Inuzuma wanted to hang around him!"
"Does Kasanoda know?"
"Who knows. But imagine, Haruhi and Inuzuma together!"
"Kyaa! Its so..."
" "MOE`!" "
~X~
It was after class, and Yatsumi had to walk to music room three. All day long she had felt eyes on her. And for the first time, she was nervous.
As she reached for the door handle, she hesitated. If she went through with this, it would mean she would have to be surrounded by potential victims. And it would also mean having to talk with them and entertain them. But if she didn't go through with it...
She made up her mind and turned the handle. Roses blew past her, reminding her of the day she had met Tamaki. As the door opened, she had to shield her eyes from the sudden bright light. As she started getting used to it, she saw the outline of seven people. "Welcome..." She got her focus back, and saw the whole host club dressed as... teachers...
Tamaki, dressed in a white button-down shirt, black slacks, and wire rimmed glasses, walked forward, "Ah Inuzuma-kun! Welcome to your first lesson in being a host!"
Yatsumi grimaced, "I gotta take lessons now? Can't I just act like I always do?"
Tamaki hit her with a paper-fan, "No! The charm of a host and your personality do not mix!"
Yatsumi rubbed her head and looked stunned. No one had ever hit her with a paper-fan before. It made her a bit confused at her situation, "Ok then... Then how should I act like then?"
Tamaki held himself in stride, "Simple, you must act like a gentleman. But, you must take your role into the act!"
Yatsumi blinked, "My... role?"
Kyoya stood in front of her, "Yes, you see, everyone here has a certain role that they're placed into. For example," He pointed to the twins, "Hikaru and Karou are our little-devils type," he then pointed to the small blonde boy, "Hunni-senpai is our boy-lolita type," then the tall boy came next to Hunni, "Mori-senpai is the wild type," a bright light pointed to Tamaki, "Tamaki is the princely type," he then smiled and pushed his glasses up, "And I am the 'cool' type. And with the addition of Haruhi, the 'natural' type, it would seem that we have the perfect ensemble. That is..."
Tamaki popped up, "Until I heard about you! Imagine, the last piece to the perfect club, the 'rough' type!"
Yatsumi was a bit more than just shocked."Th-the 'rough' type? What the hell kinda girl is into that crap? Out of everything, you had to choose that ridiculous role?"
The paper-fan hit her head once more, causing her to give a small yelp of surprise.
Tamaki stood over her, "First off, we do not use that sort of language here! Especially in front of our guests. Secondly, you shouldn't care what kind of girl is 'into that'. All you should care about is pleasing them, making them feel special. Otherwise, you're no actual host!"
From the way he was passionately rambling, Yatsumi could tell he was serious. But how, she thought, would she act as a 'rough' character?
Haruhi sat next to her. He was the only one not dresses as a teacher, although apparently Tamaki had convinced him to at least wear swirly glasses. He cocked his head at her, "Inuzuma-kun, haven't you ever made friends?"
She shook her head. The entire group, sans Kyoya, gasped in shock.
Tamaki stood, "Group huddle!" Everyone stood around him, excluding Yatsumi from the conversation.
Hikarou and Karou looked worried, "Boss, isn't it a little weird-"
"That Inuzuma hasn't even had a single friend?"
" "How can you expect him to become a great host?" "
"Its true Tamaki. I understand why you wanted to add him into the club, but did you ever stop to think that maybe he's never had any experience? I swear, sometimes your sheer idiotcy astounds me."
Tamaki looked shocked, "But Kyoya! You heard what every girl is saying! How could I not at least try?"
Hunni looked up, "Tama-chan, have you noticed that he's like Bossanova-chi in a way? Maybe he could help Zuzu-kun in coming out of his shell!"
Everyone in the group looked down. Tamaki snapped, "Hunni-senpai, you're a genius!"
They turned back to Yatsumi who was wondering if she could possibly escape. "Inuzuma-kun!"
"Y-Yeah?"
Tamaki ran his fingers through his hair, "You are excused for today. However, starting tomorrow, you will have an additional teacher. Understood?"
She nodded, "Y-yeah. Um... I'll see you tomorrow Fujioka."
He nodded, "We'll go to that sale at the supermarket, kay?"
Yatsumi nodded and gave an actual smile, "Sure." And with that, she left for the day.
As the club stared at the empty space where Yatsu had been moments ago, the twins moved on both sides of Haruhi. "Hey Haruhi, does Inuzuma-"
"Know your little secret?"
Haruhi cocked her head, "You mean that I'm actually a girl?"
" "Exactly." "
Haruhi rested her head on her fist, "No, I don't think I've mentioned around him. You don't think he could find out, do you?"
Tamaki gasped. It hadn't even occurred to him of the possibility that Inuzuma could find out is precious daughter's secret.
The twins noticed his panicking and smirked. They cozied up to Haruhi, "Did you see the way he smiled when you said you'd walk home with him?"
"Its obvious that he guy has some feelings for you."
They turned and smiled sadistically at Tamaki, " "Maybe he'll ask her to become a mob bride in the future." "
Tamaki imagined his precious Haruhi as a mob wife. He fainted on the spot. As Hunni and Mori tended to their fallen king, Kyoya turned his attention to Haruhi, "I know you're not one to accidentally reveal your situation,but please, be careful. We don't want another Kasanoda incident."
Haruhi blushed and nodded, "I know Kyoya-senpai. You don't have to remind me."
He pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose, "Still..." He smiled out the window, causing Haruhi to get shivers down her back, "The chairman was right. This will be interesting."
Haruhi looked confused, "Whats so interesting?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just talking to myself."
~X~
Chapter 3: Ch 3
Chapter Text
Yatsumi waited at her door. Haruhi had called earlier, saying her new 'teacher' would come over for a while. She was a bit excited. This might be the start of having friends. If being friends with Haruhi made her happy, she couldn't help but think that alot of friends would make her feel happier ten-fold. As she smiled to herself, a hand tapped her shoulder. She turned to greet her sensei, until she saw who it was.
"R-Ritsu! Who the hell told ya' where I live?"
He looked shocked, "You're the new guy who joined the host club?"
She gritted her teeth. It just wasn't possible. The one guy who ticked her off the most was her new teacher? She looked behind him, trying to see any possible hidden person. She finally gave up and invited him inside.
Ritsu looked around the apartment. There was a small kitchen, a table, and a door that led to the bathroom. He looked around for a place to sit until Yatsu pointed at the bed, which was neatly done. All in all, it was a very simple place with enough necessities for a single person.
Yatsumi breathed in slowly and then turned to glare down at him, "So, you're my teacher for now?"
He nodded, "Yeah, Fujioka asked me to help ya'. The club helped me ta come outta my shell, so they thought I could help."
"Ah, I see..." Yatsumi realized something and her jaw dropped, "Waitaminute, you and Fujioka are buddies?"
He blushed and nodded, "Y-yeah. He was the first person to refer to me as his 'buddy'. So I go to the host club every once in a while to talk to him."
Yatsumi couldn't help but feel a little envious. She'd kinda hoped to have Haruhi all for herself. And now she finds out that Ritsu also hangs out with him. This day, was not turning out the way she had planned.
She sighed in defeat and looked at him, "Look, I don't like you and you don't like me. But for Fujioka's sake, I'll accept your help."
Ritsu looked confused, "Why do you think I don't like you?"
"We're both from yakuza families, so its obvious that one day we'll end up fightin'. And that means I'll be fightin' ya' for territory. Its obvious who'll win though."
Ritsu nodded, "Yeah."
They both pointed to themselves, " "I will!" "
They stared at each other. Yatsumi scoffed, "You will? Please, the Inuzumas are the strongest in Okinawa!"
"You kiddin'? My family is the strongest in the Kanto area! No way my old man'll lose to your old man!"
Yatsmi shrugged, "Whatever helps you sleep at night princess."
An angry vein ticked at Ritsu's forehead, but for Fuijioka, he was willing to put up with Inuzuma's taunting. "Alright then, first thing, stop lookin' so serious. It scares some of the girls."
Yatsumi cocked her head, "I can't help my face. I'm used to lookin' like this." He sighed, "Yeah, I'm sure, but Suoh says to tell you that he's not accepting you 'til the angry look goes away. So, try to take it off."
Yatsumi tried to relax her face, thinking about the most calming thing she could. But no matter what, it always turned back into the familiar scowl.
They tried it for what seemed like hours until Yatsumi finally gave a huff of impatience and gave up, "Ain't there some other way? I mean, I can't help the way I am!"
Ritsu looked tired as well. Even though he knew that Yatsu was trying, they just couldn't make his face more relaxed. The best they could do was Yatsu giving a forced smile, and that was worse than his original face.
Yatsu looked up to stare at him, "I don't get it. How the hell did you get to be so popular? Your face ain't that nice lookin'!"
Ritsu ignored the taunt and laid down on the bed, "It's complicated."
Yatsumi shrugged her shoulder, "So is our life. So, tell me already."
He looked at her, "Promise not to laugh?"
"Whatever, I won't laugh. So, tell me!"
He sighed and mumbled into a pillow. Yatsumi leaned in to hear, "Can you repeat that?"
"They think I'm..."
She leaned in closer, getting a bit irked, "Out with it already!"
He looked at her with a mortified face, "They think I'm gay!"
Yatsumi blinked, letting the knowledge sink in. Then, she tried to stiffle a laugh until she couldn't hold it in anymore, "Bwahahahaha! Really? They think you're gay? Thats priceless! Hahahahaha! Imagine, you actually bein' gay! Thats hilarious!"
Ritsu was blushing like crazy. When Yatsumi finally calmed down, she coughed, and looked at him, "Sorry, just couldn't help myself. So what, they think you got some crush for Fujioka?"
He nodded, "Yeah, apparently, they got a thing for that kinda stuff."
Yatsumi nodded, "So basically, my choices are to either change myself, or make people think I'm gay."
"Yeah I guess so."
She snapped her fingers, "What about that Mori guy? Seems like everyone likes him, so what does he do?"
Ritsu looked down at the floor, "He has, uh, a lovely item..."
Yatsumi raised an eyebrow, "A what?"
He cleared his throat, "A lovely item. Its something or someone who helps a person not look as intimidating as they really are. His is Hunninozuka-senpai."
Yatsumi forced back a laugh. She couldn't believe what she had heard. The little blonde kid was the only reason Mori-senpai was liked? Then a idea hit her, "Hey, you think if I got a 'lovely item', the girls wouldn't be scared of me?"
Ritsu shrugged, "I don't see why not."
"And it can be anyone who'll make me relaxed?"
He shrugged, "Sure."
She stood up, determination in her face, "Perfect, then all I have to do is ask Fujioka to be my lovely item!"
Ritsu's jaw dropped open. If that happened, then Yatsu would find out Haruhi's secret in no time! "Um, wait-"
"Its perfect! Why didn't I think of it sooner." Yatsumi went into her closet and got her trench-coat. She gave a genuine smile to Ritsu and made a peace sign, "Wish me luck! Oh, and lock the door when you leave. Bye!"
The door slammed shut as she left. Ritsu sat dazed at what had just happened. Now Yatsu was going to Haruhi's apartment, all because of a suggestion he made. And by the way he seemed excited... "AAAAAHHHHHH! No way. Is Yatsu... into guys?"
He desperately pulled his phone out and speed-dialed Tamaki. The phone rang three times before a confused Tamaki picked up.
"Hello?"
"I'M SO SORRY! ITS ALL MY FAULT! I SHOULDN'T HAVE COME HERE!"
Tamaki pulled the phone away the rambling stopped. Then he realized who it was, "Bossanova, whats wrong? And please don't shout."
"Its the Inuzuma guy. We were talking about how to look less threatening and then Morinozuka-senpai came up. And then I told her about the lovely items and-and..."
Tamaki waited, but it seemed like Bossanova was at a lost for words, "And what?"
Ritsu swallowed a lump in his throat, "Well, you see... He's gone to uh... Ask Fujioka to be his 'lovely item'..."
Static was heard through the phone, followed by, "ARE YOU SERIOUS? INUZUMA-KUN WANTS MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER TO BE HIS LOVELY ITEM? NOT IF DADDY HAS ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT!"
The phone clicked, leaving Ritsu to listen to beeping. He sighed. Today was not a good day. As he stood, his eyes caught a picture on Yatsu's desk. He picked it up, and saw a smiling girl about his age, surrounded by laughing yakuza members. As he looked closer at the girl, he noticed that she and Yatsu looked almost exactly alike. 'Must be siblings...' He put the picture down and left without further disturbing the room.
~X~
Yatsumi ran towards Haruhi's house. The knowledge of being able to finally talk to people her own age was slowly starting to appeal to her, and she couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.
She slowed down when she saw the apartment complex, deciding what the best way to ask Haruhi was. As she neared the steps, a familiar black car skidded to a stop, nearly missing her by inches. As she got over the shock, the door was quickly opened to reveal a disheveled Tamaki.
She gave a slow wave, slightly confused at his appearance, "Heya Suoh-senpai. Watcha doin' here?"
He stomped in front of her, a maddening look in his eyes, "Inuzuma-kun, what do you think you're doing?"
She smiled, "I finally figured out how I can get friends. See, if Fujioka becomes my lovely item, then I'll be able to talk to others!"
Tamaki's eye twitched, "So you just want to use Haruhi?"
Yatsumi frowned. He made her idea seem so wrong, "Senpai, didn't you want me to work on my appearance? If I have someone as adorable as Fujioka, then I'm sure all the girls'll like me!"
Tamaki stood up straight, and Yatsumi was sure she saw fire in his eyes, "True as that may be, you can't use my Haruhi for your own uses!"
Yatsumi looked up at him, determination seeping through her pores, "Your Haruhi? And does Fujioka know that he belongs to you?"
Tamaki took a step back, "Well, its not like I own him-"
Yatsumi stepped forward, "That's right, you don't own him. So, I don't have to ask permission. But I've been wondering..." She looked him up and down, "Senpai, do you have feelings for Fujioka?"
Tamaki's face became dumbfounded and then flashed crimson red as he stuttered, "N-no! Haruhi is just my precious daughter!"
Yatsumi cocked her head in confusion, "Daughter? Senpai... You know he's a dude, right?"
Tamaki was starting to look nervous for some reason. Yatsumi got a gleam in her eye, "You know, I don't care if he's a guy. It's even better for me." Knowing that Tamaki assumed she was a guy, she stared in amusement as he froze on the spot. As Yatsumi turned away, knowing she had won the argument, a door clicked, Haruhi getting out of his apartment. Yatsumi smiled and ran next to him.
Haruhi looked surprised. He hadn't expected to see Yatsu so soon, or, for that matter, Tamaki-senpai. "Inuzuma-kun? What are you doing here? We're not supposed to go to the supermarket for at least another hour."
Yatsumi nodded her head, "I know, but Ritsu told me something amazing today. At first, he was teaching me how to be more 'friendly looking'. And I wondered, 'But Mori-senpai doesn't look nice. How does he get friends?' So Ritsu told me bout Hunni-senpai being his 'lovely item'. And then he told me that if I had a lovely item, then people would talk to me!"
"Uh-huh. So, why is Senpai with you?"
Yatsumi turned to look at the pale Tamaki. "Uh... We just met up I guess?"
He nodded his head, "He was probably coming to my house anyways. Well, we have some time to kill. Um, would you like to come in?"
Yatsumi blushed. She had never been over a friend's house before. Especially not a boy's house. She nodded her head, "Y-yes, thank you."
Then Haruhi pointed to Tamaki, "Would you mind picking him up and taking him inside? It'll be rude just to leave him there."
She nodded, " 'Kay." She lifted the still shocked Tamaki and put him over her shoulders. He's was actually very light considering his height.
She walked up the stairs and into the open door. The apartment was bigger than her own. There were two rooms, a small kitchen, and a bathroom. Haruhi pulled out a futon for Tamaki to lay on, pulled a sheet over him, then turned to smiled at Yatsumi, "Would you like some tea?"
She nodded, "Yes. D-do you want any help?"
Haruhi put up a hand, "Nah, I can handle it."
As Haruhi prepared the tea, Yatsumi sat on the tatami floor and relaxed a bit. She looked over at Tamaki who was mumbling in his sleep, "No... Damn... twins... Yatsu..."
Yatsumi snickered, knowing that she was a part of his nightmare. It wasn't like she wanted to traumatize him on purpose. It was just alot of fun!
When Haruhi returned with the tea, Yatsumi smiled up at him. She wasn't in love with him or anything. She was just really glad that this one guy was able to be her first friend. She didn't have to worry about stealing from him, or fighting for territory. It was a calm relationship. A fresh breath of air that she appreciated. Anyways, she'd never go out with a guy her height.
Haruhi smiled at her, "So Inuzuma, can I ask about your family? What do they do?"
Yatsumi sipped her tea and sighed, "My old man is the boss of the Inuzuma clan. He taught me the business, grooming me to become a first-class mob-boss."
To her surprise, Haruhi only nodded, unafraid at what she had just told him, "Go on."
She took another sip, "My mother left me and Pops as soon as I was born. I guess she couldn't handle being the wife of yakuza."
Haruhi gave a sad look, "I'm sorry."
Yatsumi waved it off, "Don't be. It never really affected me. Anyways, I grew up learning the family buisness. My only friends were Dad's underlings, which was fine cuz they're all just a couple of kids in adult bodies. Life as the heir of yakuza is fine. The only real problem..." She sighed, "The only real problem is when my old man gets into yakuza wars. I hate it. He can't call, I don't see him, and I worry about him. I mean, he's the only real family I got, ya know?"
From behind them, a sniffle was heard. Yatsumi turned to see an awakened Tamaki, tears pouring down his face. He blew his nose into a handkerchief and scooted next to her, "Inuzuma-kun. I never knew how hard your childhood was! You should have told me before!"
He grabbed her into a hug, "Its so sad! Your mother left, your only family is in war, oh it's perfect!"
Yatsumi struggled against the hug, "My life being sad is perfect? What the hell?"
Tamaki pulled away, and out of nowhere, a beam of light shone on him, "No, don't you get it? Your life story! It will pull at the heartstrings of all the girls! Not to mention," His eyes sparkled, "You won't need a lovely item anymore!"
Yatsumi's jaw dropped. If this guy really thought that he could stop her plans-
"I hate to say it, but Senpai has a point. I mean, the ladies really started to like me after I told them about my mother."
Yatsumi looked confused, until she saw the memorial shrine behind Haruhi. There was a framed picture of a woman who looked alot like like Haruhi. Yatsumi looked at him with an apologetic look, "I'm sorry."
Haruhi only smiled, "Why? You didn't do anything. And, I'm okay because I still have my dad. And I have my friends as well."
Both Yatsumi and Tamaki teared up at her heartwarming confession. Yatsumi pulled Haruhi into a hug that was so tight that Haruhi could hardly breathe, "I-Inuzuma-kun... I can't..."
Yatsumi let go quickly, "Sorry, Fujioka. But, thank you!" Yatsumi felt herself beaming, "I am glad you consider me your friend."
Haruhi smiled, and Tamaki watched the touching scene with tears in his eyes. After much conversation, including Tamaki and Yatsumi fighting over which instant coffee was the best, (Tamaki enjoyed Folger's while Yatsumi insisted that Hescafe' was the best) they all went to the supermarket to take advantage of the sales. Even though Yatsumi had money, she was a saver and tended to buy food that tasted good and yet, was cheap.
They emerged from the store with their hands full of bags, and Tamaki with a fresh bruise on his forehead. Apparently, he had seen commoner children playing in the shopping carts and wanted to try it out. Unfortunately, the cart he attempted to climb into rolled as Tamaki had one foot in, causing him to fall face-first onto the floor.
They talked along the way until they came to the point where Yatsumi had to seperate from them to walk to her house. As she opened the door, the rush of cool air hit her face. She loved to sleep in the cold, so she never turned off the A/C. Now that the groceries were put away and the room was the perfect temperature, she snuggled into her couch and watched her favorite show. After two full hours of watching the show (and silently crying at the final episode), she showered and changed into a night-shirt and shorts. As she laid in her bed, she smiled inwardly at the fun day she had, (even if Ritsu was in it and Tamaki had ruined her plan) and drifted off to sleep.
~X~
Chapter 4: Ch 4
Chapter Text
Yatsumi stared as she saw her 'family' get ready for the war. She couldn't stop them, although she had tried, and could only watch as the people she had known throughout her life trained.
Her father had told her that some other syndicate had come into their territory and ruined a heist. When Tatsujin, her father's right-hand man, had confronted the perpetrators, he was met with fists. She had never seen her father so angry than the day Tatsujin had arrived at the main entrance of their house, all covered in bruises and blood. It was then that her father had declared war against the other syndicate. No one messed up their heist, assaulted Tatsujin, and got away with it.
During the days leading to the fight, her father had secretly arranged for her to move away into hiding and enroll in Ouran. Yatsumi was, for the first time in her life, terrified.
"Please pops, I can help!"
"Yatsumi, this is for your own good."
"Cmon! You know that I'm a genius at infiltrating. It could come in handy!"
"I've already said no. You going to leave tonight, whether you like it or not."
She was angry at her father's stubbornness. Sad that there was a chance that he didn't want her by his side to help. Scared that she may never see him...
"Give me a chance! I want to be near you! How can I become the next boss if you won't let me help out when my family is in trouble?"
Her father walked over to her and held her close. He was a giant of a man, unlike herself. His eyes that were usually bright, a sign of his inner mischievous self, were now dark with sadness and the grief that he had to send away his only blood. He lifted her head until she looked him in the eyes.
"You can live. If anything should ever happen, then I can die knowing my child will be safe and will rebuild my legacy. You are my daughter, even if you don't act like it."
He chuckled, and patted her head.
"Promise me that no matter what, you will not let the Inuzuma name die out."
Yatsumi was crying now, her tears streaking her pale face. She may not be male, but it didn't matter to her father. It just made her happy that he was so sure that she could lead the gang. She nodded.
"H-hai. Don't worry pops, I'll be the best boss in our history."
He smiled down at her.
"Good. At least those damn Kasanodas won't know where you are..."
~X~
Yatsumi woke up to the sun in her eyes. She sat up, a bit dazed at her dream. It was weird to her to have such a vivid dream. Not to mention, she now had a nauseating feeling in the pit of her stomach . She shrugged off the feeling and started about her daily routine. After preparing for a long day, she walked out of the door to be greeted by an unexpected face.
"... Ritsu, what the hell are you doing here?"
He gave a nervous smile, "Well, you see, Suoh asked me to walk with you. To make sure that you're ready for today."
She looked up questioningly, "Ready? For what?"
"Well, you're gonna have your first clients today."
Yatsumi's face completely blanched. Even though she knew the day would come, she had a hard time seeing herself actually entertaining girls. And not just any girls, rich pampered ones!
As she turned to go back into the apartment, Ritsu's hand shot out and closed the door. She looked up to glare, only to see a warm smile looking down, "Look Yatsu, I know that it's gonna be scary. But it won't be that bad. I promise."
Yatsumi was still nervous. But in Ritsu eyes were pure truth. It was, just a little bit, reassuring. She gave a slight nod in response and turned to follow him to school.
As they entered the classroom, the whole room turned to look at Yatsumi. She wasn't sure what was going on until the idiot duo stood in front of her. "Boss, is it true wha all them chicks are sayin'?"
"Everyone's talkin' about it. That you're the new..."
She looked at them with a bored expression, "Host? Yeah, what of it?"
Taka and Waru looked at her in amazement. Then the whole class stood behind them. Yatsumi thought that she'd have to fight when all of a sudden, the mob of gangsters all bowed to her, "Inuzuma-san, please be the best host ever!"
Yatsumi was now confused, "Uh... Why?"
Taka stood straight and looked into the horizon, "It's just not fair. That club only takes the most handsome guys and has them entertain the gals!"
Waru piped in, "Yeah! They never even asked one of us to join!"
"So please..." Once again, the mass bowing ensued, "Show those Host Club guys that even us yakuza guys are as good as them!"
Yatsumi stared in disbelief. Not only did she have the daunting task of going past her comfort zone to entertain girls, but now she was supposed to represent the whole class of 1D? She just sighed and after minutes of an eerie silence, she lifted her head and gave a determined smile, "Alright. For all you punks, I'll do it!"
The class cheered as Yatsumi walked to her desk. She was patted on the back, given snacks, and one enthusiastic guy actually wrote 'Have strength Yatsu!' on his chest with permanent marker. Despite their intimidating outward appearance, the class was actually full of fun-loving guys.
Yatsumi sat in her chair, overwhelmed by the sudden task the class had given her. The hours went by quickly, and when she had finally finished all her classes, the time of her impending doom arrived.
At the end of class, Ritsu stood next to her desk, apparently ready to walk her to the club. He looked down with a smile, "I can't believe today's the day. Ya nervous?"
Yatsumi shook her head, "Nah, just hoping I won't get stuck with a maniac." He laughed, which was wierd because his laugh warmed her heart, just a bit.
As she prepared to leave, Ritsu pulled out something from his pocket, "Don't think nothin wrong, but I got you something. For good luck."
He opened his hand and in it was a glass marble from a bottle of ramune. She took it, wondering why he would give her such a strange gift.
Obviously he noticed her concern, "Its a small token of our friendship! The marble was in that bottle that smashed when we first met."
She remembered and chuckled at the memory, "Thanks. For, er, everythin I guess. And for, uh... Bein my second friend and all."
He nodded, somewhat touched at the confession, "No problem!" And so she left, the whole class of 1D cheering her as she walked.
"You can do it Yatsu!"
"Give 'em Hell!"
" "We believe in you boss!" "
The yells dimmed as she went out of the hallway. She took her time, going the long way to the music room, hoping to prolong what little time she had for herself. When she finally got in front of the doors, pain shot through her stomache, making her stop and consider going home. She hesitated, and decided just to go through with it. As she opened the door, the familiar rose petals drifted past her until she saw the famed club.
Tamaki was beaming with eagerness, "Inuzuma-kun! Are you as excited as I am? To think, my dream of the perfect Host Club is finally being realized!"
Yatsumi rolled her eyes, "Yeah Suoh-senpai, I'm so glad that I now have to spend my afternoons surrounded by girls. Yippee..."
Tamaki didn't notice the sarcasm and only smiled wider, "I know! And to think, the girls certainly have been requesting to be your first guest! So we auctioned you off, and guess what? The spot as your first guest was sold for one-hundred-million yen!"
Yatsumi froze, "Wait, so in a way I was sold for one-hundred-million yen? And some girl actually paid that amount?"
The twins came on both of her sides and each clasped a hand onto her shoulder, "We were surprised as well!"
"To think that you'd be this popular!"
They hugged her, " "Isn't this amazing?" "
She wiggled out of the embrace, "Amazing? All it means is that I won't be able to spend as much time with Fujioka! Hey Suoh-senpai, you said I'd be able to spend more time with him!"
Tamaki tsked, "Now now Inuzuma-kun, patience. You can spend your free time with Haruhi, and now you can walk home together! Isn't that what you wanted?"
Yatsumi stood defeated, "I-I guess so. So... Whos my guest?"
~X~
"Oh hohohohohoho! Ah, I can't believe it! You're even cuter up close!"
Yatsumi sat across from the rambling girl. From what the twins told her, Renge was the club manager and an avid otaku. And coincidentally, Yatsumi just happened to look like a character from some popular show. Renge sipped her tea and smiled at her prisoner, "I just can't believe it! To think that the new host would look so much like Sai from the hit show, Naruto! Of course, you do have a bit more of a feminine look than him. No offense."
"None taken. Uh... So Sai huh? Is that why you chose me miss Hoshakuji?"
"Well, not only that, but Tamaki told me about your childhood, and what can I say? I'm a sucker for a sad past!" She grasped her heart and swooned, "To have been abandoned by your mother, never knowing what a real friend is like. And now, your only family is out fighting! I could eat three bowls of rice!"
Yatsumi sighed. Being a host was alot more trouble than she thought. But perhaps...
She looked up into Renge's eyes, turning up the sadness schtick, "Yeah, it is a pain. My old man is all I got, so I'm always worried about him. And the fellas. I grew up with 'em, so I can't help but hope they all come back ok. Even though I wish that..." She cocks her head a bit to the side, "I know some of 'em won't come back..."
Renge nodded, hoping to hear some more. So Yatsumi decided to finish it off with small tears in her eyes, "Is it so wrong, miss Hoshakuji? Is it wrong for me to want the guys to still be alive? They were the one thing that kept me from being alone. From going insane really. The reason I joined the Host Club, was not only to be by the boy who became my first friend, but also to hopefully find comfort in beautiful girls such as yourself."
She touched Renge's trembling hand and held it in her own, "So thank you, miss Hoshakuji. Thank you for allowing me to be by you, even if for such a short time. If it isn't rude, may I call you Renge?"
Renge's eyes were pouring out tears. Yatsumi confiding her fear and with her act of being a lonely gentleman had touched Renge's heartstrings, "Oh Yatsu-kun! Of course you may call me by my first name! I never knew the hardships of being in a mafia! I'll never stop being your friend, and I'll be sure to give you a huge part in the next 'Moe` Moe` Diary'! Adieu, my lonesome prince!"
A motor was heard and Renge was slowly spun into the ground by a platform. Now Yatsumi had seen everything. She gave a sigh of relief. For her first guest, it wasn't so hard. All she really had to do was win over people's hearts with her sappy story. As she looked up, she saw Kyoya writing in his black notebook. "So Renge seemed pleased by you. How was it Inuzuma?"
Yatsumi groaned, her face going into her palms, "Honestly, I'm glad I have an ounce of acting skills. It wasn't too bad, I guess."
Kyoya nodded, not even bothering to look up from his notebook, "I see. Just a reminder, you do have a couple more appointments today before we close up."
Yatsumi looked up, "Exactly how many are we talkin' about?"
"Well..." He pointed to the waiting area where more than forty girls were wriggling about, waiting for their turn. "I'd say at least a few dozen more groups. Renge was the only one willing to pay the one-on-one meet."
Yatsumi's eyes widened to the size of diner plates. She pointed a shaky finger towards them, her head slowly turning to face Kyoya's, "Ar-Are you serious? Please tell me this is a joke."
He closed his notebook and gave Yatsumi a smile, "You should know, I never joke when I take the buisness into account. I'm sure you'll get through them quite quickly." He left Yatsumi to wallow in anguish as a group of four girls came to the table.
For the next three hours, she would spend the time retelling her situation, exaggerating a bit more for some. And each time, at least two girls in every group would say that they would request her from now on. Unlike Haruhi, Yatsumi didn't have a quota. Even so, that didn't stop Kyoya from sending in more girls. By the time she had finished for the day, she had a total of forty-eight girls that she had entertained. She was, undoutedly, extremely tired. But as she turned to rise and go home, all the hosts were patting her on the back, congratulating her for a days good work.
"We thought you wouldn't make it."
"Especially with Renge as your first guest!"
Tamaki pushed the twins aside, "Didn't I tell you guys? He's amazing! A natural born host if I do say so myself!"
Yatsumi stuggled to stay up. Although she was happy to have survived the first day, she was feeling a bit faint. She turned to them and gave a half-smile, "Uh, it was ok, I guess. I'm just gonna go home now. Fujioka, I'll walk with you later, kay?"
Haruhi nodded, "Sure. Do you want Cassanova to walk you home?" Yatsumi shook her head, "Nah, I'll be walkin alone today. Thanks anyways. See ya all tomorrow!" She left the music room, hoping to get home before nightfall. As she walked towards the corner of a hallway she saw the shadows of two guys next to each other. Rather than interupt their conversation, she opted to walk in a different direction, until she heard a familiar name.
"Can you believe Kasanoda's gang is in war with the Inuzuma's?"
"Dude, I still don't belive that rumor. I mean, he gets along with that new kid so well."
"You mean that little runt, right? Kid doesn't even look like he belongs as the heir of such a big name."
"Whatever, but are you sure that Kasanoda is trying to get info out of Inuzuma?"
"Why else would he hang around the shrimp. I'm tellin you, this war is gonna get huge!"
"Kinda feel bad for Inuzuma."
"Shrimp doesn't even know. Hey, lets get outta here, I want some ramen..."
Yatsumi froze as she heard the footsteps go away. To think, the son of her father's rival went to this school. And he's close to her! Her stomache started to hurt even more. As she stumbled to get to the exit, her vision was getting blurry. She shook her head, trying to regain her composure, until her legs buckled. She fell to her knees, and was only able to get a glimpse of red hair and a pair of hands going towards her until she finally passed out...
~X~
Chapter Text
"Are you sure he's ok Haruhi?"
"Yeah dad, its a good thing you decided to pick me up today. Otherwise, I doubt anyone would have gotten there in time."
"He sure is a pretty one though. And you're sure he's a boy? Cuz I could always-"
"DAD! He's a guy, alright? Geez, there's no need to sexually harass him..."
Yatsumi opened her eyes and saw she was in a slightly familiar place. Someone had laid her on a mat and placed a wet towel on her forehead. She turned slightly to see Haruhi talking to a red-haired woman, but where was her dad?
The woman turned to see her and gave a warm smile, "My my, so you're finally up. You gave me quite a scare! Are you feeling any better?"
Haruhi turned to look at her as well, and brought over a cup of tea, "Inuzuma-kun, are you alright? My dad found you passed out at the entrance. If you didn't feel good, you should have told us."
Yatsumi sat up, "Sorry, Fujioka. I guess I just wanted to ignore the feeling. I am grateful to your dad." She looked around, "So where is your old man? His girlfriend is pretty cute."
Haruhi chuckled, "This is my dad."
The woman sat next to her, "Call me Ranka! And thank you for the compliment! I was telling Haruhi that you were pretty yourself."
"Dad! You don't call a guy pretty!"
Yatsumi stared at Ranka until realization fell onto her. No wonder Haruhi could stand being around Tamaki! His own father was just as abnormal as the blonde! However, she had no problem with transvestites so she just shrugged off the shock, "Excuse my rudeness, Ranka-san. My name's Inuzuma Yatsu. Thank you for helping me."
Ranka squealed in delight, "Oh, he is simply just tasty! And cute as well! Haruhi, why don't you go out with him?"
Haruhi's jaw dropped, as did Yatsumi's. Haruhi flailed his arms, "Don't joke like that! Otherwise Inuzuma-kun will think wierd thoughts!"
Yatsumi nodded, "A-after all, we're just friends. I wouldn't want to ruin that."
Ranka nodded his approval, "Good answer. Although, I wish you would have considered it for just a bit. Well, I'll just have to settle for someone else, hahahahaha!"
Yatsumi gave huge sigh. Haruhi's father was very tiring, almost as much as Tamaki. Ranka scooted next to her, "So tell me, did something happen? I hate to ask, but on the way hear, you kept mumbling things. Like, dad and something about a war?"
Yatsumi stared at a small spot on the floor, wondering how to proceed with the conversation, "Its, um... Its nothing to worry about. I'm just worried about my old man, I guess. He's, uh, in a fight with some group called the Kasanodas. Sorry if I made you worry."
Ranka cocked his head, "Kasanodas?", he turned to Haruhi, "Why does that sound so familiar?"
Haruhi looked a bit confused, "Kasanoda... I think thats one of my friends I was telling you about."
Yatsumi's eyes shot up to Haruhi's face. She searched for any signs of a possible misunderstanding, "Wait, so you know who Kasanoda is at our school?"
Haruhi nodded, "Yeah, that's Ritsu's family name."
~X~
Ritsu stood at the steps of Yatsu's apartment, getting away from the poring rain. He was hoping to talk to Yatsu about the war that was going on between their families. He wanted it to stop, because it was a simple misunderstanding, that things weren't the way they seemed. Not to mention, he kinda liked Yatsu as a friend and didn't want to lose him.
He waited for what seemed like hours, until finally, amidst the flooded streets, he saw the outline of a person walking slowly. He looked closer and saw it was Yatsu, all soaked but uncaring.
"Hey, Yatsu!" Ritsu jogged over with his umbrella, and slowed a bit when he saw the expression of Yatsu's face. It was one of sadness, anger, and pain. As Yatsu neared, to where Ritsu was standing, he slowed until he came to a halt. Ritsu stayed still, unsure of how to approach the situation.
Then, Yatsu's head rose to meet his eye, "What are you doing here?"
Ritsu ignored the question and held the umbrella over Yatsu's head, "Look at you, you're soakin wet! You have to get outta this rain otherwise you'll get sick."
Yatsu's gaze hardened a bit, "I asked, what are you doing here?"
Ritsu grabbed Yatsu's shoulder to drag his friend to a dry place, "C'mon, we'll talk when you're warmed up."
Yatsumi slapped Ritsu away and was now glaring at him at full force, "What the Hell are ya doin here Kasanoda?"
Ritsu stood, shocked at her outburst. "Ho-how did you find out my name?"
Yatsumi growled, "Answer my fuckin question! Why the fuck would a Kasanoda be helpin' me? So what, ya tryin to weasel some information outta me?"
Ritsu looked at his angered friend, "No! I just wanted to talk to ya! I didn't want no inform-"
"Liar! I heard about it! You become my friend, knowin' that I didn't have any but Fujioka, and then you try to make me put my trust in you!" A sob escaped her mouth, she looked down unable to look at him, "And to think, I called you my friend. I actually trusted you for a bit. You're a backstabber!"
Ritsu took a step forward, "Listen to me Yatsu, I never lied to you! I really did wanna be friends! But this war was a mistake!"
She held her hands against her ear, shaking her head, "Shut up! I don't wanna hear it!"
"My old man called me. He says that he wants to end this fight!" Yatsumi 's anger entered a whole new level. So, now his damn father was so confident in himself that he could actually call up his son?
She started trembling. The son of the man her father was fighting, was right in front of her. In a way, his father was the reason she had to move here. She screamed as she swung her fist at him.
"H-hey!" He dodged and put his hands up, "Wait a- Its not my fault!"
She swung again, hitting his arm as he shielded his face. "Stop it Yatsu! Don't make me hurt you!"
She ran at him, landing a kick in his stomache. He groaned looking up at her with fierce eyes, "Alright punk, don't say I didn't warn ya."
He stood, bracing himself for an attack. Yatsumi jumped and kicked at his head. Kasanoda dodged and grabbed Yatsumi's leg. She spun, pulling him downwards as she pulled her fist back to hit him. It hit him directly in the ribs, making him lose his breath for a bit.
He jumped back up, and threw a punch at Yatsumi. She ducked away from the punch, but was unaware that Ritsu had directed a kick towards her chest. His leg impacted against her sides, throwing her into a wall.
She got up and elbowed him in the stomach, making him fall to the floor on his back. She readied another punch to Ritsu's face, but he rolled away before her fist made contact. Instead she hit the concrete. She gasped in pain, but forced herself to get back up and punch his stomach. He growled, and landed a punch to her nose.
They separated, both gasping for breath. Yatsumi was certain her fist was fractured because it was throbbing painfully. Not to mention her nose was broken, forcing her to breathe through her mouth. Ritsu on the other hand, was holding his stomach. His ribs were on fire, and he felt a bruise forming. They stared at each other, until Yatsumi stepped forward.
Ritsu glared at her, unable to understand Yatsu's anger. It was true that their families were fighting, but that didn't involve them. Why did this guy even care about something that had nothing to do with them. He heard Yatsu mumble something, unable to comprehend it.
"What'd ya say?"
Yatsu gasped for breath, "Never forgive you... Its all your father's fault..." She looked up with tears in her eyes, "If it wasn't for this stupid war, I'd still be in Okinawa! I wouldn't have ta worry about my old man's life! That's why..." She pointed a trembling finger, "I'll hate you Kasanodas 'til I die!" She took another step forward, and just when Ritsu thought the fight would restart, she fell to the floor unconscious.
~X~
Ritsu rushed to Yatsu's side and knelt down. Yatsu was breathing heavily, and Ritsu had just noticed that his whole face was flushed.
"Hey, Yatsu? Yatsu, you okay?" He put his palm on Yatsu's forehead, and pulled back when he felt how hot Yatsu was. "Dammit! Why didn't you say anythin'?" He didn't want this to happen. This was all because of a huge misunderstanding!
He looked around, trying to figure out what to do. He noticed the keys in Yatsu's hand and remembered where they were. He gently picked Yatsu up, taking care as to not hold him against his ribs, and carried him bridal-style to his apartment.
When they were finally inside, he laid Yatsu on the bed, making sure not to move his body too much. Ritsu couldn't decide whether to just leave, or stay and make sure Yatsu would be ok. He decided on the latter.
He looked over at Yatsu and saw he was tembling. So, the first step was to put him into dry clothes. Ritsu went over to the dresser to find pajamas to change Yatsu into. But as soon as he pulled open the drawer, all he saw were nightgowns. Women's nightgowns. Ritsu's mouth fell agape but shook his head to explain the female clothing,
~He has a sister! She must sleep over alot. Yeah! Thats right! Hahaha!~ He kept looking in the drawers until he found some warm night pants and a white t-shirt. Ritsu went back to the bed and nearly fell at the sight.
Yatsu was still asleep, but his face was flushed red and his lips were slightly open, making him look like Sleeping Beauty! An image of Yatsu in a dress showed up in Ritsu's mind, making him fluster and rage at his own thoughts. He swallowed a lump in his throat and pushed the image from his mind. ~Get it together Ritsu! This is Yatsu, a guy we're talkin about!~
He went back to the task at hand and started to unbutton Yatsu's uniform. He saw the bandages wrapping Yatsu's chest, not at all surprised by them. Hell, every yakuza member worth his own spit wore them. Stab wounds weren't as fatal when you have a barrier slowing it down. Yatsu, however, had ensured he had them wrapped from the top of his chest to the top of his navel. ~This guy must be extra serious about the lifestyle~, thought Ritsu.
After pondering about it for a bit, he decided it would probably be easier for Yatsu to breathe without them. He slowly and gently moved Yatsu into an upright position and started to unwind the fabric. As he kept unwinding, he noticed that Yatsu's chest was puffing out a bit. ~He musta hit his chest real hard. Guess I shouldn't have thrown him so hard...~ He kept unwinding until, finally, enough bandages were off to see a pair of small mounds. Ritsu stared, dumbfounded. He kept staring, trying to comprehend. ~Breasts. Yatsu has breasts. Yatsu has breasts...~
A light went off in his head and his whole face turned bright red. "MAAAAHH! YATSU'S A CHICK!" He scooted away from the bed, breathing rapidly, still staring at the two mounds on Yatsu's chest.
It was impossible! There was no way Yatsu could be a girl! But he was staring at the evidence right in front of him. He caught himself and looked away from the bed. His mind was spinning at his discovery. The heir of one of the greatest gangs in all of Japan, was a girl? Finally, realization kicked in. He hit a girl. The one chivalrous code in all of yakuza law, and he broke it.
As his thoughts went into a frenzy, Yatsu started to cough violently, snapping Ritsu from his madness. Yatsu was still in the bed, shivering from his, no, her wet clothes. Pushing aside all his thoughts, Ritsu knew he had to keep her from getting any colder.
He went back to the bed and picked up the shirt he had dropped. With a gentleness he never knew he had, Ritsu pulled the shirt onto Yatsu's body. Afterwards, he closed his eyes to take off her pants. His breath stopped for a moment when he accidentally touched her thigh. He had never felt anything so soft. Hell, he had never even touched a girl before tonight!
He continued his task and didn't open his eyes until he was sure that he had pulled up the warm pants up to her stomach. He gave a sigh of relief when he saw that she wasn't trembling anymore. But her forehead was still burning hot. She needed immediate care, the kind that he couldn't give. But he knew someone who did. He pulled out his cellphone and speed-dialed a number. On the second ring, the other person answered. "Yes? Is something the matter young lord?" "Tetsuya, listen to me..."
~X~
When Yatsumi was just a child, she would blindfold herself and walk around the estate with her arms outstretched. It was something she started as part of her training. She would try to make her way through the whole place without getting lost.
Every once in a while, she felt hands guiding her safely to her father. When she was younger, she believed the hands were fairies, intent on keeping her safe and that her father was the king of fairies. Why else would they take her to him? But one day, she used a thin black material to cover her eyes. She wanted to see her fairies without them knowing.
She started walking around the estate as usual. Then, to her surprise, she saw Tatsujin walk over to her. He gently pushed her to another hallway, where Kota, a young-looking member pushed her into yet another hallway.
She walked alone for awhile until Suichi, aka: Brother Bear, due to his huge size, pushed her into the garden. This pattern kept continuing. All the members of the Inuzuma clan pushed her into different directions, some even lifted her away from holes she hadn't seen. As she got into the large hallway, Tatsujin reappeared and led her to a room, where her father was waiting with a warm smile. Tatsujin patted her head and left. After taking off her bandanna, Yatsumi ran over to her father and gave him a hug. Her father hugged back and ruffled her hair.
~ So, what did my favorite girl do today, eh?~
Yatsumi giggled and got comfy on his lap. She told him everything, about the see-through bandanna, how she saw there were no tiny fairies, and that the whole gang were leading her to him.
~ I figured it out dad! The fellas are fairies in human form! And you're the king of fairies!~
He father blinked in surprise and then roared with laughter. Yatsumi joined in as well. The deep, rumbling laughter her father exuded compelled anyone to join in. As the laughter died down, he looked down at her.
~ That's right. Those fellas are fairies. I'm their king. And you're their princess. They'd do anything to protect their princess. Understand?~
Yatsumi was stunned. She was a princess? She looked up, wide-eyed at her father and nodded.
~ Y-yeah!~
Then she leapt off his lap and put her hands on her hips.
~ That's right! And I'd do anything to protect my fairies!~
Once again, her father laughed...
~X~
Yatsumi groaned as she rolled onto her right side. Then she let out a muffled scream. She had accidentally put her whole weight on her injured hand.
She sat up, now fully wide awake. As she looked at her surroundings, she saw nothing that was familiar. There was a table, a scroll that said 'Pure Heart', and she was laying on a room was old styled, much like her house. The only difference was that the rooms here had dragons on their walls. Her house had wolves. Then she looked herself over. Her hand was in a cast, her nose was bandaged, and she was in a pair of pajamas she couldn't recognize. Struggling to stop the panic taking over, she got up slowly. She walked over to a sliding door and opened it just a bit. When she peeked out, there were two thuggish men standing outside, looking bored. She quickly closed the door and took a step back. This was not somewhere she felt safe.
She tried to make up an escape plan. But there were a few problems. One: she didn't know where she was or the location of the room. And two: she wouldn't be able to fight anyone because her hand was messed up. She kept on thinking, when her thoughts were interrupted by someone entering the room.
"Oh! You're up! Feeling any better?" Yatsumi turned and saw a feminine looking man staring at her. He was blonde with his hair pulled into a ponytail, and his face was sweet looking. She was startled at his sudden appearance and stood silent.
He cocked his head, unaware that he was the source of her tense position, "Maybe you should lie down. The young lord said he'd come back with some of your clothes."
He took a step towards her, and in reaction, she snarled at him, "Get the Hell away! Who are you? Where am I?"
The man stopped in his tracks and held up his hands in a sign of friendliness. "Please forgive me. My name's Tetsuya. I am the young lord's assistant. You're in his estate." He held a hand out to her, "Don't be afraid. No one here is going to hurt you." Yatsumi only stared at the hand. There was no way she was going to shake it.
After a few moments of silent awkwardness, Tetsuya lowered his hand and stepped away. "So, no hand shaking. Understood. You must be hungry though. Would you like some lunch?"
At the mention of lunch, her stomach betrayed her by rumbling. Even though she was starving, she was brought up to not trust strangers with food. For all she knew, this man's boss could have ordered him to poison her! Despite her protesting belly, she shook her head, "No. I'm not that hungry..."
Tetsuya looked confused, but decided not to press the matter. "Alright then. Um, if you need anything, just talk to the guys outside. They'll come get me, ok?"
Yatsumi gave a quick nod. "Fine." Tetsuya looked like he had more to say, but left her in peace without another word.
As soon as he left, Yatsumi walked to the corner of the room and sat. She held her head in her hands and tried to think of why she would be here.
~Okay, I fought with Ritsu, and if I'm right, I passed out. I doubt that Kasanoda brought me here. More than likely he left me to die and some other gang found me. If they changed me, then that means they know I'm a girl. But who are the other syndicates here besides the Kasanodas?...~
She thought hard and remembered , ~Lets see... The Izawas have a small faction here, but no way that they have such a huge estate nearby. Although the Hondas are pretty big, they have a strict all woman policy, and I'm pretty sure those goons outside ain't cheerleaders. Then there's the Sendos...~
She groaned. They were the only ones that fit the bill. She was mortified at the thought of being in debt to them. It felt like hours went by as she thought of ways to get out of her situation. The drop in temperature and lack of natural light made her aware that night time had arrived. When her patience started to falter, the door opened and Tetsuya entered once again, holding a tray of food.
"Ah, I'm sorry, but the young lord insisted that I bring you dinner. Do you want me to leave it here?" Yatsumi looked from her corner. The food looked really good, but could she really trust it?
Against her better nature, she nodded, "Yes, please. Um... I have a question though."
Tetsuya smiled, "And that is?"
"You're a Sendo... Aren't you?"
Tetsuya stood silent. He didn't look angry, just confused. "Um, yes. But how did you know that?"
Yatsumi walked over to him, "Just a feeling. So... I'm guessin you know Taka and Waru?"
He set the tray on a small table and sighed, "I don't even want to know how you know those two idiots. So, if you don't mind my asking, who are you?"
Yatsumi picked up the bowl of rice and shrugged, "Lets just say I'm an informed person. You can call me Yatsumi."
Tetsuya smiled, "Yatsumi... That's a pretty name." He stood up and walked to the door, "The young lord told me that you are a friend of his." He turned towards her, "There aren't many girls he calls his friend, so I hope you will continue to stay by his side. I'll be back later to pick up your tray."
He left the room, his words still hanging in the air. Yatsumi was confused. ~So this is the Sendo estate. But he said that his waka is a friend of mine. But the only other Sendos I know are the idiot duo. So who's the waka?...~ She ate in silence, still trying to figure out who was the mysterious young lord.
After she had cleared her plate, she paced around the room. And after getting tired of that, she decided to keep up with her training. A few minutes into her meditation the door slid open, allowing the shadow of the figure at the opening in..
~X~