Chapter 49: The Host Club Declares Dissolution!

"Miss, the couches you ordered have just arrived."

"Perfect." Jin smiled, hands on her hips as she looked over the large group of handymen awaiting instruction, "If you could split into pairs and follow me, I'll show you the hall they need to be arranged in. After that, Houshakuji-san can direct the placements for the opening ceremony."

The twenty or so men nodded, trekking off to do their job. The brunette began walking towards the school hall she had mentioned, kissing her boyfriend's cheek as she went.

The winter had passed by short and sweet, bringing in an early spring. Even though it was still mid-February, it was surprisingly warm, almost t-shirt weather already. Perfect for Ouran Academy's annual school fair. The real festivities wouldn't be taking place until tomorrow, but the school was abuzz with energy and workers as they prepared for the opening ceremony.

Haruhi was the only one not impressed.

"Um… I hate to keep criticizing how you rich people do these things, but aren't school fairs supposed to be more about what the students have created and learned throughout the school year?"

Kyoya smirked, pointing a group of men holding an expensive roll of carpeting in the right direction before answering the question, "Perhaps for a public school, that may be the case, but here at Ouran the students have far more important skills to showcase. The emphasis of Ouran's school fair is on planning and leadership. Since most of the students here are preparing to take over their family's businesses once they graduate, they have to demonstrate their capabilities of taking on such responsibility and are able to execute their plans."

"Huh. I guess that would make more sense."

Haruhi took another look around, now noticing how most of the students were actively involved with the planning and preparations. And if that's what they'd need in their futures, then maybe this was better than an arts and crafts show.

The sound of hooves clopping on pavement drew the brunette's attention elsewhere, just in time to see Hikaru lightly tugging at the reins attached to two beautiful chocolate brown horses. They came to a stop just off to Haruhi and Kyoya's right, showing off the red and black carriage the horses were pulling along.

"Woah, now! Easy, boys!" The horses whinnied, but other than that were completely calm. Mori-senpai was seated next to the redhead, a rare smile on his face as he praised the younger boy.

"Haru-chan! Kyo-chan! Over here!"

"We're about to rehearse for the great Ouran Fair Parade!" Tamaki and Honey were happily skipping around the carriage, despite how little room they had on the wooden creation. Kaoru was also climbing up behind his brother, waving towards the two still standing still.

From behind them, Jin hurried over, "Oh… wow. I've seen horse-drawn carriages before but… I've never been on one."

"Well, then," Kyoya offered his elbow, which Jin took without hesitation, "We might as well climb aboard."

In no time at all, the eight members of the Ouran Host Club were cantering around the square. Hikaru explained that the horses they'd be using had to get used to the weight they'd be pulling around and the route. Plus, he wanted some extra practice. All around them, students stared and gossiped, most of the girls swooning over how it looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.

Jin leaned into Kyoya's side, appreciating the added weight of the arm draped over her shoulder as she watched the landscape roll by, "So, Ouran Fair Parade. Details?"

"Every club or sport taking a part of the parade has been provided a carriage such as this one, and are allowed to decorate it to reflect themselves. Most of the sports teams will be wearing their uniforms and have the equipment around them. They'll also have quite a few of them walking alongside the carriage, since they can't all fit."

"I heard the basketball team was renting motorcycles for their extra team members! Something about a bet. Didn't you say you could ride a motorcycle, Jin-chan?"

"I can."

Tamaki leaned forward, "We've decided to go with the 18th century French cosplay tomorrow night. Our rose designs will be delivered and attached to the carriage before we go out, as well. And after the parade, everyone will gather for an outdoor dance that will end with a firework show!"

Jin and Kyoya glanced at each other before the girl's foot lightly kicked at the blond's leg, "And the fireworks are going to be done by professionals, right? We don't want a repeat of our last dance, do we?"

Tamaki chuckled nervously, "No… it'll be professionally done. And they should be going off somewhere above the school instead of in the courtyard. Nothing to worry about."

They made another loop around the square, watching in comfortable silence as the last bits of the Opening Ceremony were put into place. Hikaru finally pulled the horses to a stop as the clock tower struck 10 am.

"Great timing, Hikaru! The front gates are opening!" Everyone began disembarking as the students and handymen began running around to either get out of the way or make it to their positions.

Kyoya offered a hand to Jin as she stepped down, tugging her close to his chest, "Jin, there's something we still have to discuss before the fair starts."

"Hm?"

"The fair… it's open to all of the student's parents."

She nodded, remembering how crushed her father had been when he discovered he couldn't take the time off of work to check it out himself. But she stayed quiet. Kyoya sounded… nervous. That wasn't like him.

"Perhaps you should… prepare yourself for meeting my father."

*Time Skip*

Jin calmly pushed her tray of cakes and teapots around the Central Building's Salon, her eyes carefully eyeing each table for whom would need a refill next. She briefly caught a glance of the Opening Day dance taking place outside. A live orchestra was playing a bouncy waltz that floated softly through the windows, one Jin recognized but couldn't place a name for.

I wish I was down there with Kyo-kun. That would've been a great way to start off the fair.

Her grey and white dress softly fluttered around her legs. It was very pretty, starting white at the top and slowly fading to grey near her knees. She adored that sort of color scheme. And the red hints around the bottom helped her to match with the rest of the club. In the back of her mind, she wondered if she'd be allowed to keep it after the fair. She could imagine wearing it on a picnic or beach date...

Spotting Honey with an empty plate in front of him, she walked over and started switching it out for another slice of cake, "Enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah! Jin-chan, this is Airi-chan's mother, Chino-san! Chino-san, this is Jin Fujioka!"

The older woman looked up and gasped, her mouth falling open in a smile, "I remember you! You performed at the same recital that my daughter did… four years ago? Kagome-sensei taught you even though you went to the public school. You're attending Ouran Academy, now?"

"I am! Got a scholarship and everything." She smiled widely, "I'm honored that you still remember me!"

The two talked for a little while longer, mainly Chino-san asking how Jin liked Ouran and how she was adjusting. Inside her head, Jin was glad that Chino-san wasn't an outlier. Most of the parents she had spoken to either remembered her from the concert, had heard about her through the Nekozawa family, or had been told about her through their children. So far, everyone was treating her wonderfully.

After a moment or two, she left the table with a happy skip, passing by Tamaki swaying another mother to his charms. Haruhi was rolling her eyes, but Jin was glad he was good at what he did. Otherwise it was likely that most of the guests here would be forcibly removed from the club via their parents.

The other boys seemed to be doing just as well. Mori was doting on Honey, the twins were pouring out the sob stories, and Kyoya was showing off the intellectual portion of the club. Jin smiled at her boyfriend before continuing to move around the room.

Except… she didn't go very far.

"Oh, Kyoya? Is it true that you've started dating someone? My daughter is oddly taken with your relationship. I must say, I was quite surprised that you've decided to take yourself off the market so early on. Many of us assumed you wouldn't be interested until you had graduated college!" The man laughed, as well as all the other parents around them, but Kyoya merely kept his smile. Of course, it grew more genuine as he considered his answer.

Jin walked over, abandoning her cart by one of the pillars for a brief moment. Spotting her quickly, Kyoya beckoned her to his side, taking her hand when she was close enough.

"What you've heard is true, I have started a relationship. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Jin Fujioka, my girlfriend."

A few of the adults eyes lit up with slight recognition and smiled, but at least half seemed genuinely confused.

"Fujioka, hm? Aren't you one of the scholarship students here at Ouran?"

"I am." She smiled brightly, which prompted a few smiles at her in return. She'd been told her grins were infectious. "My brother, Haru, and I both received scholarships to Ouran when we entered high school. Unfortunately for me, I was unable to accept the full scholarship when I received it, as I had already arranged to study abroad in America for my first year of high school education. Thankfully, they offered me a half scholarship if I returned the year after. And here I am!"

It was clear that she had impressed them.

"They offered you a half scholarship if you returned? You must've given off quite the impression!"

"You've studied abroad? What was it like?"

Jin sighed, "Amazing. It was such a different culture, and the people were so kind! I was so excited to have the experience, since I adore traveling."

"Is that so? I'm sure Kyoya wouldn't mind taking you around the world sometime!"

Jin giggled a little, letting her face flush just a little, "Well… he's offered, but I'm not sure how my father would take it. He seems to be under the impression that Kyo-kun is going to steal me away, and a worldwide trip would probably only encourage that assumption."

"I'd let you send a postcard every year or so."

The girl scoffed and lightly bumped against his side with her shoulder, but there was still a smile on her face. The group around them laughed, reminiscing about when they first met their current spouses.

Despite how easily she had made the parents love her, it forced a memory to resurface in the back of Jin's head. Her smile faltered and she unconsciously gripped Kyoya's hand a little tighter. The boy took one look at her expression before smiling at the group around them.

"If you would excuse us…"

He steered Jin back towards her cart of sweets, a protective arm around her waist. Once they were standing by the pillar, Kyoya faced her.

"Are you alright? You're growing pale."

Jin swallowed, her eyes darting around the room like she was expecting something to leap out at her, "I just… I didn't like the way you said that."

"Said what, Darling?"

The pet name served its purpose. Jin sighed, finally meeting Kyoya's gaze, "How I should prepare myself for meeting your father. Your word choice got to me. He won't… I mean…" she was back to looking down.

Unconsciously, she had reached up at some point during their conversation and started messing around with her necklace. It was one of those 'Open Heart' series that was popular in America. It was pure silver shaped into two hearts in a backwards 'S' pattern with an amethyst stone in the middle of the heart at the top, and a topaz in the bottom one. Hers and Kyoya's birthstones. It was beautiful.

Kyoya had given it to Jin for her 18th birthday, which had passed not even a full two weeks ago. Despite that, putting on the necklace every morning had already become a part of her daily routine. She had yet to go a day without wearing it.

And it was what she chose to fiddle with a this moment. Until now, she had been forcing the idea of meeting Kyoya's father down towards the deepest part of her mind, but as the moment grew closer it became harder and harder to ignore it. In all honesty, she was terrified. For almost as long as they had been dating, Jin had heard whispers about Kyoya's father. He was strict. He was harsh. He made grown men weep with just a glare.

Okay, maybe not that last one, but still, Jin had yet to hear a comment about his father that made her feel even slightly ready to meet him face-to-face. For all she knew, the Devil himself was about to walk into the parlor and say he was her potential Father-in-Law.

Kyoya, however, simply watched his girlfriend with a small smile. Before she could fall too far into whatever mental movie she was watching, he pulled her into his arms, initiating a hug. She stiffened momentarily in his grip before falling boneless against his chest.

Softly petting at her hair, he whispered in her ear, "It's cute to watch to worry, but there's no need. He won't force us apart, that much I'm certain of. You are intelligent, desireable, and have powerful ties. You will be worthwhile to him, which is all we need. However…" he had to think about his next words carefully, "I also know he will speak to you as if he is unaware of everything you can offer our family. But once you prove it, he'll treat you like you're made of gold."

He faintly heard her huff a little laugh into his jacket. It made him smile, just a little, before pulling back to press a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"If anything, he'll think you're dating beneath yourself."

Jin pouts, wiggling herself backwards to look him in the eye, "No… I'm pretty sure it's the other way around, Glasses."

Her boyfriend hummed and kissed her forehead briefly. They had already agreed, no direct kisses until they were alone again. No need to look scandalous in front of all of these parents. As it was, anyone who had noticed was watching with fondness. Or, in the girl's case, adoration.

Jin allowed herself to be held for another few seconds before pulling away, "Right. Back to business. Have you finished calculating the expenses for the day?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Somewhat."

"Oh?" Jin knew that tone. That was a bad tone for Kyoya to use, "What happened?"

"Tamaki happened."

Her eyebrows knitted, "Show me."

Frowning, Kyoya slipped an arm back around her waist and lead her over to a table by the central statue, where Ouran's founder stood watching over the parlor. He opened his laptop and started pulling up the spreadsheet when Haruhi walked over.

"Are you guys going over the financials?"

"Yeah. Something on your mind, Haru?"

The small girl shrugged, "I was just curious. This whole setup is impressive, but it's a little much, even for our standards. Exactly how much money are we wasting, Nēchan?"

"How high is your bet?"

"How much money do we need to buy a small country?"

"Oh, stop being such a party-pooper!" Tamaki jumped up behind Haruhi, grinning and waggling his finger, "That's not the host club way~ Our clients happiness far exceeds any-"

"On the contrary, Tamaki," Kyoya tilted his laptop's screen towards his girlfriend, who's jaw dropped when she saw the total near the bottom, "You have overshot the budget. Again."

"Dear lord, Tama-kun…"

"Uh…" the blond actually looked nervous, "Kyoya… Jin?"

The brunette started furiously scrolling up and down the excel file as Kyoya turned in his seat, "Participating in the auction for the use of the main parlor withstanding, you had a 18th century period styled carriage shipped all the way from France instead of using the one provided by the school. Your impulsive behavior is going to get us all into trouble one day."

His girlfriend nibbled her bottom lip, "It's… not too bad. Fixable… but it'll take a lot of time. Kyo-kun, did you already factor in the coupons?"

"Most of them, though I'm sure I must've missed one."

"I'll look." Her eyes drifted up over the lip of the laptop, eyes widening when she noticed who had just arrived, "Besides… I think you and Tamaki are about to be a little busy."

The three followed her line of sight to the man dressed in all white standing at the entryway.

Instantly, Tamaki and Kyoya are walking over to him, Jin taking Kyoya's seat as her sister moved a little closer.

"Who is that? He's not Kyoya's father, so-"

"Haru? That's Tama-kun's father. The Chairman."

Haruhi's eyes went as wide as her sister's had been. She watched the three interact, and was surprised to see Tamaki's father being so aloof towards his son. She stopped when Kyoya started leading the man away from the blond and towards the two brunettes instead. At Jin's gentle nudging, she went off to one of the newer guests who hadn't been served yet. A reddish-haired girl with opera glasses.

Strange.

"Kyoya, my boy, I'm sure if it weren't for you this club would be in shambles by now. My son, for all his vision, has never really considered the real world implications of his actions."

"Oh, not at all, sir. He brings life to the club. And besides, I've had plenty of help, but thank you for your kind words."

"Ah, yes, your help. I do believe I've heard of her." The two were now standing right by Jin's table, and she looked up. Tamaki's father stopped, so she stood and bowed slightly, "Chairman, it's a delight to met you in person."

The man finally smiled, returning the bow with a hand over his heart, "The pleasure is all mine. I've been meaning to meet with the honor students I've allowed into the school."

Jin's smile tightened for a moment before relaxing. Allowed?

"Although, I must admit I did not expect you or your brother," the man's eyes twinkled in humor, "to make such a stir. It has been entertaining to hear of your little excursions while simultaneously keeping up your performance in the classroom."

He pulled a rose from the inside of his jacket and offered it to her, "You have surprised the members of the board. I can hardly wait to see how you'll surprise us in the future."

Despite how the conversation had started, Jin couldn't help but smile as she accepted the rose, "Thank you, Chairman. I'm speechless."

"Oh, please, Chairman is far too dry of a title. And we have heard so much about each other, we're hardly strangers. Why don't you call me your Uncle? It would please me." He hid his face, missing the bemused expression he was receiving in response.

The brunette raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend, who merely smiled slightly in amusement. No help there, it seemed. She stuck her tongue out at him before replying, "If you insist."

"Well, Chairman, if you've finished flirting with my girlfriend, might we continue to your seat?" The man laughed and smiled at Kyoya. Jin decided she prefered it when he laughed. He looked so much more like his son that way.

"Of course. Forgive me, Kyoya, but I couldn't help myself. You've truly found a wonderful 'better half'."

Kyoya looked at Jin, who was blushing brightly, "I know, sir. Shall we continue?"

"Lead the way."

Jin watched as they left, her emotions a bit of a mess. It was always nice to hear people telling her or Kyoya that their relationship was a good thing, but at the moment Jin was only feeling anxious for the one people who might have an actual say in the matter. And… when the Chairman had said 'better half', he almost sounded wistful. And sad.

She watched as her sister was called over to speak with the Chairman before setting the rose on the table. I'm pretty sure he knows Haru's a girl… but he also seems aware of the situation, since he refered to her as my brother. I wonder how that happened… he and Tamaki don't seem particularly close enough to have talked about it.

Letting out a deep breath, she looked around for Kyoya. Hadn't he left Haruhi with the Chairman by herself? Where'd he go?

She spotted him standing in the middle of the room, staring at an approaching figure. Another man, with black hair and beard… who was wearing glasses. She blinked. Kyo-kun's father.

It did not escape her notice how her boyfriend was unusually stiff as he watched his father approach him. Like he was preparing himself for something. Something bad.

A sudden feeling of dread clenched around her chest.

Kyoya's father was moving too quickly towards his son, and it did not look like he was going in for a hug.

She ran over, ignoring people calling out her name in confusion. Kyoya hadn't noticed her approaching, and neither had his father. She opened her mouth to shout something. She wasn't sure what it was, because she never got it out.

SLAP!

Her shout caught in her throat, watching as Kyoya fell to the floor from the force behind his father's hand, his glasses clattering to the carpet beside him. She stopped about five steps behind him, eyes glued to her boyfriend in shock.

The last couple seconds of her existence refused to register in her mind, merely replaying over and over behind her eyes.

"Is this how my son has been wasting his time?"

Kyoya slowly scooped his thankfully undamaged glasses off the carpet, unfolding them carefully before slipping them back onto his face. It stung a little, his nose piece resting uncomfortably on the place it had dug into only seconds ago. Of course, that was insignificant compared to the pain in his chest. Not because of what had been done. But because of who might've seen.

A foot appears at his side, out of the corner of his eye. Wearing sandal heels.

He looks up, and his heart clenches.

It's Jin.

But she's not looking at him. And there's no pity in her eyes. That surprised him. There were other people who were... but not Jin.

No… she's staring at his father. With barely concealed rage.

"You are an embarrass-" he turned around and stopped. Surprise briefly flickered in his eyes before he regain his composure, "Who are you?"

"Jin Fujioka." Her bow is stiff and so shallow it's almost unnoticeable, "Kyoya's girlfriend."

Kyoya stands as his father's eyes harden. Clearly, he did not miss how clipped her words had been. The boy wanted to touch her, more so than ever. A warning to tread carefully, or to lend support of some kind, but he couldn't risk it. Not with his father standing so close.

But he did stay, no matter how much he wanted to leave and tend to his bruise. He wouldn't leave Jin without any support. Not against his father.

"Ah. I've heard of you. Well, I suppose you know who I am?"

"Indeed. Your introduction was hard to miss."

A soft whoosh went through the room, the sound of a hundred plus guests letting out a breath at once.

Kyoya watched as his father's mustache twitched on one side, his eyes flicking to their audience, "Perhaps we can continue this introduction in a more private setting and get better acquainted with each other?"

"Why? Are all these witnesses making you uncomfortable?"

Another soft whoosh.

"Not at all. I was merely thinking that they had no say in our private lives."

"Huh… I didn't expect that from you." Third whoosh. Three for three. "Well, I'm comfortable out here. Surely we have nothing to hide." She smiled softly, "They all know about Kyoya and I, after all. What could go wrong?"

Kyoya realized exactly what his girlfriend had just done the moment she did it. She had, essentially, trapped his father into being on his best behavior. Now, everyone in the room knew what they would be talking about, privately or publicly, but should his father insist that they leave… it would be because he was uncomfortable with discussion about their relationship. And no matter what the final result was in regards to it, it would be because of him. She had just pinned the outcome of this discussion on his father, while also alerting him that they had all of the support.

He wanted to kiss her.

It took a few moments, but Kyoya's father finally nodded, "If you wish. I merely wished to share a few of my… concerns regarding your relationship with my son."

"Concerns? Of what kind?"

His glasses were glazed over, and Kyoya finally understood why it made people so nervous whenever his did the same. He had no ideas as to what would come out of his father's mouth next. Would he be concerned with the P.D.A.? How young they were? Her family name?

"To begin, exactly what can you provide for my family other than a couple of grandchildren?"

This time there was an audible gasp. A few girls pressed their hands to their mouths, but his father didn't appear affected.

"Consider it a Dowry," he explained further, "Most of the marriages in your classmate's future will be made or approved of depending on what business ties can be made with the union, I'm sure you've been made aware?"

"I have been."

"Good, then you might understand why I call it a concern. If there is no gain for the family other than a pretty face and an extended bloodline, that is not enough for me to extend my support. Our lives are a business. Now, tell me," he tilted his head up a little, revealing his eyes which were purposefully looking down at Jin, "What makes you any better than another girl I might find in one of your commoner's markets?"

Another gasp, accompanied with a few whispers. Kyoya's vision had a reddish color tinging the edge. He felt like he'd just been slapped in the face all over again, but remained quiet. This was Jin's battle.

Thank goodness his girlfriend was actually smiling, "I'm so glad you asked. As I've noticed during my time here at Ouran, most of the arranged marriages I've seen are because they tie together two families to make business trading easier. Therefore, if I had ties to another family with dealings in medical practices or something similar, it would definitely help my case. Unfortunately, I can't claim that, for it's not true."

Kyoya's father blinked hard. He wasn't the only one surprised. Kyoya faintly heard someone whisper 'no' from across the room as she admitted she didn't have family ties, but… he had a feeling she wasn't done.

Is she going to... No… would she?

"However…" Jin's expression was one of calm before the storm, like she was about to jump off a cliff without knowing if her parachute would open on the way down or not, "I am an honorary family member of the Haninozuka household."

There were gasps and whispers and even a few squeaks of surprise as she continued, "This makes me an honorary family member of the Morinozuka household as well. Having me as a part of your family would unite you with not just one, but two powerful names and the respect they carry with Japan's military and government. Not to mention my business ties with the Nekozawa family and Kagome family."

She shifted into a proud stance, lifting her chin in defiance, "Beyond the mere names I am associated with, I am the top student in my class, and have always been since Elementary school. I can speak seven different languages, and taught myself four of those seven. I've also taught myself maths one full grade level above the rest of my class. I am the only student here at Ouran who is not only employed outside of school but also capable of maintaining my grades and participating in an after school club and take care of my family."

She looked at the man in front of her. He wasn't showing any regret, but she could tell that she had accomplished her goal.

He was impressed.

"I think that I would make a wonderful addition to any family, and I do think that most of our audience would agree that you are lucky it was yours."

The room was quiet as they waited for the verdict. Even a few of the other parents were nervous.

"Well…" Mr. Ootori straightened out his shirt cuffs, acting unconcerned, "it would appear that my concerns… were unfounded." He bowed, "I apologize for my manner in speaking with you. Please, enjoy the rest of your afternoon, Miss Fujioka."

And then he walked away. Jin finally let her fury begin to leak out as her glare followed him. He's sorry for how he was talking to me? Not because he hit his own SON? She clenched her fists, swallowed her anger, and turned back to Kyoya.

He was still too quiet.

The rest of the host club had gathered, asking if her boyfriend was alright. Now that she could finally look him over, Jin noticed how his left cheek was already darkening into an ugly purplish color.

"Kyoya-senpai? He's not mad at you because you're in the Host Club, right?" Tamaki let out a noise of distress, and Jin couldn't blame him. For a moment or two, she had been worried that their relationship had been the cause of the slap. At least she had the knowledge that her worries were 'unfounded'. But Tamaki's-

"Don't worry about it. It's not like I haven't been expecting this." The ravenet started to leave, but gently took Jin's hand within his as he did so. Not quite pulling, but definitely a grab. He was giving her the option of coming along with him or staying behind.

She went.

They managed to exit the room without being stopped. A few people were smiling at them, though most looked worried about Kyoya. Jin could relate. She was worried, too.

Eventually, they made it to an empty hallway. Her boyfriend seemed to be looking for something, and she remained quiet as he did.

He came to a stop just outside of a darkened classroom, one Jin actually recognized. The host club was keeping all of their costume changes and bags and such in there during the fair. Kyoya didn't even hesitate in opening the door and walking in, flicking the lights on as he lead Jin inside.

The moment the door closed, Kyoya turned around to face his girlfriend.

If he had expected pity in her gaze this time around, now that her anger had been spent, he was wrong once again. She did look worried, however. Kyoya appreciated that.

Slowly, Jin raised her right hand until it barely hovered over his bruised cheek. Not quite touching, so there was no pain, but Kyoya could still feel it there. The heat rising off his face was now being radiated back. For a moment, they just stood there, Jin staring at his cheek like she was expecting her hand to suck the pain out of it.

Finally, Kyoya spoke.

"I won't break."

"You aren't the one I'm worried about breaking."

That's when he noticed how badly Jin was shaking. In his head, he called himself an idiot multiple times. It was much easier to believe that phrase at the moment. He had been so worried about his father making a fool out of Jin like he'd made a fool of Kyoya, that when Jin came out on top he hadn't even thought of what she had just gone through.

"Oh god, Kyo-kun…" her voice was shaking now, "I never want to see something like that happen to you again. How could-" she cut herself off and licked her lower lip. "Where's the first aid?"

The two walked across the room, their footsteps a lot quieter than usual on the tile floors, like the universe was staying quiet for their sake. Kyoya pulled out a small kit from behind the teacher's desk, offering it to his girlfriend before going to one of the desks and taking a seat. Jin sat on top of the desk, a move so common now that it actually pulled a small smile from her boyfriend.

Which, in turn, was a pretty bad move, because it made his cheek smart.

Jin caught his resulting wince and quickly opened the kit. It was much more extensive than any of the stuff she had at home, but there were a few things she did recognize. Quickly slipping off the desk, she pulled out an ice pack and ran to the small fridge in the corner of the room. It was probably meant used for science experiments, but was thankfully empty at the moment, so she slipped the pack inside.

Going back to where Kyoya was seated, she snatched up a water bottle from a tiny cooler they'd brought in with the rest of the stuff. Since their costumes were going to be stuffy, water would be a necessity. Jin was grateful for her foresight even more now.

Retaking her seat, she offered a small bottle of ibuprofen and the water to Kyoya, who took them silently. He pulled a small pill from the container and swallowed it down as she continued to explore the box in her lap.

"Hm." She pulled out another bottle. Arnica salve. It said it was for bruises, so she quickly pulled off the cap. "Okay, Kyo-kun, I'm going to need to touch it."

Her boyfriend nodded, taking off his glasses and turning his head to present the bruise.

Now that they weren't in the bright lights of the parlor, it didn't look as bad. Yes, it was a little swollen and a red-purple color, but it wasn't as big as Jin had initially thought. Still, she was as tender as she could be, lightly dabbing at his skin with a finger lightly coated with the salve. Kyoya sighed at the cool temperature, his eyes closing while Jin worked.

They sat in silence for another five minutes until Kyoya's skin had completely absorbed the salve. Jin slipped off the desk once more and went back to the fridge. Pulling out the pack, she hummed unhappily at the fact it wasn't as cold as she would've liked, but for now it would work.

Kyoya sighed again when she pressed it against his cheek, the packaged gel molding to his face. He reopened his eyes when Jin's fingers started combing through his bangs, ever so gently straightening out his hair.

He reached up and took the ice pack from her, using his other hand to pull her off the desk and into his lap. Jin straddled his legs, leaning her head on his right shoulder while her hands rested against his sides, near the bottom of his rib cage.

"What do you need?"

He looped an arm around her lower back, pressing her closer to his chest, "Just stay here for a moment. Please."

She did, calmly hugging her boyfriend, letting the silence cushion them.

"What did we miss?"

Haruhi looked up from her cart of cakes, having taken over the position when Jin left about twenty minutes ago with Kyoya. The couple had returned, and Haruhi was relieved to see that Kyoya's cheek looked fine. The swelling had gone down noticeably, and even though they'd probably put a lot of make-up over the discoloration, Haruhi would bet that it would be gone by the end of the week.

Even so, they looked somber.

"Well… Tamaki's grandmother showed up." She glanced at Kyoya, who frowned, "I'm guessing you know exactly what that means."

"What did she call him this time?"

The brunette hesitated, "...Filthy child."

Kyoya's eyes shut in a silent suffering kind of way while Jin's mouth fell open, "She said what?"

"It's true," the twins added on, appearing behind them with Honey and Mori, "And she's tied him to this strange girl for the rest of the fair."

"We've never seen her before, but she seems really interested in the Boss."

The twin's tone gave Jin another bad feeling, and it appeared that Kyoya had felt it as well. He accepted his laptop gratefully from Mori-senpai and powered it up, settling it and himself down at the closest table. Jin stood behind him, her hands resting gently on his shoulders.

"His grandmother called her Eclair-something…"

"You didn't catch a last name?"

"No need, I can tell you who she is." The seven looked around in surprise.

Jin straightened up, "Renge? I haven't seen you since the fair started… do you know her?"

"Not personally… her name is Eclair Tonnerre. She's the youngest daughter of the renowned French Tonnerre Family. They descend from royalty."

Kyoya spoke up, "Ah, I have heard of them, incidentally. The family has quite a history. Their wealth is somewhat of a legend among financial heavyweights. In fact, just being associated with them makes you a part of a very elite group." He caught his girlfriend's questioning expression, "They also own Grand Tonnerre, a firm that has been buying up a lot of businesses in Japan recently. It's likely most of the parents in this room know exactly who she is and will be watching her closely. But that doesn't explain why she is now following Tamaki around."

"Hmm…" Jin looked over at her little sister. Haruhi had yet to say anything. And she was facing away from the others, so Jin couldn't even read what was going through her head.

"I think-" Haruhi's shoulders stiffened. Jin paused, then kissed the top of Kyoya's head, "-that it's about time we changed into our second outfits of the day."

*Time Skip*

Haruhi walked back into the parlor to numerous whispers and compliments, but found it hard to pay much attention. In the back of her mind, she continued to run the last three minutes on loop in the back of her mind.

Do I detect a hint of jealousy?

Her fists clenched. She had no idea what had come over her. She had meant to just listen to Tamaki play the piano, since he didn't do it often. But hearing Eclair speaking so carelessly about Kyoya being slapped by his father, and Tamaki's performance cutting off immediately… she wanted to comfort him. Witnessing that had shocked them all, especially Jin and Tamaki. Jin had gotten revenge and the opportunity to comfort her boyfriend afterwards, but Tamaki... if he was blaming himself, it was probably ripping him up on the inside. Eclair had no right to suggest that!

"Hey, looking good, Haru."

The short brunette glanced at her side, where her sister was standing. Jin smiled softly and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Did something happen?

Yeah...

You wanna talk about it?

No...

Jin's face became pained, but she covered it quickly. Instead, she dropped her hand and the two continued to walk through the room. Seeing her sister in her second light grey dress and red jacket cover, Haruhi managed a smile. Nēchan looks good. I wonder if Kyoya-senpai would let her keep the dresses?

"How dashing!"

"Oh my!

"They look so good together, no wonder they're siblings!"

Even the host club had a couple compliments. Kyoya glanced over from his laptop and smirked, quickly turning away with a blush when Jin blew him a kiss.

"So where did the Boss go?"

"He was looking forward to this costume change the most."

Jin felt Haruhi's whole body tense up before she answered, her tone snippy, "Our King is lounging around Music Room 3 with his latest prize."

Six heads turned to the short girl in surprise. The twins leaned over the edge of the couch between the pairs of siblings, "Oh my… is someone jealous of the Lady Eclair?"

"Why is everyone assuming that? Like I said, I'm not jealous."

"Like you said?"

"Everyone, hm?"

She jolted, "Look… I just think he's being more irresponsible than usual today. He's making us do all of the work and abandoned us the moment he could. I mean, you said it yourself, Kyoya-senpai, he's impulsive."

"Hm, I suppose that's true. I did say that." While she couldn't see his face, Jin was almost 97% sure her boyfriend was smirking, "But in this instance he's obeying the wishes of his grandmother. In essence, he has no choice."

"No choice?"

Jin and Haruhi looked at each other. A memory sparked between them.

"Hey… why was Tama-kun's grandmother so cold towards him earlier? And she called him a-" Jin stopped, her lips pressing together. She didn't like that phrase all that much...

The five boys around them fidgeted, clearly debating what to say. Even Kyoya stopped typing on his laptop, turning around in his seat just enough to meet Jin's eyes. She saw… worry. Worry for Tamaki.

"Well, I guess everyone else knows about it."

"See… Tamaki-senpai is illegitimate."

The girls blinked.

"...Oh. So that's it."

The twins straightened up, "What do you mean 'so that's it'?"

Jin managed a weak smile, her arms coming up to cross over her chest, "Well, I guess if everyone's sharing… I was almost illegitimate."

The hosts mouths dropped open.

"Our parents got married when Mom was four months pregnant with me. I'm the reason they had such a shotgun wedding. Ah… do you all remember Eiko?"

The hosts nodded. How could they forget the Fujioka's bratty cousin who ruined a full week for them all because of her hatred for her cousin?

"Well… that's part of the reason she hates me so much. When I was born, our uncle would call me a… um, a lot of things. Including what Tama-kun's grandmother just called him. It stopped after a couple of years, but by then Eiko had it in her mind that it was okay to dislike me for being different from her."

Jin licked her lips, then straightened herself up, "Anyways… um, what's the story with Tama-kun?"

Her friends seemed to still be trying to wrap their heads around this new bit of information, but just then a well-dressed man walked up to them. He eyed the group distastefully before settling his gaze on the only one in a dress.

"Excuse me, but would you happen to be Miss Jin Fujioka?"

The girl nodded, "I am."

"If you please accompany me this way," he held his right arm out, gesturing towards the doors Haruhi had just walked out of a few minutes ago, "Your presence had been requested by Lady Eclair Tonnerre."

It was like the seven club members had all been jabbed with an exposed electrical wire. Haruhi grabbed her sister's arm, a sharp 'Why?' ready to leave her lips, but Jin shot her a warning glare.

Silence. Let me go, Haru.

She didn't like it, but she obeyed her sister's silent command. Jin's expression softened before she turned towards the strange man.

"Lead the way."

The two walked in awkward silence through the school hallways. It didn't take long for Jin to realize they were heading straight for Music Room 3, exactly where Haruhi said Tamaki and Eclair were holed up. She didn't bother asking questions. Call it a hunch, but she got the impression this man wouldn't answer her even if she did.

They stopped just outside of the doors, and Jin reached out to pull them open.

"Wait, please."

She gave the man a suspicious glance, but retracted the hand and placed it behind her back. It took another full minute or so before she realized why they were waiting.

Eclair had been talking to someone else.

The music room doors opened up and Kyoya's father stepped out, his face a blank slate. It faltered for a moment when he saw Jin standing in front of him, but the expression passed and he walked past her and down the hallway without a backwards glance.

"Miss Fujioka? You can come in now."

Gritting her teeth, already not liking the conversation, she walked in. The music room looked just as it always did, save for the piano being uncovered. But the familiar environment was of little comfort at the moment with Eclair sitting on one of the couches. Jin suddenly got why Haruhi disliked the French girl so much, even without admitting to her crush on Tamaki. There was just something inherently wrong about seeing the girl in the club room. And then there way she looked at you, as if you were a chubby puppy barking and growling at her. Like you weren't a threat, somewhat cute but mostly annoying, and she wouldn't hesitate to drop kick you once the amusement faded.

Tamaki was nowhere to be seen.

"Please, sit." Eclair smiled coldly, "We have something to discuss."

The light of the sunset illuminated the parlor with a soft orange light. The room felt ghostly with only six people in it, but the host club wasn't leaving. As Jin had yet to return from her talk with Eclair Tonnerre, Haruhi and Kyoya had decided to wait for her. The other four boys decided they'd stick around as well, which gave them extensive time to talk about Tamaki's situation. Except now they had gone through the whole backstory and Jin still wasn't back.

Haruhi hummed tunelessly as she stared out the window. Her mind was torn between worry for her sister and what the boys had told her about Tamaki-senpai. She would never have imagined someone's grandmother would be so cruel to their own family. It made her see Tamaki in a new light, and appreciate his cheerful and giving character all the more.

"Nēchan's been gone for a while…"

The twins frowned at the doors their friend had gone through almost an hour ago, "What do you think Eclair wanted with her?"

"Think the Boss is with them?"

Kyoya tapped his fingers on the tabletop in front of him. His laptop was opened, but he couldn't force himself to work. Today had been horrible. And to think, things had been going so well up until the Chairman showed up. In his head, Kyoya knew it wasn't Tamaki's father's fault that the fair was falling apart for the Host Club, but he did seem to be looking for someone to blame. And he didn't dare blame Lady Eclair... just yet. That was a dangerous game to play in this day and age.

Even so... Jin's continued absence was starting to worry him.

Just then, the doors opened. Jin walked through the doorway, her head down and shoulders slumped. Instantly, the others were on their feet, but they didn't approach. Something was wrong.

She stood there for a few seconds, not looking at any of them. Slowly, she took a step down the stairs. Another. And another. All the way down until she was standing on the ground floor. Jin took in a deep breath and let it out again, her right hand coming up to grab at her opposing forearm, head turning towards the windows.

"Guys… I need to talk to you."

Hesitantly, the club went forward until they were in a semi-circle around the girl. Kyoya reached out to touch her shoulders, but she shied away. His worry meter went from a five to an eight and a half.

"Jin? Whatever she told you, it's not the end of the world."

She nodded, but still refused to look at them, "I know… it's just… God, I can't believe she's doing this…"

"Doing what?"

"Are you talking about Eclair?"

Creeeeak

Unhappily, six of them looked away from their friend and focused on the door she'd just come through. Of course, once they realized who was standing there, their emotions became more mixed than before.

"Tama-chan!" Honey cooed.

Tamaki was standing in the opening between the parlor and the hallway, still in the first outfit the host club had worn that day. But he wasn't smiling. No, only Eclair was smiling as she stood beside him. And it wasn't a particularly nice smile. It was a smile that read 'Ha ha, I won, and now I'm going to rub it in your faces'. The cat who got the cream and was now watching the other cats starve.

Kyoya briefly glanced at his girlfriend, who seemed to have curled in on herself. Were they about to learn what was going on? If so, he only wished Jin could've told them in her own words before Tamaki and Eclair came in.

"Everyone, I have an important announcement."

The host club froze. Why did Tamaki sound so... dead?

Eclair's smile grew.

"As of today, Lady Eclair and I are officially engaged. Furthermore, the Host Club will be permanently dissolved after the Ouran Fair."

Jin whipped herself around, disbelief and pain etched into her face. For another few seconds, she ping-ponged between the pair at the top of the stairs and her sister. The host club noticed, and felt dread slowly fill their bodies. Tamaki's words had already cut into them, so why was Jin acting so surprised?

"That is all."

"What…" Jin's mouth was suddenly set in a harsh line, "Wait a minute, Tonnerre. You promised-"

"Ah, Jin, Dear? Did you get to tell your friends your little announcement?"

The brunette's lips twisted into a sneer as she stared at the girl with complete and total hatred, "You…"

"I'll be expecting to hear of your transfer to that public school by tomorrow evening." Eclair spit out the word 'public' like it made her feel sick just to speak it, though her smile never faltered, "Don't disappoint me, or I will have to go back on our deal."

Tamaki turned his head slightly, purple eyes widening behind his bangs. From behind her, Jin faintly hears Haruhi make a small whimpering sound.

"Jin-chan…" The brunette turned, finding the six other members of her club staring at her in disbelief.

"Is it true?"

"You're… leaving Ouran, too?"

The brunette was shaking a little and she spun back to the doors. Her mouth was open, but no words were coming out.

Eclair tilted her head, "Something you'd like to say, Dear?"

A single tear trickles down Jin's cheek as she finally looks at Tamaki. His gaze is fixed on one of the stairs between them, but for a brief moment, he looks at her. She can see it in his eyes that her announcement had been just as much of a shock as his had been for her.

But he doesn't speak. Instead, his lips pressed together tightly and he ducked behind his fringe of hair, severing the eye contact. Jin's shoulders slump, and she looked at the floor, more tears falling down her face.

Behind them, Kyoya finally managed to look away from the shaking form of his girlfriend. He couldn't even look at his best friend, so he turned his gaze to Haruhi. She was staring, wide eyed, into the space between her sister and Tamaki, like she couldn't decide which of their stories warranted more heartache. He knew how she felt, like her core had just been removed forcefully from her body.

That's how it felt for him.

Eclair smiled at the carnage, looping her arm through Tamaki's and leading him away, letting the doors slowly fall shut on their own.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you all."