Me: DUDE! Is anyone else here up-to-date with the latest Japanese releases for Ouran! OHMYGOSHHARUHILIKES (fill in name)! I’m… not sure how I feel about this. One-sided on his part is amazing, but I’m still debating if I want them together. (Overall, deciding between the two most likely pairings with Haruhi is extremely difficult. I love both of the guys involved, even if one is totally oblivious and it took the other ages to figure out he likes her! I even lean a bit towards (third pairing) because of what he did at the carnival… it’s amazing!)

Don’t you love how I censored myself? If you want to have an Ouran-couple discussion… PM me!

Pairing Note: For this story, there won’t be any pairings. ;-; I know, this decision made me a little sad too… but it fits best without any couples. I kept the implications up to this point in the manga (the anime’s a bit more obvious), but nothing is explicit.

Time In Manga Note: Okay, so I lied. I started writing this and realized that I really, really, really wanted to keep in some things from the manga. So this takes place after their summer in Karuizawa, but before the festival arc (so pre-Volume 6).

Chapter Note: I lied again. There will be two more chapters after this, I think. Well, the way it’s going in my mind, there will be two more chapters, but we’ll see.

Translations:

-Hai: Yes

-Ano: Um; excuse me

-Sempai: Used by younger students to address older classmates, polite

-Irrasshaimase: Welcome

-Ogenki desu-ka?: How are you?

-Gomen: Sorry

-Arigatou: Thank you

Disclaimer: Hikari Daeron does not own Ouran High School Host Club or any affiliations. The events in this story are merely for entertainment’s sake.

Chapter Two: Let The Games Begin!

A Commoner’s Game

The members of the Ouran Host Club were often out traversing the land of commoners. Why? As a certain heir put it: “For the sake of my daughter!”

Tamaki was always most eager to drag the others out. If it were up to Kyoya or Hunny, he’d each be in bed. (1) Mori didn’t care either way – he was usually up before everyone else as it was. And the Twins? While they were supportive of their lord’s ventures, it was a bit annoying to get woken up at early hours for the sake of understanding the common folk. Not that they didn’t love Haruhi and all – it was just early.

The whole bowling alley idea was a bit of a joke in Haruhi’s eyes most of all, though. Sure, it was after school, the weekend started tomorrow and they had no homework, but –

“HARUHI!” (2)

The brunette shook her head. “What is it sempai?” she shouted to the blonde ahead of her.

“Hurry up, Haruhi!” said Tamaki eagerly, jumping up and down. “I want to understand this commoner’s game!”

Haruhi sighed. “Sempai,” she said, still taking her time in reaching the others. “I’m sure you’re going to be disappointed.”

“What are you saying, Haruhi?” said Tamaki dramatically, flinging a hand to his chest and stepping back in shock. “Is your father so old that he can’t enjoy a day out with his daughter?” Haruhi opened her mouth, but the blonde cut her off. “MOM!” he called to Kyoya. “Haruhi’s being mean to me!”

“Way to be dramatic,” muttered the brunette. Hikaru and Kaoru slid on either side of her.

“You know how milord is,” they said.

“Don’t let him bother you, Haruhi,” said Kaoru, waving a hand. “He’s just oblivious, like always.”

The girl sighed and shrugged. “I guess so…”

“Don’t guess!” the Twins said together, again.

“Don’t worry about it, Haruhi,” said Hikaru, linking his hands behind his head.

“Haru-chan! Haru-chan!”

“Huh? Hunny-sempai?” Haruhi turned to see the small blonde running up to her, giving Usa-chan to Mori to hold. (3) “What is it?”

“Haru-chan!” said Hunny, taking her hands in both of his. “Will you help me play this game too? You and me and Takashi all together on a team!”

“We’re with Haruhi too!” said the twins instantly. Tamaki ran up to them.

“B-but I want to be on a team with my daughter…” he moaned, twitching. “This isn’t fair! Mom! Make Haruhi be on a team with her dad!”

Kyoya sighed and ushered Tamaki into the bowling alley. They had been standing in front of it for this entire exchange. “Stop complaining milord,” said Hikaru, as he and Kaoru towed Haruhi in. “Don’t you want to watch her bowl?”

Tamaki paused in mid-stride and entered his private Mind Theatre. (4)

Haruhi stood in a short skirt, trying to pick up a bowling ball. Seeing Tamaki, she turns. “Oh, sempai!” she moans. “This is so heavy! Won’t you help me?”

“Never fear,” he said gallantly, wrapping an arm around her. He places his hand over hers and they both pick up the ball. “I will always be here to help you.”

“Oh sempai! Thank you! I know you will be here for me!”

“The lord’s thinking dirty thoughts.”

“Indeed, Hikaru. It’s sickening, to behold such a gruesome sight.”

Tamaki snapped out of his daydream and saw the twins watching him with identical nonchalant expressions. “It’s nothing like that!” he shouted, turning red.

“Ah, so you are a pervert, huh sempai…” said Haruhi coolly, walking past him to enter the actual alley, as opposed to the entrance way they were standing in.

“N-no! Haruhi…!”

“C’mon Takashi! Let’s go inside!” Hunny giggled, suddenly sitting squarely on Mori’s shoulders.

“Hai.”

Mori walked in, the twins following him with calls of, “Get up, lord lame-brain.”

“A-a…” Tamaki lay on the floor, hand outstretched towards the entranceway. Kyoya sighed and helped him up.

“C’mon, Tamaki. This was your idea, wasn’t it? Besides, you need Haruhi to help you with this game, so it’s quality bonding time.”

The blonde looked up at the club’s Vice President with tears in his eyes. “Only you understand me, Kyoya!”

The third son rolled his eyes and ushered the Suoh heir ahead of him.

Upon entering, said heir outright stared.

The bowling alley was a different world. People ran up to lines and released balls that looked light, but Tamaki knew were heavy; they slipped on the waxed floors, laughing and groaning as the balls knocked down pins. Lights lit up and announced winners, people were cheering and eating greasy-looking junk food as they punched in scores on something that resembled a computer. As the members of the Host Club stared, Haruhi walked right up to a man who was standing by the door.

“Ano… Is there a lane or two open for seven?”

“Huh?” The young man turned and smiled at her. “Irrasshaimase, Fujioka! Here again with your friends?”

Haruhi smiled. “Ogenki desu-ka, Sai-kun? How’s Takahashi-sensei?”

“We’re all very well, thanks,” said the other, again smiling at her. He glanced down at his list. “A lane, you said?”

Hikaru and Kaoru saddled up to Haruhi as the other looked. “Oi, Haruhi, who’s this guy?” asked Hikaru openly.

“Let’s not have a repeat of the summer at Karuizawa, please, Haruhi,” whispered Kaoru. “Do something.” (5)

“I – Hikaru, he’s just the son of my old teacher, it’s not a – ”

“Ah, Fujioka? We’ve got a lane that isn’t booked for another four hours, is that long enough?”

“That’s fine,” said Haruhi hurriedly, giving Hikaru a stern glance. “Hikaru, please, don’t overreact.”

The other looked at her, flushed, and looked away. “Gomen.” Kaoru exhaled and smiled thankfully at Haruhi.

“Arigatou, Haruhi,” he said, placing a hand on his twin’s shoulder, squeezing it gently.

“Then follow me!” The attendant beamed, completely oblivious to what just happened. He led them to a pair of lanes and said, “You can handle it from here, right Fujioka?”

Secretly, Haruhi wanted to shake her head violently and beg for any help she could get. But Tamaki’s hopeful expression and the twins’ excitement caused her to mutter, “Yeah, I got it…”

As the attendant left, Haruhi turned to the remaining Host Club members. “Okay,” she said calmly. “The rules are simple enough. After we set up everything in terms of teams, we each take turns throwing the bowling ball down the lane so that it can knock down the pins. You want to knock down as many pins as you can. There are some details, but I can explain that when it’s time.” Turning to give Kyoya one final pleading look, she said, “If it sounds too hard we can always leave – ”

“NO WAY HARUHI!” chimed the twins. “Hey, Milord, ready to lose?”

“Yeah right!” said Tamaki triumphantly, balling his fist as if preparing for victory. “Let the games begin!”

(1) The “Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord/Beast” (respectively)… ahahahahahahaha. Episode 17: Best. Episode. Ever. (Well, I lie, my favourite’s Episode 13, “Haruhi in Wonderland”… I think. Or maybe the last one (Episode 26). Or maybe – you know what? I love them all.)

(2) I LOVE the way Tamaki shouts her name. I usually hate the main character shouting another’s main character (a common occurrence, but specifically I’m thinking about Inuyasha… jeez, you’d think that Kagome would find a better way to call his name! SO ANNOYING! (I’m not a Kagome hater, by the way. I like her a lot.)) Anywhoosle, yeah, I love the way he says it: “HARU-HI!” Ahahaha it’s great… (start of super-nerdy rant) When I’m listening to the soundtrack and “Mata Ashita!”comes on, I get super-excited because A) They all sing! B) You hear various clips from the voice actors (“Hey, you two, leave her alone!” “No way milord! AHAHAHA!”) C) The LYRICS! D) MORI LAUGHS! Ahem… as does Hunny! SO KAWAII! E) It’s a great song and F) TAMA-CHAN CALLS HER NAME! (end of super-nerdy rant)

(3) So yeah, it’s bad of me to switch between names. Hunny’s bunny is called Bun-Bun in the American manga and Usa-chan in the Japanese. He calls it Usa-chan in the anime too. I was thinking about it, and “usagi” means rabbit in Japanese, so “usa” comes from there, hence “Bun-Bun” as well. xDD Heart you, Hunny!

(4) Er – I forget exactly what it’s called, but Tama-chan has an Inner Mind Theatre or something like that where he often imagines Haruhi in various situations. xDDDD

(5) When I first wrote this, I had forgotten that I meant to keep this early in the series. Then I realized my mistake, and was like, “F#!$ ME!” But now, it’s all good. x) I do want to keep it so that Hikaru and Kaoru still tease Haruhi more than a true flirtation, though.

Me: I was on Krys-Yuy’s amazing Ouran site (“For Richer or Poorer”… it’s the best one out there) and someone on the forum had compiled a picture of the Twins with lyrics from The Hush Sound’s “We Intertwined”. Not only am I extremely happy that SOMEone knows The Hush Sound (and that’s my favourite song by them), but WOW, it really works. Even if you think that the song would then imply twincest (which it does…) I still think it works rather well.