It was a normal sunny day at the all prestigious Ouran High School where all the sons and daughters of rich families, who had an infinite amount of time on their hands, gathered. However, there was but one girl who had a dreadful look on her face as she walked up to her classroom.

"Haruhi," a male's voice called out.

"What's with that look on your face?" another male called out.

"Hikaru, Kaoru. Good morning," the girl replied.

"What's with that dreaded look on your face?" Hikaru asked, swinging an arm around her. "Are you unhappy to see us?"

Yes, very, she thought but wouldn't dare to say it.

"No, just studied a little too much for the test today," she meekly replied, hoping that they wouldn't see through her little lie.

"Then at least make it sound like you're excited to see us," Kaoru said, swinging an arm around her other side.

"I don't think I'm obligated to do that," she replied, averting her gaze.

The two pouted and returned back to their seats as the teacher came in. Haruhi sighed and sat down in her seat. She looked out the window and could see the sun brightly shining down onto the campus, contradicting the current mood she was feeling. She sighed and took out a pen, pencil, and eraser, ready to take the test. There was a sale going on at the supermarket today but because she had to go to the Host Club, she was forced to miss it.

Damn it, she cursed under her breath.

She was making her way to the club room and she began thinking about it. Judging from a number of customers she handled, her utensils that were put on auction, and a number of days she's been working, she should've paid off her debt quite a while ago. The only reason why she was continuing to work here was none other than Ootori Kyoya, the devil himself.

She opened the door to the music room and already knew what was awaiting her behind it.

"Welcome," a group of hosts said as she walked in.

"It's Haru-chan!" Honey yelled happily as he made his way up to her.

Kyoya and Haruhi met eyes. She averted her gaze and mumbled a quick, "It's him."

"Did you say something, Haruhi?" Kyoya asked, his glasses shining.

"No, nothing," Haruhi quickly replied, a sweat-drop forming. She swore that that guy had some super hearing or something.

"Just to let you know, you're three minutes late. Hurry and get changed," Kyoya said hurriedly. "Guests will start arriving soon."

"Yes, Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi said, making her way to the dressing room.

Today's theme was gothic and as to why it was that, Nekozawa had dropped a piece of black cloth lined with white lace in front of Tamaki by accident. Fascinated and intrigued by such a design, Tamaki insisted that they go for the gothic theme today. Haruhi sighed as she changed into the outfit. Her hair had gotten a little longer so she decided to tie it at the bottom with a black ribbon.

"Haruhi, you're so cute!" Tamaki squealed.

Mori nodded his head in agreement and the twins held a thumbs-up sign in front of them. Haruhi sighed as she adjusted the ribbon at her neck. She just wanted to get this over with and go home.

The Host Club began its usual hours and the usual guests hoarded into the room. Haruhi kept on her usual smile around her guests for even the slightest mistake, Kyoya would be there reprimanding her and increasing her debt. She took a glance at him from across the room and seeing that he noticed her gaze, turned her attention back to her designated guests.

"Haruhi-kun, you look handsome in that outfit," Momoka said with a slight blush.

"Indeed. It's different from the usual attires that you wear," another said excitedly.

"Well, of course," the two Hitachiin twins stated, swinging an arm around Haruhi like they usually did.

"Our mother designed that outfit," Kaoru stated.

"And this time, we tried going in a different direction much to the Boss's urging," Hikaru said.

"Doesn't it suit us well?" the two grinned.

"It does!" the guests clapped their hands in pleasure.

While the guests were being entertained and were free to now roam around in the Host Club, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi were now left to themselves. The two twins still had their arms linked around her and closed in to talk to her.

"Hey, Haruhi," Kaoru began. "Isn't it about time for you to cut your hair?"

"Is it?" Haruhi asked. "I think it's fine like this."

"It's fine and all but there aren't many boys with long hair these days," Hikaru said, touching the end of her hair gently. "Want us to cut it for you?" he grinned.

"No thanks," Haruhi said.

"That's right, that's right!" Honey pouted. "Haru-chan looks really cute with long hair so don't cut it! Right, Takashi?"

"Ah," he nodded his head in agreement.

"What are you guys talking about? My daughter has always been cute even without long hair," Tamaki said proudly.

"When did I become your daughter?" Haruhi stated flatly.

"Mother~! Haruhi's being spiteful!" Tamaki cried.

"I am not!" Haruhi remarked.

"If you guys have the time to be hanging around like that, go tend to the customers," Kyoya said. "We're losing revenue with each time you guys are slacking off."

"Yes," everyone replied and scattered.

Haruhi looked at him questioningly. He was a rational and logical man that put wealth and status as his first priority. She had never seen him shaken and sometimes, she wondered how he would be like when he was shaken. On intelligent grounds, she respected him for his knowledge and ability to work calmly and efficiently. Honestly speaking, he was a man of perfection.

"What're you looking at, Haruhi?" Kyoya smiled. "Seeing that you're not working, does it mean that it's okay to increase your debt?"

"Right on it!" Haruhi hurried away.

If it weren't for his "Shadow King" demeanor, he would be perfect.

Though, if she carefully looked around her at the Host Club members, they were all pretty much perfect. They came from wealthy backgrounds and had high social statuses. Their faces and personalities were attractive to others and they were all orderly people when it came down to serious business.

But, however much they had, she didn't care. All she wanted was a peaceful and leisurely life doing the things she liked.

"Haruhi-kun looks so at peace," one of her guests squealed.

"I wonder what he's thinking," another said.

"He must be thinking about something wonderful."

Her peace in the club room was soon interrupted by a sudden shout at the entrance of the club. She blinked and turned to the door to see a young male standing there. If she remembered correctly, he was a member of the student council.

"Fujioka Haruhi, there's an urgent call for you. Please come to the office," he stated.

"Okay," Haruhi said.

She followed him out as the Host Club members and her guests watched her leave. Seeing that there wasn't anything wrong, they tended back to their guests. That is, all except for one person. Ootori Kyoya looked to where she left with a blank face but his usual scowl was grimmer. He had a nagging feeling inside of him that something was going to happen.

"Tamaki, I'm excusing myself for today," Kyoya turned to the door.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki questioned.

Kyoya never excused himself before the designated closing time. Even the other hosts had turned their attention to the Shadow King, wondering what had happened.

"Remember to lock up the music room. I just remembered that I had some urgent business to attend to."

With that, Kyoya left the room and headed towards the office, only to see Haruhi hurriedly running out of it. He watched her and began following after her. He flipped out his phone and called his chauffeur to pull the car up.

"What...did you just say?" Haruhi asked, her eyes wide.

"You're the daughter of Fujioka Ryoji, correct? Your father has just been involved in an accident and is now being taken to Keio University Hospital," the man over the phone said. "If it's not too much trouble, would you mind c-"

A loud beeping sound could be heard as the man asked into the phone.

"Hello? Fujioka Haruhi? Hello?" he asked.

No voice answered him for Haruhi had already left the room. From what the student council member had told her, there was a car already outside ready to take her to the designated hospital. She ran out of the school gates hurriedly and got into the car, slamming the door closed behind her.

"Keio University Hospital! Hurry!" she ordered, catching her breath.

"Understood," the chauffeur said, stepping on the gas pedal and sped away.

A wave of panic and fear washed over her and she could feel herself trembling. She was scared. Scared that the worst was to come. She held herself tightly to offer some sort of emotional support but it was useless. She was shaking and sweating badly.

Please, God. Don't take him away from me.

Little did she know that another person was speeding after her. Kyoya sat in his limo as his chauffeur stepped on the gas pedal and began following the car in front of them at the highest speed. He had a stern face on as he watched the car closely. After questioning the student council member, he now knew what was going on.

He had never felt this stressed over something this menial. In the first place, why should he care about what was happening to her? She proved to be of little worth to him for she had no status, no wealth, and no connections. Yet, why was he so attached to her and so worried about how she was doing? He calmed down and thought about it logically. Yes, that was right. This was only a sense of duty as her senior that he was feeling. Nothing more. Nothing less.

"Hurry it up," he ordered.

"Yes, Kyoya-sama."

"Wasn't that Haruhi just now?" Honey said, looking out the window.

Seeing that two of their main members had left, Tamaki decided that they should close the Host Club early today. The guests were already out of the room and the hosts were preparing to close things up. As Honey mentioned what he saw, the other hosts began hurrying towards the window to check it out.

"It's Haruhi, all right," Hikaru and Kaoru stated.

"Where's Haruhi going in the school limo?" Tamaki yelled, pressing himself against the window.

"Kyoya's right behind him," Mori added.

The five hosts watched as their two hosts rushed out of the school gates and onto the highway. Tamaki snapped his fingers and Mori handed him the phone.

"Thank you, Mori-senpai," Tamaki said before pulling up Kyoya's phone number. "Kyoya! What do you think you're doi-?!"

"Shut up," Kyoya spat into the phone and hung up.

Tamaki let the phone drop to the ground as he looked at his fellow hosts, a tearful and fearful expression on his face. No doubt Kyoya had told him to shut up. Seeing that Kyoya wasn't going to answer him, Tamaki's face grew dramatically serious as he closed in on the hosts.

"My fellow comrades, we're following them!"

We have to find out what's going on with Haruhi, Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru thought as lightning flashed in the background.

"Yeah!" Honey exclaimed.

They hurried out and shuffled into Hikaru and Kaoru's limo, much to their dissatisfaction. Driving onto the highway, they hurried to catch up to Kyoya and Haruhi, each of them wondering what on earth had happened that sent their two most rational hosts into such a frenzy.

Haruhi ran out of the limo and up to the reception desk. The receptionists looked at her as Haruhi tried to catch her breath.

"Fujioka...Ryoji. Where is he?!" she practically yelled.

"U-Um...he's in the emergency room ward," the receptionist replied seeing the distressed look on Haruhi's face.

Haruhi thanked her quickly before hurrying to the emergency room ward where a man in his surgical garments stopped her from entering any further.

"Fujioka Haruhi?" he questioned.

"Yes, that's me," Haruhi said, panting. "How's my father doing?"

"Fujioka-san got into a car accident. It's a good thing that he arrived quickly at the hospital otherwise it would've been too late," the doctor reassured her. "The surgery was a success, please rest assured."

Haruhi collapsed onto her knees and sighed a breath of relief as tears streamed down her face. She was glad that the worst hadn't happened. She was really glad.

"Thank god, thank god," she murmured, her tears spilling onto the floor.

Meanwhile, the doctor showed her to the room where her father was resting, Kyoya had just arrived at the hospital and was greeted by the hospital staff with the utmost respect. He looked around hurriedly for Haruhi but before he could go up to the reception desk, one of the staff stopped him.

"Kyoya-sama, Ootori-sama has requested for you to meet him."

Kyoya's eye twitched at the mention that his father wanted to see him. Of all things, that man had to choose this moment to come and talk to him. The timing couldn't be any worse. He sighed and followed the staff to where his father was waiting. Keio University Hospital was under the Ootori family's administration.

Kyoya knocked on the door and he heard a gruff voice call from behind it.

"Come in."

Kyoya stepped in and politely bowed.

His father turned around, the same stern expression painted on his face. "It's been a while, Kyoya."

"Yes, father. Excuse me for my rudeness but what have you called me here for?" Kyoya asked, getting straight to the point.

"It seems that that girl, Fujioka Haruhi, is here," Yoshio said.

Kyoya furrowed his eyebrows, not knowing what his father was trying to get at. But seeing the slight smirk on his father's face, he knew that he was up to something. Even after growing up by his side for seventeen years, he still did not know what his father was thinking. Whatever it was, it was going to be something troublesome.

"I just received the medical report that her father, Fujioka Ryoji, is now hospitalized. Though the surgery was a success, it seems that the accident left his lower half of the body paralyzed. Based on your calculations, how much do you think is going to cost her?"

Adding physical therapy to that amount, the total cost should sum up to more than eight hundred thousand yen. Something that she, a mere commoner, could never pay back in just a few months.

"What are you trying to say, father?" Kyoya asked with a tinge of forcefulness in his voice.

"Why don't I propose something to you, Kyoya," he gave the uncanny smile that Kyoya hated. "I've taken interest in that girl, Fujioka Haruhi. Marry her and the cost of the surgery as well as therapy will be waived."

Kyoya widened his eyes in shock at his father's sudden proposal.

"What use will I have in marrying her?" he asked. "She's unable to bring in benefits and if I learned anything from you, it's to only associate oneself with people of benefits and advantages."

"Didn't I tell you, Kyoya? I'm interested in that girl," his father stared at him in the eye. "True, she is of a commoner background but in this world, how rare is it for someone to stand up to authority? She has the intelligence and charismatic character to attract people to her. Wouldn't that prove to be something?"

Kyoya balled his hands into fists as he stared right back at his father. He was thinking his proposal over. If he married Haruhi, then not only would that bring his father's favor to him but would also bring about benefits from other wealthy families. All in all, it was a pretty fair deal with benefits. He was interested in this proposal but something inside of him was telling him to accept it regardless of the deals it had. There was an overwhelming surge of satisfaction and eagerness to accept this marriage.

"Very well," he stated. "I'll accept it, father. But what makes you think that she will accept it as easily?"

His father chuckled to himself. "Her father's her only relative and with the amount that the two of them earn, they won't be able to pay back that amount in just a few months. She'll accept the proposal since she has no other route to take."

Kyoya wanted to punch his father right then and there. Everybody was literally nothing but pawns in his hands and if he wanted to get something out of a person, he would corner them until they had no other escape route.

Yoshio nodded his head. "Of course, seeing that you two are still young, you'll only be fiancees for the time being. After you graduate high school, you'll be marrying her."

"Understood," Kyoya said. "Is that all?"

"That is all," he replied.

"You'll keep your promise, right?"

"Kyoya. Do I look like the person to break promises?" his father said, a gleaming look in his eyes.

He gulped. "No," he blatantly replied.

"I've placed her father in the VIP ward. You can find her there."

"Thank you. I'll excuse myself now."

Kyoya bowed and headed out of the room and to the VIP patients ward. He sighed in relief as his cold face soon returned. Each step he took was light and airy and he felt something gathering up inside of him. Was this excitement? He shook his head. He was Ootori Kyoya, third son of the Ootori group. There was no way he can show excitement and interest to such a meager marriage proposal. Though, he couldn't deny that if Haruhi was his fiancee, things would get interesting.

Yoshio stared out the window of his office and smiled softly. A smile contrary to his mocking and blood-curdling smile.

"Fujioka Haruhi, I hope you can teach that son of mine that there are people out there who you can rely on," he said with a sigh.

Haruhi found herself in a large patient room that was ornately yet simply decorated. Though she would've been suspicious as to why her father was placed in such a room, her minds were on his father as well as the cost of the surgery.

She looked at her father and then at his legs. The legs that he could never use again. Sighing, she looked at the medical bill with a worried and anxious face.

"How am I going to pay this back?" she sighed.

It was the cost of general surgery but the doctor had recommended that her dad try going through physical therapy. If she added that cost all together...she didn't even want to think about the amount. Hearing the sound of the door sliding, she sat up and turned around.

"Kyoya-senpai?" she said, shocked.

He looked at her and saw her holding tightly onto the medical bill. Her face was pale and her eyes were puffy and red. He narrowed his eyebrows at seeing her distressed look. Her hair was now disheveled and her gothic suit crumpled.

"What brings you here?" she asked.

"This is my hospital," he replied. "Is there a reason why I can't be here?"

"No," she mumbled.