It's been two months since the party and everything had returned to its usual routine. The students of Ouran greeted and treated Haruhi like usual and as for the Host Club, she still regularly attended to it. Of course, as a Host. Though she was made to dress in female costumes and not male ones - much due to Tamaki and the other's urging - she still had a fun time interacting with her usual customers. Moreover, the girls still swooned over Haruhi due to her natural charm.

"Good morning, Haruhi," Momoka greeted.

"Morning," Haruhi smiled.

"Ha-ru-hi!" two voices sounded behind her. A chill went down her spine even though it was already the middle of spring.

"Hikaru. Kaoru," Haruhi said with a look of dread.

The two grinned in unison as they wrapped an arm around her. "Let's go somewhere fun."

I knew it, she paled.

"It's Golden Week next week. The perfect time to go somewhere with your friends," Hikaru smirked, leaning into her face.

"Furthermore, you promised us, didn't you? Haruhi?" Kaoru added.

A devious grin formulated on their lips and for a second, Haruhi thought she saw a pair of horns and a tail growing out from their heads and hips. She sighed, a look of death showing in her eyes. They were devils. They were an evil pair of twin devils. Why did she ever promise to hang out with them?

As the twins hung and smiled around Haruhi, convincing her to go somewhere, Haruhi remained oblivious to the numerous stares and squeals that the three of them were gaining. With two hot boys by your side, what girl wouldn't die for it to happen to them? Haruhi was the apple of their eye and the way how Hikaru and Kaoru glued their bodies close to her...it was just too much for everyone. Roses adorned the three of them, seeming as if they had popped out of some fairy tale book. As if it wasn't enough, Keith stepped in and took Hikaru's hand off of Haruhi.

"Hikaru-sama, Kaoru-sama," he said with a feigned smile. "Please do not put your hands on Haruhi-sama however you please. You're troubling her."

At the sight of Haruhi's personal butler, who's gorgeousness couldn't even be put into words, the girls squealed some more. How they wished they were in Haruhi's position right now! However, in Haruhi's case, she just wished to be a bystander.

"Can you guys quiet down?" Haruhi asked, not bothering to raise her voice.

"Tell us if you're coming with us or not first!" Hikaru and Kaoru demanded.

"Haruhi-sama, there's no need to affiliate yourself with people like them. Let's move to the cafeteria. You have a break next after all," Keith smiled.

Haruhi sighed. Two of them were annoying brats while another one was a man that always smiled yet his emotions were clear as glass. She couldn't tell which one was more annoying in her opinion.

"I'm free Golden Week and I wouldn't break my promise to you guys," Haruhi said, facing them. "But it all depends on Kyoya-senpai."

"Then let's go ask him," Hikaru and Kaoru said.

Before she knew it, she was being dragged by Hikaru and Kaoru like a rag doll as they sped away to find Kyoya. Keith ran after the three of them at lightning speed, his eyes shining with evil intent. His mistress was being dragged behind them like a rag doll which he couldn't forgive. Keith caught up to the two in no time, given his athletic abilities, and set Haruhi upon his arm. Haruhi sat on his arm as he carried her. Hikaru and Kaoru pouted.

"Give Haruhi back," Hikaru glanced up at him.

"I refuse to," Keith answered.

"Oh? Did you say you refused to?" Hikaru cracked his knuckles, a sinister aura growing around him.

"Yes. That is correct," Keith smiled, the same aura rising.

Before the two could go on any further, Kaoru and Haruhi head-chopped Hikaru and Keith respectively.

"Cut it out," the two scolded.

"Of course, Haruhi-sama," Keith smiled softly at her with a light hue of blush on his cheeks, quite satisfied that she had hit him on the head.

An irksome look crossed over Hikaru's face. "Haruhi, just what kind of butler is he?!"

"A butler that tends to every whim of his mistress with eagerness and puts her safety above his more than anyone else," Keith replied immediately.

"Haruhi, you should just fire him already!" Hikaru said. "That guy's a real creep!"

"Though I'd like to agree with you on this one, Hikaru, I don't think you're in the position to say that," Kaoru laughed.

"Keith," Haruhi turned to him.

"Yes, Haruhi-sama?" Keith looked up at her with a kind smile.

"Even though it's your duty to keep me safe, you should also keep yourself safe," Haruhi said, looking into his emerald marine eyes, and smiled warmly.

Keith widened his eyes and smiled, a blush forming on his cheek. "Of course!"

Haruhi smiled. "So, are we going to look for Kyoya-senpai now? The vacation over Golden Week all depends on him after all," she grinned.

"We totally forgot about that!" Hikaru and Kaoru looked at one another. "Haruhi, let's go!"

As Hikaru reached for Haruhi's hand, Keith stepped back. Haruhi was still situated on his arm and by now, Haruhi was pretty much used to it for he always did it when they went out. However, it did pretty much bother her at first.

"I'll be carrying Haruhi-sama if you don't mind," Keith said.

Hikaru glared at him but Kaoru pulled him along, shaking his head. They still had to figure out whether or not Haruhi could be able to go or not and finding Kyoya was their utmost priority. Hikaru decided to let it go for now and Keith grinned at his victory.

Hikaru gritted his teeth and stomped away with Kaoru following close behind him. Keith continued carrying Haruhi as the four of them made their way to the second-year building of the campus. Haruhi gazed at the scenery around her, taking in the flora. She had to say, the effort that the gardener had put into the campus was amazing. Keith smiled to himself at seeing his mistress smile so happily at the sight around her, something she rarely got to see when she walked on the ground with her own two feet.

"Oh! It's Haru-chan!" a cheerful sweet voice exclaimed.

"Honey-senpai," Hikaru and Kaoru remarked. "It's surprising to see you here."

"Mn! Takashi and I were talking to Kyo-chan and Tama-chan just now regarding upcoming plans for Golden Week," Honey exclaimed.

"What a coincidence," Haruhi noted. "Hikaru and Kaoru also wanted to ask him about that."

"Kyoya-senpai," Hikaru and Kaoru walked up to him.

The Host Club members and the bodyguards of the Ootori Group were gathered in the campus garden of Ouran's campus. Kyoya was seated under the white marble gazebo, typing away at his laptop. Tamaki, noticing Haruhi, went up to her with a puppy-like face of excitement before being rudely pushed away by Keith. Honey went up to Mori, who was leaning against one of the columns of the gazebo. Keith let Haruhi down, setting her upon the lush green grass.

"What a rare sight to see all the Host Club members gathered," Tamaki remarked with an air of elegance.

"It just so happens that we all have frees at this period of time," Kyoya stated.

"And it just so happens that we all want to talk about the upcoming Golden Week?" Haruhi asked, fully aware of what they all had in mind.

"But of course!" Tamaki pronounced. "Last time during winter vacation, we failed to go as a club but this time, we definitely have to! I propose that the destination be Rome!"

"I want to go to London though!" Honey pouted.

"Hong Kong," Mori voiced his opinion

"What?!" Hikaru and Kaoru disagreed. "When talking about vacation, it's got to be Dubai!"

The Host Club members began bickering back and forth about why they should go their proposed places and not the others. Kyoya and Haruhi sighed to themselves while Keith just smiled and followed Haruhi as she made her way to Kyoya. She leaned against the side of the gazebo where Kyoya was sitting and glanced back at him. He glanced at her before looking back at his laptop.

"Do you have a particular place you want to go to?" Kyoya asked.

Haruhi shook her head and chuckled lightly. "Did you forget that I don't even have a passport?"

"If you're worried about that, we already had one made for you."

Haruhi sweat-dropped. Since when did you get the time to do that?

Well, not like she really cared either way. The others were still bickering and Haruhi sat down on the grass. She looked up at the cloudless blue sky and closed her eyes. She liked the peace and quiet and often, she would find herself falling asleep. It was nothing like how she used to live her life with endless chores and constant studying. For once in her life, she was able to relax.

If only they would just shut up, she quickly added.

Kyoya shut his laptop screen and walked out of the gazebo. "Are you guys done with your small bickering?"

"Almost!" Tamaki said, panting hard with a look of victory in his eyes. "So far, we've thrown London and Hong Kong off the list."

"Now, it's just between Dubai and Rome!" Kaoru yelled.

Suddenly, Hikaru stopped and reminded himself of something. He stood up with a look of confusion before pointing a finger at Tamaki. "First of all, Boss, why do we all have to go to the same place?"

"Huh? What do you mean by 'why'?" Tamaki said, equally confused. "It's to develop our bonds of frie-"

"But Kaoru and I were just planning to take Haruhi along," Hikaru remarked.

"Come to think of it, you're right," Kaoru said, calming down. "Our original purpose was to request permission from Kyoya-senpai?"

"From me?" Kyoya asked.

"That's right!" the twins grinned.

"Hey, Kyoya-senpai," Hikaru grinned.

"Lend us Haruhi for Golden Week," Kaoru concluded.

"It's not like you're doing anything over the vacation right?" the twins threw back their hands. "So," they went over to Haruhi and picked her up. "Lend her to us."

A tick mark grew on Haruhi's forehead. "Am I your toy?"

"What could you be talking about?" the twins rubbed their faces against hers. "Of course you're our most important friend."

"Mhm. Totally," Haruhi said with a monotone voice.

"Wait a minute!" Tamaki yelled. "I do not allow you to take Haruhi away! If anything, we go as a group or no one goes!"

"What are you? Our mom?" Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi replied.

Tamaki's face crumbled and he turned to a flat sheet of paper. Putting Tamaki aside, three other Host Club members were pretty reluctant to give Haruhi up. The two seniors had never been anywhere with Haruhi and they, too, wanted to spend time with her. They didn't mind if the others were joining since the more the merrier. Although Kyoya, too, was also reluctant to let her go, he had a different reason. He didn't intend for the twins to take Haruhi on a trip with just the three of them.

"It's better if Haruhi speaks her opinion, too," Mori said. "We've all been voicing ours so Haruhi should also."

"Good thinking, Takashi," Honey said, almost forgetting. "Haru-chan. Where do you want to go?"

"Me?" Haruhi thought before responding. "I'm fine with anywhere as long as Kyoya agrees to it. Moreover, I don't really find myself safe with just Hikaru and Kaoru around."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Hikaru steamed.

"Well-said, daughter! Well-said! Hikaru, Kaoru, did you hear that?!" Tamaki declared proudly. "Haruhi said it herself! She doesn't want to go on a vacation with you guys!"

"Butt out of it, Boss!" the twins pouted.

"Besides, she's probably even more reluctant to go on a trip alone with you," Kaoru said. "Right, Haruhi?"

Haruhi nodded her head swiftly, not even taking a second to think about it. Tamaki, being Tamaki, deflated and was done for. The emotional trauma was too much for him to handle and he wept silently in the corner. With Tamaki out of the game, the only option left was Dubai. However, the decision solely rested upon Kyoya's shoulders.

"So we're going as a group in the end, huh?" Kyoya remarked.

"Yeah!" Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, Honey, and Mori replied enthusiastically.

Kyoya sighed. If he had to be honest, he was hoping that for this Golden Week, he would be able to spend it with Haruhi. His father, brothers, and Fuyumi also wished to spend a day together with her during the one week vacation. But seeing the hopeful look in their eyes as well as Haruhi's decision to go with everyone, he gave in.

"Fine," he said. "For the upcoming Golden Week, we'll be going to Dubai."

"Yes!" Hikaru and Kaoru yelled in victory, high-fiving one another.

Tamaki and they were already beginning to talk about what kind of places they should visit, what kind of food they should eat, and what kind of hotels they should stay at. Needless to say, they had expensive tastes though Honey and Mori didn't mind eating common food. Haruhi had a smile on her face as she talked with them. Kyoya could tell that she was looking forward to it. After all, it was the first trip that she was actually going on with her friends.

Kyoya began planning and preparing like he always did whenever they went on trips, typing away at his laptop with ease and efficiency. The sound of footsteps on the lush grass resounded behind him but Kyoya didn't bother looking.

"Is there something you need, Keith?" he asked.

"For this vacation, would you allow me to accompany Haruhi-sama?" Keith asked.

For a minute, Kyoya stopped and glanced behind him. Keith had stripped off his facade and a smile was nowhere to be seen. The only thing that reflected in his emerald marine eyes was a suspenseful premonition. His eyes moved over to Haruhi and warmth filled his eyes; it was different from the dark look he had before.

"Kyoya-sama should know what's been going on and this time, it is no different," Keith said, returning his attention back to Kyoya. "Rather than leaving her unguarded, it's better if there's someone there to protect her, isn't it?"

Kyoya felt like he had been played. Keith had a talent for twisting other's words and making it his own and the gifted butler knew that he had persuaded the young master, much to Kyoya's distaste.

"I was planning on bringing you from the beginning," Kyoya said. "It seems like she's built a trust in you."

"Is that so?" Keith smiled, bringing his mask back on.

"I know you're happy about it so you can stop pretending that you don't know anything," Kyoya said. "You like Haruhi don't you?"

Keith continued to smile but remained silent.

Kyoya scoffed and looked his way. "But let me remind you, no matter how hard you try to get her, she'll always be mine."

Keith had stopped smiling completely. "As a butler, it's necessary to serve one's mistress with goodwill and care. You might be correct in saying that I love her but to me, that doesn't matter. I treasure the time I serve her and I will continue doing so, no matter what you say."

"Oh?" Kyoya grinned. "Even if I fire you?"

"I don't think that would be a wise decision," Keith smiled. "After all, Haruhi-sama has given me the order to not listen to your commands. Moreover, my only master is Haruhi-sama and not Kyoya-sama."

Kyoya stared at him and returned back to his work.

"Fine. You won," Kyoya admitted reluctantly.

"Thank you very much," Keith bowed.

"Make sure you protect her," Kyoya said. "I'll be there, too, but the people targeting us are everywhere. I'd rather lock her up in the mansion but she probably won't be too happy about it."

"That goes without saying."

"I trust you," he said. "As her butler and bodyguard."

Keith stared at him, a surprised look on his face before a slight smile spread upon his lips and he bowed. "I'll do my best to live up to your expectations."

Kyoya replied with a confident, "I know you will."

Keith smiled and returned back to where Haruhi, who was still talking to everyone, was. The two men had a similar dark expression wiped across their faces, each having similar thoughts. As a person from a noble lineage and wealthy family, being targeted wasn't an unusual occurrence. However, Haruhi was someone that had never experienced these things; it meant that she didn't know how to protect herself in case something went awry. Keith planned to protect her no matter what the costs were and Kyoya was the same but that wasn't enough. The two poured their knowledge and efforts into this trip with Kyoya planning out the places to go in a safe and unsuspicious manner while Keith planned out the security in the plans.

"Then, it's decided!" Tamaki declared excitingly. "Our destination is Dubai!"

"Yeah!" Hikaru, Kaoru, Honey, and Mori cheered.

Haruhi sighed but smiled happily at them. "Yup!"

Kyoya and Keith smiled. As long as she was happy and smiled every day, that was all that they needed.