Kiku Ren knew this part of the day by heart. While many people in Ouran Private Academy paid the bubblegum pink and blonde-haired girl no mind, sprinting from one end of the building to another in a frenzy, she knew it was the most important part of her school day. Vital, even, to dealing with the prissy academy attendants, who weren't there for a real education; but just because they had a lot of money. Kiku took her stay there with more pride than that, for while her family did have a lot of money, she refused to conform to the standards the other kids had set.

She had finally reached her destination after ten minutes, peeling off her leather jacket before entering the unmarked, abandoned music room number three. She knocked twice before pushing the door open, her pale skin brighter in the sudden light change in the room. Tamaki Suoh, her best friend, stood talking to Kyoya Ootori, her crush, as the other members were no where to be seen. Kiku hung her jacket up before walking over to the two, her black lace-up boots clicking softly against the tile floor.

"Hey guys, what's up?" She said casually, sweeping a strand of her hair out of her hazel eyes. Kyoya and Tamaki looked at her sadly, almost ashamed by her presence. She blinked, tilting her head slightly and crossing her arms against her chest.

"Why are you both looking at me like that?"

Kyoya turned to Tamaki, making a motion to him to explain. Tamaki sighed, turning towards her.

"Kiku... we need to talk about yesterday."

Kiku's eyes widened as she thought to the previous day's events concerning the club. Being the only female host, sometimes the male customers she had were a little too touchy, thinking that just because she worked there, and got paid too, was the same as having consent to do whatever they wanted. One customer in particular, the son of a big police man, had touched her somewhere off limits as she was closing up. In her own self defense, taught by her father, she grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm, pinning him to the ground. It was also at that moment that Kyoya and Tamaki walked in, and the boy cried for help, not only claiming her to be assaulting him and thus painting him to be the victim, but also revealing that her father was to be arrested, and finally busted, for his illegal gun creation and selling service, destroying her reputation. She never wanted to be like her father, profession wise, for he was a nice man, trying to raise a daughter as a single parent.

"What... about yesterday?"

Tamaki looked to Kyoya for help, who then sighed before talking.

"Miss Ren, we regret to inform you that, due to your behavior and the information released yesterday, that you may no longer work at the Host Club." He said.

Kiku's heart shattered- she used the pay to help her father with the bills, easing some of the tension off, but hearing it from one of the three most important people in her life just hurt even more.

"There's more bad news." Tamaki said. "Due to your fathers... "profession" being mentioned and spread by a top client, we lost all of our customers. We have to close the Host Club, permanently." Tears welled up in his eyes; for this was, metaphorically, his baby. Seeing it closed down, Kiku noted, broke his heart.

"As of right now, you are no longer allowed to talk to any of the previous Host Club members, nor work with us in a classroom setting or acknowledge us in a public setting." Kyoya spoke, gathering his things before walking out of the room, Tamaki in tow.

Kiku stood there for a moment before dropping to the ground, hugging her curvy frame towards herself as sobs escaped her throat.

The next day, she left.

*

The next school year, Haruhi Fujioka started her first day at Ouran Private Academy. She walked through the hallway's aimlessly, pulling out her phone and sending her best online friend, GalaxyWriter, or by first name basis, Kiku Ren. Kiku lived in America, but the two first started talking over their favorite show about demon butlers and a bratty thirteen-year-old. Kiku was the closest thing Haruhi had to a friend, preferring books and words rather than physical communication.

But now, Haruhi's mission was simple: find a quiet place to study. The libraries were all filled with gossiping rich people, so they were out, but Haruhi had heard that the school had a few abandoned music rooms, so hopefully one of them would be empty. She made her way past the classrooms to the first room in the hall: music room number three. She opened the door, looking around and seeing but a few boys, two of whom she recognised, sitting there. She cleared her throat, drawing their attention towards her.

"Excuse me, I hope I'm not bothering you, but do you mind if I study in here? All the other libraries are full."

The boy closest to her, a handsome blonde-haired blue-eyed sophmore in her geometry class (for her, more like an advanced math, as the class was made for sophmores) nodded, waving her over with a smile.

"Of course, though this is the only stable table left here, so I hope you don't mind company." He said, shooting her a wink. She rolled her eyes before setting herself down.

"You're Haruhi Fujioka, right? The new honors student?" The black haired boy next to him asked, readjusting his glasses. She nodded.

"And you're Tamaki Suoh and Kyoya Ootori, am I right?"

Both boys nodded, slowly introducing their friends as Honey, Mori, Hikaru, and Karou. Haruhi looked over towards their scattered papers, rows of numbers and words intriguing her.

"What are you working on, if you don't mind sharing?" She asked, curious. Tamaki sighed before turning to her.

"Last year we had to shut down our Host Club, due to an accident, and so the school lost a lot of income that the club received from it's customers. We're trying to run the numbers and plan out a presentation that would prove to the school board that just because something happened, doesn't mean that we can't try it again. I mean, the people involved are gone- one graduated, and one just disappeared." Tamaki said.

Haruhi picked up a couple of papers, studying the numbers before placing them down and smiled.

"I'm good with numbers, but not with words. Do you mind if I phone a friend? She may have some insight on how to better what you already have."

The group nodded as she pulled out her phone, opened Google Hangouts, and phoned her friend. Within seconds, the person picked up, her once bubbly voice now laced with pain and stress. Tamaki looked at Kyoya, Mori, and Honey in shock at the speaker's voice.

"Hey Haruhi! What's up; you only call when something's up."

"Kiku?" Tamaki asked softly, eyes widening in disbelief.

"Haruhi, put me on screen call." Kiku asked. Haruhi nodded, switching modes and holding up her phone to the group. Kiku looked the same, and yet, different also. Her hair was the same color, but braided and wrapped around her head tightly; her face showing sighs of stress and lack of sleep.

"Hi Tamaki. Hey guys." She said softly, turning away from them.

Tamaki ended the call abruptly, gathering his things before running from the room, Kyoya following soon after.

The next day, the two were gone, and the plans destroyed. No more Host Club. And no more would anyone say the club's semi-famous saying: kiss kiss fall in love.