Chapter Text
(colored Hatsumi)
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"Today we have a new student, now please settle down for introductions," the female teacher announced to the 2-A class.
The students began to whisper eagerly amongst themselves about this new student. The whispering ceased when a short and plump sixteen-year-old girl wearing a puffy yellow dress wandered inside the classroom with a gentle, but anxious smile.
Her cheeks were flushed from nervousness, and her tawny, straight hair was short and hung above her shoulders, hugging her oval face as her bangs hid her forehead. Her eyes had two different colors of blue, one darker and one lighter as the iris sank.
"Please introduce yourself," the teacher requested nicely.
"Hello, my name is Hatsumi Oriko and I hope we'll all get along," she said pleasantly, bowing slightly.
The murmurs rose again and this time they were more vigorous.
"Does anyone have questions for Oriko-san?" the teacher inquired.
Some hands were raised.
"What are your hobbies?" a pretty girl with long and wavy dark hair asked.
"I love sewing," Hatsumi's rosy pinks grew redder as she revealed her passion.
"How cute!" the girl praised with a small squeal.
"Ne, what's your favorite food?" a boy asked, hiding his mockery behind a mean grin.
"I love rice," Hatsumi replied lightly, ignoring it.
"...and everything" someone muttered. Some male students snickered, but Hatsumi maintained her friendly and welcoming grin without implying that she was pushing it.
A pair of violet eyes glared angrily at the improper student and two onyx ones, behind a pair of modern spectacles, glanced at the violet ones curiously.
"Oriko-san please take a seat behind Suoh-san," the teacher said while looking at the certain popular student.
Hatsumi followed her teacher's gaze and discovered a tall and stunning fair-haired boy with lovely violet eyes getting up to show her where her seat was. She gulped anxiously and proceeded to the table behind his seat, as instructed by the teacher.
As she sat, a red rose materialized in front of her face; she stared at it, confused, before taking it and briefly smiling.
"It's an honor to have the presence of another beautiful princess like you in this class, please accept this rose as a welcoming gift, Hatsumi-san," the same attractive boy kindly greeted her, "My name is Tamaki Suoh and this," he pointed to the other handsome dark-haired man with glasses, "...is my friend Kyoya Ootori, if you ever need anything please don't hesitate on calling us~" Tamaki smiled characteristically with sparkles around him.
Hatsumi blushed, not being used to being treated in this manner, "Y-Yes. Thank you..." she smiled at him and held his rose closer to her, "I will take care of it," and she would, as soon as she gets a vase and water.
Tamaki almost glomped her but recalled he was still in class, so he just bowed his head and turned back in his seat to face the blackboard again, what Hatsumi couldn't see was an atmosphere of joyful delight enveloping Tamaki, which only Kyoya could be annoyed by.
"Let's continue with our history class from yesterday, Oriko-san if you need help please call me."
"Yes!" she beamed.
It was after school and the host club was almost opening, Tamaki was twirling around in happiness and the Hitachiin twins happened to notice.
"What's wrong with the boss?" they asked in unison.
Kyoya was sitting on the table and typing on his laptop to check some things before opening, "There was a new student and she wasn't weird about his princely welcome into our class."
In one of the double couches, Mitsukuni Haninozuka stopped the fork with a piece of his cake in mid-air, "Really? That doesn't happen a lot right? Usually, they call him names~" the small pink flowers around him danced happily like his mood as, finally, the fork was led to his mouth.
"Ah," Takashi Morinozuka replied monotonously.
Haruhi could only blink, entirely indifferent to the dialogue as she waited for the club to open, but she did notice her dramatic senpai in his joyful corner, instead of his regular woe corner.
"She's a real princess and I don't care how chubby she is~ It's more to love~" he said dreamily.
"Ah? The new student is chubby?" Hikaru said.
"There isn't any chubby student here right?" Kaoru questioned, turning to the shadow king.
His glasses glittered, "We had Tomiko-san but her family moved to Ireland two months ago."
"So that means she's the only chubby student, right?" the twins said with a hint of mischief.
Haruhi had to intervene, "Hikaru, Kaoru, if you two do something horrible to this girl just because of her physical figure then I will never forgive you!" she warned with a scowl, the twins paled and nodded furiously.
"Don't get us wrong Haruhi," Hikaru said with a nervous chuckle.
"We would never judge people like that!" Kaoru added, nodding in agreement.
"Ne, you judged Haru-chan because of her commoner clothes when we met her right~?" Honey happily called out as he gulped down another cake.
"HONEY-SENPAI!" the twins cried in despair that their short upperclassman wasn't helping their case.
"Nevertheless, if she does visit us today I want everyone to be polite and leave the nasty comments about her body aside, she is a princess and she is beautiful!" Tamaki ordered sharply.
"Yes sir..." Hikaru and Kaoru begrudgingly obeyed.
Haruhi smiled towards Tamaki, "I think you're being really nice senpai, it's good seeing that you care about strangers sometimes."
The blond blushed and continued to make the usual harassment towards the petite brunette.
"Tamaki the club is about to open," Kyoya stated while closing his laptop, "I suggest that everyone gets in place and ready for another day," Mori and Honey followed him to the couch as the twins purposefully pulled and dragged Haruhi away from Tamaki.
The king scowled at them but moved to his seat in the center of the sofa, and just seconds after the large doors opened, rose petals flew, and seven melodic and synchronized voices said:
"Welcome~"
At this point, everything was fascinating for Hatsumi.
The halls, the vast and gleaming floor-to-ceiling windows, the gardens she could see as she went, and even the ceilings left her bewildered. She adored her new uniform; the puffy long yellow dress made her feel like a princess, and the red ribbon was lovely; her new shoes were comfy, and she didn't feel as exposed as when she wore her previous uniform, which had a knee above skirt; this dress was good. It was an odd tint, but she couldn't complain.
Classes were over and she was now alone, Hatsumi saw that coming.
Before her family became unexpected billionaires, it took her until middle school to make friends, or at least one best friend. But they were now in a different town, in a nicer area, in a mansion. She was finishing her final two years of high school at the exclusive and prestigious Ouran Academy. So she had to bid her best friend goodbye, but Hatsumi hoped to see her again one day.
She was delighted; her younger sister was the only one who objected to the sudden change, but what could she do? Her parents just wanted the best for their girls now that they could afford further education, and Ouran was without a doubt the finest option to secure their daughters' futures.
Her classmates appeared to be welcoming, particularly Tamaki Suoh. Hatsumi was still a little stunned after what happened this morning. No boy had ever approached and talked to her like that, at least not since him; she was frequently taunted about her weight at her old school, and her best friend from the karate club would simply kick her bullies' butts as a result. Hatsumi learned to smile and embrace herself, but she still had insecurities when no one was around to see her face crumple.
"I wonder if Tamaki will eat the cake that I baked today..." a feminine voice wondered nearby.
"He will! He's so kind, you'll see!" another girl responded, enthusiastically.
Hatsumi came to a halt just around the corner when she noticed two female students walking together while smiling; they climbed up a staircase beneath a massive chandelier, and when they vanished on the second floor, the chubby girl became intrigued.
"Cake?" she mumbled, with her cheeks growing rosy, "Is there a cake party?"
She followed the girls, with a slight stumble in walking up these stairs, but once she did, she paced faster to catch up with them. Of course, she didn't want to be seen as a creep, so she walked behind them quietly. After a few minutes of walking, she noticed the girls coming to a stop in front of a massive, shining door. When they opened the entrance, Hatsumi caught a glimmer of light coming from inside, but it faded as the doors closed behind them.
Hatsumi frowned.
Now that her curiosity had taken over her body, she took a step towards the door and peered up to see what room they had entered.
"Music room three?" she mumbled to herself.
She was confused—did those two girls belong to the music club?
Hatsumi put her plump fingers against the golden door handle, and with a swift movement, she opened and pushed the door forward. The aroma of roses, sweetness, and warm air filled her nostrils, and she spotted yellow dresses everywhere within the large area inside.
Hatsumi's eyes widened as a certain blonde from her class spotted her, as the only male uniforms within the room were from the attractive males surrounded by girls.
"Princess Hatsumi!" he cried joyously, eagerly coming towards her with a rose in hand.
"Suoh-san?" she asked, surprised to see him here.
He stopped in front of her with a radiant aura, "You came here~ I'm so happy! Did you keep my rose?" he seemed very pleased with her presence.
Ignoring everything and paying attention to his questions, Hatsumi forgot about the people behind them and beamed at him, "Of course! I was able to find a vase in the gardening area and I left it there. I was on my way to get it to take it home but…" she couldn't finish the sentence because she was too flustered to acknowledge that she was following two girls like a creep after hearing the word 'cake'.
"Ah, I know~ you heard about the famous host club and you couldn't help but see it for yourself!"
She blinked, seizing the chance for a quick excuse, "Yes, exactly! I was curious!" Hatsumi felt bad for lying, but a white lie wouldn't harm anyone.
"Wonderful!" he whirled a little away from her and struck a dramatic pose, "So what's your type?"
"My type?" she repeated slowly.
He nodded while humming, "Are you interested in the cool type?" she looked at the same boy that Tamaki introduced in the classroom, "Or the devil type?" while hugging each other, two auburn-haired twins with mischievous amber eyes smirked at her, "Maybe the cute type and the wild type?" a short boy with blonde hair and two bright honey-colored eyes beamed at her in a cute manner, and the tallest boy she has ever seen blinked at her with calm dark eyes and short black hair, "The natural type?" Tamaki went on to show Hatsumi a petite boy with short brown hair and two beautiful chocolate eyes, and when he smiled softly at her, Hatsumi blushed at how genuine and natural it felt, "Or perhaps…" suddenly, she felt her chin being cupped and her blue eyes met a pair of violet ones, "You might find the princely type perfect for you, princess~"
She flushed deeply, "I-I-I don't know!!!" she softly pushed him and covered her scarlet face out of shyness and too many embarrassed emotions, "I can't choose!"
She has never been surrounded by so many handsome boys before.
Tamaki blinked, "Hatsumi-san you..." he finally snapped and held the chubby girl close to him, "YOU ARE SO CUTE! CUTE! CUTE!"
She squeaked as Tamaki whirled her around, he was stronger than he looked.
"Oi lord, you're hurting her," two voices warned at the same time.
Tamaki stopped instantly and seized her shoulders gently to keep her steady, "Hatsumi-san, I'm so sorry!"
She was still a bit dizzy but she managed to smile, "I'm fine..."
But she wasn't, Hatsumi was inwardly panicking.
Where was she?
What club was this?
Why is there a host club in high school?
Isn't it a little too much?
She calmed down and made the decision to leave. Maybe she shouldn't have come here in the first place. Looking around, she noticed beautiful girls everywhere, and they were all staring at her with mixed faces. Hatsumi sighed between her smiles and turned to say goodbye to Tamaki, but as she was ready to do so, two arms fell on her shoulder, and she was suddenly staring at two amazingly appealing twins.
"Hey, why don't you stay? Have some cake?" the one on her right with a deep voice spoke.
"Yes, Honey-senpai always has the best cakes on his table," the one on her left with a calmer voice suggested.
Cake?
When Tamaki heard the twins, he paled and whisked them away from her to a location nearby as quickly as he could—and Hatsumi could clearly hear their private conversation.
"What are you two doing?! I told you to not be rude towards her!" Tamaki whispered sternly.
"Eh? But we offer cake to every customer," they told him with a confused and annoyed tone.
"Yes, but she may interpret it in an offensive manner!" the blond insisted.
The short girl sweatdropped; she wasn't offended, but she was wondering if they were muttering loudly on purpose or if they had no idea anyone could hear them.
"Please forgive their behavior, Oriko-san. I am sorry, but we are currently full at the moment, and it's almost closing time. But I will be pleased to see you again tomorrow, would you like to make an appointment with one of the hosts?"
Hatsumi blinked at Kyoya, who was smiling at her in a friendly manner. Something about his smile, though, was strange; it looked as if he was smiling courteously in order to make a business deal pitch. Where did he come from, anyway?
"No it's all right, I don't really belong here. But thank you for the warm welcome," she glanced at Tamaki again, who was now arguing with the twins, "I'll be going now, thanks for having me!" she giggled softly at their antics and headed towards the door.
"Of course, thank you for coming," Kyoya stated with a glint in his glasses. He watched the plump girl disappear as the doors of the club closed behind her.
"And that is why princess, you must choose me as- Uh? Hatsumi-san?" Tamaki was back from the argument, he looked around searching for the tawny-haired girl, "Kyoya, where did she go?" he asked looking at his nearby friend.
"While you were busy arguing senselessly with the twins, Oriko-san left because she felt intimidated," the shadow king responded uninterestedly, moving aside to please a paying customer.
"WHAT?!"