Chapter Text
“I’ve decided,” Tamaki started. He placed his cup down on the table for emphasis. Kyoya’s eyes fluttered open as he brought his teacup to his lips and took a small sip. “We should start a club together.” When he got no response, he added, “It would be a host club!”
Kyoya barely managed to contain the tea that threatened to spill from his lips back into the cup. He quickly composed himself and put the clay cup down on the table to look Tamaki in the eyes.
“Tamaki, this is the worst idea you’ve pitched to me this week.”
“No, I’m serious!” Tamaki maintained. “We’re going to the high school next year so it would be the perfect time to start a club. I even know who I’m going to invite to join us!” He was pleased to see Kyoya’s posture suddenly straighten up out of interest. “I was thinking about talking to the Hitachiin twins from the year below us, and Morinozuka and Haninozuka-senpai from the high school.”
Kyoya never broke eye contact with Tamaki as he continued to ramble about his grand idea. The usual interested smirk crossed his lips.
Tamaki liked that about Kyoya. The looks Kyoya gave him made him feel like he was a performer on stage being scrutinized by the harshest of critics and still be able to hold his own. It was empowering, in its own way.
Kyoya shook his head and took another sip of green tea. “It’s even more dangerous that you’ve gotten this far into the planning” He didn’t sound annoyed, so much as amused. Anyways, it wasn’t anything to be concerned about. Kyoya liked to give his feedback and Tamaki liked to talk.
Tamaki chuckled. “You might think it’s odd, but I think a host club is exactly what Ouran Academy’s lovely ladies need to relax. Besides, it would be the perfect way to set ourselves up to get to know our high school peers.”
It was a relatively simple idea, at least in Tamaki’s mind. He would assemble his elite team of handsome young men and they would dress up and serve nothing but the finest tea and cakes to the beautiful young ladies of Ouran Academy. They deserved it anyway for being so maidenly.
“I don’t really see the point. You might be new to Ouran Academy, but I’ve known all of our high school classmates easily since we were in elementary school.” He added, “Or at least the ones that matter.”
Tamaki was losing. “But not in a way that matters!” he suddenly blurted out.
Kyoya froze. He gently closed his eyes for a moment. “You’re right. Not in a way that matters.” His eyes opened and he was all business again. “Now I’ve got to ask, why are you asking me to help you?”
Tamaki tried to think. He should’ve had that part down right as soon as he asked Kyoya for help. They didn’t see eye to eye all the time, but what was Tamaki without his best friend’s support? “You could do our finances. It’d show your dad that you can handle your own business. You know I’m absolutely hopeless with money anyways.” He added offhand, “We do need some way to buy costumes.”
Kyoya really couldn’t help spitting out his tea. The thought of sticking it to his dad was incredibly tempting. It was telling how much Tamaki’s influence had rubbed off on him. The tea dribbled down his lips and he reluctantly rolled up his cashmere sweater sleeve to wipe it away with the back of his hand. “I think you and I both know that my father would find it nothing but upsetting that I spent my three years of high school doing nothing but chasing women in my spare time, whether or not I’m in charge of the budget.” He paused. “Also, costumes?”
“Of course!” Tamaki banged his fist against the kotatsu and recoiled in mild pain. He spoke with so much conviction that he thought he had scared Kyoya for a moment. Didn’t he realize that it wasn’t even an option to leave the extravagance half way? It wasn’t even worth pursuing if they couldn’t go all the way.
“Alright then, Mr. Prince Charming, how do you suppose we pay for it?” Tamaki was stumped.
Tamaki put his hand on his chin and took another sip of tea. He had assumed that he would come up with the fundraising details at some later time. Kyoya’s participation in his grand scheme was hanging in the balance. “I was thinking we could put together some calendars. You know how firefighters who need a little extra income will sell shirtless calendars to commoners who don’t have any other handsome male figures to look at? I’d be happy to model for a shirtless calendar. I’m confident that the ladies of Ouran Academy would be lining up for snapshots of my perfect torso.” Tamaki brushed his hair out of his face and stroked his hand down the front of his sweater.
Kyoya chuckled. He didn’t really know what Tamaki was going on about but it was so much like him to give an answer like that. Kyoya stretched his legs under the kotatsu and found Tamaki’s surprisingly cold feet. He smiled when Tamaki’s eyes widened. “I propose that we charge a small membership fee up front and recurring monthly to our patrons. It could follow a tiered structure where a higher tier promises more benefits.” Tamaki looked disheartened to see that Kyoya had barely reacted to his idea. “I can set that up for us quite easily and we can see about the calendars once we start to build a name for ourselves.”
Tamaki’s eyes widened instantly at the mention of his contribution;
“So you’re in?” Tamaki’s toes found Kyoya’s underneath the kotatsu.
Kyoya leaned into the table and close to Tamaki’s face. “It’s a crazy idea, but I’m in.”
Tamaki’s heart was racing. He was simply overcome with excitement. “I knew I could count on you!”