Hide Away

Chapter 21: A Mean Curry!

"I get it, you must be the host club I've heard so much about." Haruhi's dad said after Kyoya made it known that the group of them knew Haruhi, they were invited in and were once again sitting around the table. "You certainly are a fine-looking bunch of young men. I'm not sure which of you I like best! What about you, dear?" He looked at the others, not giving Haruhi a chance to respond before he started talking again, "I'll tell you what. Why don't you boys go ahead and call me Ranka. That's the professional name I use at the transvestite bar I work at."

"Professional name, you mean like a stage name?" Honey asked.

"Exactly like that, Mitsukuni." Ranka said.

"Hold on, how did you know my name, sir?" Honey asked.

Ranka's smile deepened as he turned his attention towards Mori and Honey, "You two are third years, Mitsukuni Huninozuka, and Takashi Morinozuka." He then looked towards the twins, "You two are first years in the same class as Haruhi, you're the Hitachiin twins, but I'm not sure which one of you is which." He smiled, then looked towards Setsuko, "And you, you're second year Kuwata Itsuki. I've heard a lot about you." He said.

"What? So Haruhi told you about us?" Koaru asked.

"No, Kyoya told me about you two over the phone!" Ranka said.

Kyoya and Ranka turned to each other and pressed their hands together, the two of them smiling at each other.

"You know, you really are a beautiful person, Ranka." Kyoya said.

Setsuko sighed, "Why am I not surprised?" I wouldn't be surprised if he kept in contact with Kuwata as well.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki asked from his corner of gloom where he was sulking whatever happened between him and Ranka earlier.

"We've been trusted with the care of his precious daughter." Kyoya said. "It is only natural that we introduce ourselves and give periodic reports." Kyoya said. "Ordinarily that would be your job, wouldn't it?"

Setsuko watched as Tamaki flinched back from those words, falling towards the ground as if he were just shot by an arrow of some kind.

"I'm impressed the Club has such a capable president. But wait a minute, you're only the vice-president, aren't you Kyoya? I guess that president of yours is pretty much good for nothing, huh?"

"Haruhi, I like your dad already." Setsuko said, giving Haruhi a thumbs up while Tamaki got hit with nonexistent arrows.

Haruhi had a mix of anger and fear on her face, and she pushed herself up, "You never mentioned this to me, Dad!" She shouted, "Why didn't you say that you've been getting calls from Kyoya-senpai!?"

"What am I supposed to do Haruhi? You rarely tell me anything about school."

"So that makes it okay to talk behind my back? And stop growing mushrooms in other people's closets?!"

Setsuko turned from Haruhi to Tamaki, who was sulking in the middle of a newly grown mushroom patch.

"Haruhi, the thing about you is... you're cute even when you're angry!" Ranka exclaimed, moving from where he was sitting and wrapping his arms around the brunette as he gushed about how cute Haruhi was.

"I don't know what it is about him, but Haruhi's dad reminds me of someone." Hikaru said.

"It's Tamaki. He's a lot like Tamaki except I don't hate him." Setsuko said, watching as Ranka gushed over Haruhi.

"This explains why she's so good at handling the boss." Koaru said.

Haruhi suddenly pushed herself out of her dad's grasp and she started walking towards the door.