BLOOM [OHSHC]

Chapter 24 - A Suit or a Dress?

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"First order of business!"

Truly reunited in Music Room Three for the first time since the new semester began, we sat on plush couches as Tamaki crowed and paced around the coffee table. He looked a little more tan than the last time I saw him in the gardens, but I wasn't about to comment on it. He struck a pose in front of us, ever the performer, and said, "Our next grand Host Club event will be... a masquerade ball!"

Honey and the twins perked up immediately, shooting up straight in their seats as they applauded Tamaki's genius idea. I raised my eyebrows, exchanging a this-has-potential-to-be-fun look with Haruhi, who sat opposite me on the couches. Mori and Kyoya seemed unfazed by the news; if I had to hazard a guess, Kyoya probably knew about Tamaki's plan for the past month and had been running the feasibility numbers nonstop since then.

Takashi just... didn't like parties. Or crowds. Or people most of the time.

"On Halloween, the Ouran Academy Host Club will be throwing a masquerade ball in honor of our first openly female host," Tamaki grinned, pausing his pacing to wink at me with some cheeky finger guns. The others clapped politely, and the twins threw in a wolf whistle, which made my cheeks warm. "It will be based on the Nutcracker musical and Kimura's first major Host Club event! And, well, maybe her last, considering her parents' change of plans. Which means... We are going to prepare her for the event as best as we can, gentlemen! And the first item on the list? Anyone?" Tamaki paused for dramatic effect.

"The costumes!" Honey cheered, bouncing up and down in his seat, squeezing Usa-chan a little too tight.

Tamaki nodded and high-fived both Honey and Usa-chan—in a weirdly good mood. "You are correct, Honey senpai! I have already taken the liberty of preparing an order for the rest of us matching suits from the Hitachiin family, so shall we order you a dress from there too, Kimura?"

All of their eyes landed on me, the attention heavy and stifling. "Uh, can I get back to you on that?" I managed, strange emotions twisting in my stomach. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I just give him a straight answer?

Undeterred, Tamaki nodded and threw me a thumbs-up. "No problem!" Tamaki moved along to the next item on his agenda—theme and decorations—while Kyoya frantically wrote in his planner as Tamaki spoke.

Kaoru jumped in and said, "Sorry boss, but what's our costume? Is it a group thing? Why are we all matching except for Michiyo?"

I could practically see the wind seeping from his sails, the chaotic energy ebbing away, but I had the same question. "You know, I... hadn't really thought of that," Tamaki replied. "I suppose we do need coordinating costumes, won't we?"

"If you'll remember, I said something to that effect yesterday, Tamaki," Kyoya mentioned casually, scribbling away in his planner. He didn't look up from his notes as he said, "Michiyo wears the suit uniform like the rest of us do... so it would stand to reason that she'd wear a suit to the masquerade if we do so."

"Hang on... if Michiyo is the Rebel Type, shouldn't we play to that?" Hikaru piped up, raising his hand. "Shouldn't she choose? If we pick for her, she'll just show up in whatever she wants anyway."

"Chiyo would look cute in a suit or in a dress, huh?" Honey mumbled to himself, playing with Usa-chan's floppy ears.

Curled up with my knees to my chest on the corner of the couch, I sat there awkwardly while everyone talked around me. I felt like a kid again, with my parents arguing over what I would wear to a red carpet or a movie premiere or a charity function or whatever. Ultimately, Hikaru had the most important point — why couldn't I choose my costume myself?