DISCE, OHSHC.

⁺ ♡ no need to rush things

"Hold on. I haven't been able to talk to you all night."

You nearly tripped from stopping so abruptly. It had been like that for most of the night, you rushing around in an eager cloud, only pausing when someone greeted you or something caught your attention. Normally for events like this, and particularly art events your parents hosted, you would claim a corner and sulk until your parents allowed you to slink off. It must have come off as a surprise how involved you were for this gala. Everything seemed bright and colourful and glimmering, and you could barely stay in one spot before something else called you off.

"Is everything okay, Mom?" you asked.

Your mother smiled. "Yes, everything is fine. I just wanted to thank you for all of the effort you're putting into the gala tonight. I know you don't usually enjoy things like this but it means a lot to me and your father how much energy you're bringing to the event. We haven't seen his side of you in a while."

You shrugged. "I know I haven't been making it easy, sulking and groaning and all that. I figured tonight was as good a time as any to quit all of that. Plus there's some really great art here tonight. It hasn't been that hard to get excited."

Your mother pulled you to her and kissed the top of your head. "I'm so proud of you. You're becoming so mature."

You were a little insulted your mother hadn't thought you were mature before but you let it slide. To be honest, you had gotten pretty tired of your moping too since Malta. You were glad to put it behind you, and that was due, at least in some part, to the Host Club.

"You remember the speech that's going to happen before the dinner, right?" your mother asked, letting you go.

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to it. I never heard who the speaker was going to be." Your parents' choice for speeches had run the entire gamut of people in the past. They liked having someone new each year to hype everyone up before judging went underway after the dinner.

Your mother looked at you, a slight line between her eyebrows. It smoothed a moment later, and she sighed, shaking her head. "It'll be a surprise then."

You gave your mother a questioning look. She smiled. "Go find your friends and let them know the dinner will be starting soon. I'm so glad you invited them. They've been such a big help. We've never gotten such a big turn out before. I'll have to remind your father that we need to thank them all when the gala is over."

"Alright. Whatever you say, Mom."

It seemed that Kyoya hadn't been lying that one time he said the Host Club had experience overseeing events. Haruhi had informed you the Host Club happened to be one of the main attractions during school festivals and academy open-houses.

The entire night, they had all been nothing but cordial and refreshing. They knew enough about art to keep the older crowd occupied and could flirt well enough to keep the younger crowd from going home too early. Indeed, you had overheard the judges marveling at the number of submissions they'd gotten and how this year would be much more interesting competition-wise. It seemed that word had gotten around at Ouran about the Host Club being at the gala and most of their usual guests couldn't resist.

You hadn't seen Mayako, which was a relief. Not that you would have minded, but you wanted to enjoy yourself tonight. You wanted to make your last time with the Host Club memorable. Maybe muster enough courage to deliver an eloquent speech about how thankful you were they had taken you on and helped you out of your post-breakup fog.

It was easy enough to find Honey by the refreshments table, Mori hovering nearby. He waved at you and you grinned.

You had asked the Host Club a few days before the gala what an appropriate theme would be for the outfits that would inevitably have to be put together. To your surprise, no one had very adamant opinions about it until Haruhi suggested that you all dress like 19th century painters. Dark pants, flowy white shirts, mussed hair and smudges of paint. You actually didn't mind it, and the guests were just eating it up.