Keep It Together (OHSHC/Hikaru Love Story)

Chapter 9

The next day, Tamaki called for a quick meeting before Renge showed up and opened the Host Club. I didn't actually know what was going on since he hadn't told me earlier, but I figured it was about our new manager. We all sat around a table, and he began, "I thought about it a lot last night, and maybe having a lady manager isn't such a bad idea."

The twins asked, "Why do you say that?"

Tamaki explained, "Well, it's fairly obvious, isn't it? Renge just transferred into the same class as Haruhi, so if Haruhi has a girl friend around, it could bring out the female within her. Renge's girlish air of tenderness might be able to stimulate Haruhi's own sense of femininity."

Haruhi muttered, "Good grief."

I narrowed my eyes, "First of all, I'm still here, and I hope you remember I'm a girl. Second, I don't see why you feel the need to change her when she's obviously fine the way she is."

"Katashi, you don't know Haruhi very well, and the only time you really see each other is during this club. If she becomes more feminine, then she'll gain more friends and won't be so frank all the time. It's the best thing for her," he argued. I frowned, seeing there was no way to get through to him. I was glad that he cared about her so much, but he'd never see that he doesn't need to change her.

He continued, "Now is our chance to help Haruhi get in touch with her feminine side. This is an important project." He pointed at the twins sitting across from us. "She doesn't have any friends in class right now except for these shady twins. That's not good for her."

They raised an eyebrow at Tamaki and me, "Like you have room to talk." I shrugged in response.

The doors opened, and Renge poked her head in, "Hey, everyone! You'll be happy to know that your new manager, Renge, has baked all of you some cookies!" She held up purple tissue paper filled with chocolate chip cookies.

Tamaki rushed over to her and made sure to be extra dramatic, "Oh, isn't she lady-like? I'm so moved by your generosity!"

She glared, "I didn't bake these cookies for you, you phony prince." The statement completely broke his heart and made him go to his depressed corner. I shook my head at him and sighed. Renge rushed over to Kyoya and showed him the cookies, "I'm sorry, I burnt them a little bit. I did the best I could, and I already know what you're going to say." I caught the cookies when she dropped them as she blushed, "Oh, you're always so sweet to me, Kyoya!" I guessed she was having a conversation in her head since he hadn't said anything.

Honey took one of the cookies and started eating it, "She wasn't kidding. These cookies really are burnt."

Mori told him, "Don't eat that, Mitsukuni! It's bad for you." Rnege suddenly turned to them and hissed before chasing them around. Honey screamed in fear, and I would have tried to help, but she was intimidating me, too....

Haruhi also took a cookie and bit into it. "They're not that bad at all. They've got a good flavor to them."