Comes up Roses

Chapter 4: The Pool

Dear Masa-chan,

Tama-chan told us that you don't believe in love because of the Host Club, and that made all of us really sad.

Do you remember that time you made a cake and brought it into the club? It made me so sick, and right before club hours started too! I could barely move and I ended up having to go to the hospital for it. Takashi had to talk to our customers while I was gone and he was really uncomfortable about having to host all alone. You usually don't sit at our tables, but you did that day. He told me that you talked to the girls for him.

I think that's what love is, you know? Effort. You made the cake for us, and you helped Takashi with hosting, and you paid for my medical bills. I bet you didn't know I knew that, did you? But Kyo-chan told me after that that's what you did.

So you do love us, but I don't think you know you do. That's okay. We can wait for you to realize that you care, and we'll still be here for you when you do.

Love, your secret admirer (Mitsukuni Haninozuka)

🥀🥀🥀

"Let's play the Which One is Hikaru Game!"

Masae looked over her shoulder. Surely they were talking to someone else. But music room three was empty on this fine Friday afternoon, and the Hitachiin Twins were most certainly talking to her. They stood in front of the table she was working at, wearing those stupid hats that made it impossible to tell which way they parted their hair.

She deadpanned. Since when did she play their silly Host games? "You're joking."

"Usually, yes, but not right now," one of them said.

Masae gestured at the pad of paper before her. "I'm busy! Can't you bother somebody else?"

There was a pause as the three of them looked around the room. It was empty, the other Hosts off doing whatever Hosts did when there was nothing to do; something disturbing, probably. When Masae looked back at the Twins, they were both smirking evilly.

"No," she said. "You're both old enough to entertain yourselves."

"But we don't want to," they said in unison. "So, which one is Hikaru?"

"Listen, no offense, but I'm very busy." And I don't really care, she added to herself.

A bony elbow rested itself on the top of her head, and another on her shoulder. Masae tried to shrug them off, but as always, the Twins had her trapped in.

"C'mon, just guess," one of them said. "It's just one little word."

"Yeah, what are you afraid of?" The other one added. "That you might actually make a friend in the people you turn your nose up at?"

Where did they get the right to talk to her like that? Masae was done with this. She stood up, pad of paper in hand. The look she leveled at the Twins was ice cold. "I don't think it particularly matters which one of you is Hikaru, does it? That's why you sell yourself as a matching set. If you'll excuse me."

She left, and for the second time now, the Twins let her go.

🥀🥀🥀

As the day wound to a close, Masae found Ootori. She didn't particularly relish the idea of going anywhere with him, but the trip to his father's new spa resort wasn't something she had a choice in. Hopefully it would be relaxing.

Of course, the rest of the Host Club was going too. So probably not.

The Twins were staying behind to kidnap Fujioka and Suoh was staying behind to supervise, so Ootori's luxury car consisted of himself, Masae, Honey, and Morinozuka.