Comes up Roses

Chapter 14: The Questionable Business Practices of the Ouran Host Club

The little boy that burst into the Host Club before hours started had Masae's blood pressure rising for a number of reasons.

First: he looked rather scruffy. In a hastily-arranged elementary school uniform, he had messy hair and bandaids on his knees. The boy looked like he would get their furniture dirty if he was allowed to sit on it; Masae decided she would intervene if it seemed like he was going for a sofa.

Second: this situation felt all too reminiscent of how they'd met Renge. After the boy came in, he just stared at the Hosts like he was confused about them. Had he come to the wrong room? Was he in love with one of them and vying for a managerial position?

And thirdly: the Hosts were doing a tribute to the Middle East. They were all dressed like Sultans. Except for Masae, who had been goaded by the Twins into putting a flower behind her ear. What an embarrassing day to have a new guest.

The Hosts, arranged in a group in preparation for their first customer, stared back at the little boy.

"Huh. It's just a kid," said Hikaru.

Suoh was less reluctant to brush the child off. "What's wrong, little boy?" He asked, turning on the princely charm. "What treasures did you come to my palace in search of?"

The little boy glared at them so hard that, for a moment, Masae thought he wasn't going to answer. Eventually he asked, "Are you the king of this place?"

This was, of course, the greatest question Suoh had been asked. Flattered beyond words, the Prince Host sighed wistfully.

"Well, are you?" The little boy's voice grew gruff.

"Come closer little boy," said Suoh, leaning forward on his throne. "What was it you called me, oh lost one?"

"The king?" The boy sounded less sure of himself, probably questioning his decision to seek out the Hosts. Masae certainly would, in his shoes.

Suoh swooned, jerking so far to the side that he just about fell out of his chair. If he even noticed the way some of the others flinched away from him, he certainly didn't let on. "Oh, the king!" He cried. No one had ever called him that before, and he was prepared to milk it harder than he'd milked anything in his life. "Yes, I am the king of the Ouran Host Club! Long live the Host King!"

Masae imagined that it was bad form to wish yourself a long reign, but when was Suoh ever in good form? Besides, it wasn't like anyone else was going to say it.

The little boy, to his favor, was very good at brushing off Suoh's antics. "I'm an elementary fifth-year student: Shiro Takaoji!" He introduced himself with much more intensity than was called for, pointing a small finger at all of them. Even Prince Suoh gave pause, self-absorbed as he was. "I want the Host Club to take me on as an apprentice!"

So it wasn't a managerial position he was interested in, but a bigger piece of the pie. That wouldn't work. Masae got up from her table to tell him just as much, but Suoh beat her to it.

He flourished his arms so hard Masae thought they would break. With a hefty blow to her pride, Masae realized that she'd lost this battle before it even begun.

Still, she made her way wordlessly to the back of the group. She peered over Kaoru's shoulder to get a better look at Shiro; he wasn't exactly Host material.

"Oh, never fear, youngling!" Suoh declared. "You'll be an orphan prince no more, once this king takes you under his wing!"

Slowly, Masae looked over to Ootori, finding him already watching her. She raised her eyebrows as if to say, you're letting him do this? He raised his eyebrows in response, glasses flashing.