Ouran High School Host Club Fan Fiction ❯ Curse of the 'Flu ❯ It Takes Two To Tango ( Chapter 2 )

CHAPTER II: “It Takes Two to Tango”

 

Two weeks of studying did not suit certain members of the Host Club. On the afternoon Tamaki suspended the club, Mori recovered from his bout of 'flu and unknowingly passed it to Hunny, who only came to his house to deliver Haruhi's blessings. Guilty, Mori set about nursing his friend and soon forgot about hosting altogether.

Hmm.

Meanwhile, Tamaki, effortlessly a good student and unaccustomed to having nothing to do, contacted Kyouya and Haruhi on a regular basis - on average, five times a day. Sometimes he would ask Kyouya if they could have the Host Club in a different setting, like at one of their houses or perhaps in some respectable restaurant, but Kyouya seemed to be disinterested. Tamaki pleaded with Haruhi (`Mom won't listen to Dad! Make Mom listen to Dad!'); but she also refused, preferring her mountain of homework and numerous textbooks.

Tamaki dripped like ice-cream in the sun.

Nobody wanted fun! It wasn't fair!

He considered the twins. They were always up for a laugh, except they never liked to be apart for more than an hour… Tamaki frowned, trying to read the latest graffiti on his walkie-talkie portraits. He was looking at the one of the twins. Did that read “idiot” in the Osaka dialect…? And since when were those two allowed in his study?

Mystery.

He recalled his conversation with Haruhi. They had spoken a few minutes ago and she was just as puzzled as he was about that afternoon. Being the expert, she was able to differentiate between the twins and asked Tamaki (as he bemoaned his boring fate) why Kaoru had been so anxious to disguise himself. It was Hikaru, not Kaoru, who had been ill on that day and Haruhi knew because latter would never have dared to annoy Kyouya, his sense of humour too brash and overt to get away with it - so why? What was the reason?

`Maybe,' Tamaki had mused, `it was Hikaru's idea. After all, if Hikaru tried to act the part of the dominant twin whilst he was ill, that would have made it too easy for clients to guess which twin is which.'

`I suppose,' conceded Haruhi, impressed by this conjecture. `Now stop calling me - I'm trying to study!'

Tamaki dripped like ice-cream.

Nobody wanted fun. It wasn't fair.

He voice-dialled the twins and received Kaoru (or was it Hikaru?) on the line.

`How's Hikaru?'

A pause.

`He's fine.'

`I was wondering if you wanted to do something later…?'

`Like what, milord?'

`You know… stuff.'

`Well, I think I'm coming down with (achoo!) a bit of the 'flu myself, milord…'

A gasp.

`Must it consume us all?'

 

 

Now let us leave Tamaki to drip like ice-cream and follow the paths of Hikaru and Kaoru. The room we enter now shows one of them lying in bed while the other turns off his mobile and resumes reading a book. This room is the twins' bedroom, a place comfortably the size of a tennis-court and lately divided into two sections: the left belonging to Kaoru and the right belonging to Hikaru.

Unknown to the Host Club, they had been deeply unsettled by Haruhi and could not recognise themselves as the twins they once were. Hikaru had repelled the idea of being the older half of a set and proceeded to dye his hair a vivid flamingo pink, only to pass it off as part of the act; Haruhi's words reminded him too well of what was expected of an older brother and he acknowledged properly - probably for the first time - how readily he took advantage of being an identical twin. He was not as calm and diligent as Kaoru and he usually led his sibling into trouble. And Kaoru knew this, like Kaoru knew so many other things…

He studied his twin. He cherished every contour of that wonderful face. Right now it was creased in concentration as the pale brown eyes wandered up and down, deciphering so deftly the difficult kanji and turns of phrase that characterised ancient Japanese literature. Kaoru was talented in that area; though he failed at the more logical disciplines, science and maths.

Hikaru smiled at Kaoru's enquiring gaze. `You should go and see Tamaki,' he said. `It's boring being here with an invalid.'

Kaoru placed his hand over Hikaru's. He did not smile or respond for some minutes. He was thinking of seeing Haruhi and perhaps persuading her to come and visit their house. Haruhi had never been to their house, had she, and it would cheer Hikaru up to no end…

`I could never be bored with you,' Kaoru said, squeezing his brother's hand.

Hikaru turned away and coughed; he missed the momentary sadness in Kaoru's eyes. `Go and see Tamaki,' said Hikaru, `and don't come back until you've had some fun!'

`If you insist,' smiled Kaoru, and promised to return in a couple of hours.