The Artsy, Shy Type

Ch.16 Tea Calms My Nerves

I smiled happily as I glanced at the beautiful scenery before me. I stood on the porch sweeping off the debris that had collected on it, such as dirt and leaves. I shook my head remembering how I even got here.

~flashback~

Carol and I sat with eyes wide once hearing the news Ranka gave us.

"So, you want us to go to Karuizawa?" Carol asked.

Ranka nodded his head. "That's right. An old friend of mine has a little pension and cafe there and doesn't mind watching you girls for me while I'm gone. You'd just have to help out around his pension and cafe."

Carol and I were invited over to Haruhi's place for supper. But Ranka had more planned for us than supper with a surprise trip to Karuizawa.

"Why can't we just stay home? We're capable of taking care of ourselves," Haruhi said.

Ranka shook his head. "Absolutely not! I can't have my three little girls home by theirselves for the whole summer break. You girls would be lonely by yourselves while papa is gone on a business trip." Suddenly it looked like a light bulb went off in his head. "What if something bad happened to you while I was gone!? I would never forgive myself." Ranka now was sprawled over the table we had sat around. "Besides, I don't want those boys here either while I'm gone."

"And we found the real reason," I whispered to Carol.

She giggled in response. Then she turned to Haruhi. "Come on Haru, if we go then we'll be free of the host club the whole time."

She beamed with realization. "That's true."

"Alex? You in?"

I nodded at Carol. "Yeah. It would be nice to relax and earn our stay."

Ranka was jumping with excitement. "This is wonderful! I'll tell him right away!"

~flashback end~

So that's how Haruhi, Carol, and I ended up working at a little pension in Karuizawa for our summer. It wasn't bad really, the three of us shared a room in the pension and got to tend to random requests by Misuzu. Who turned out to be a guy and was a transvestite like Ranka. Nevertheless he was still a cool and fun boss to have. The only problem was he wanted us to look cute while working around the pension so he gave us some girly clothes and yellow frilly aprons to wear. Haruhi and Carol don't seem to mind wearing such clothes.

"Hey Alex, isn't this great?" Carol asked as she walked up beside me.

I nodded. "I missed the fresh air and great view of nature."

"Yeah," she responded. "America had fresh air and cool views but this is a nice change."

"Is it really the same?" Haruhi asked as she joined us.

"Well, I wouldn't say the same just a bit different," Carol answered.

"Do you guys mind helping me hang up the laundry?" Haruhi asked.

"Not at all! Come on!" Carol said as she dragged me alongside her.

We all started grabbing sheets and hung them up on the clothes lines out back.

"Isn't it odd that we haven't heard a single word from the host club?" I asked.

"Well surely they aren't so bored as to intrude on our vacation," Haruhi said.

"I don't know," Carol started. "I mean, we did leave without saying a word about it to any of them. Tamaki probably thinks we've been kidnapped or something once he finds out we're gone."