This is Chapter 19 of the Ouran High School Host Club manga series.
Synopsis[]
Chapter Summary[]
Chapter 19 occurs right after Tamaki Suoh has lost the "refreshing" competition to Hikaru Hitachiin and Kaoru Hitachiin. With a heavy heart, he has no choice but to stay at a different summer house, which happens to belong to Mitsukuni "Honey" Haninozuka's family. Annoyed, Tamaki tries to call the Hitachiin twins again, after spending the entire night worrying about the day before. Tamaki tries to awaken Kyoya Ootori (who is also staying at the Haninozuka summer house) in order to help him "save" Haruhi Fujioka, but he is promptly scared off by Kyoya's bad temper from being awakened. Meanwhile, at the pension where Haruhi is working, the twins come
Arai and Haruhi recognizing each other
downstairs for breakfast, arguing about trivial things like getting pushed off the bed. They demand classy, preferential things for breakfast, to which Haruhi responds in a dry manner.
Tamaki suddenly appears, looking smug, and begins to chastise the brothers. He follows up by serving a classy breakfast. It is then revealed that Tamaki arrived so early (due to his worry for Haruhi) that he had Isao "Misuzu" Sonoda (pension owner) teach him how to cook everything. Tamaki then produces a "vacation guide" for the twins and Haruhi, and he begs her not to treat him as her senpai during the vacation, due to his wanting to be labeled a friend in the same way as the twins. The twins and Haruhi look over his vacation guide dubiously, pausing at a certain rule regarding early wake up and stating that there's no way Kyoya and Honey, both known for being bad-tempered when waking up, would abide by this rule. This sends Tamaki into a depressed state.
Just then, a delivery of groceries arrives. Misuzu notes that the delivery boy isn't the usual person, and when Misuzu asks Haruhi, by name, to put the groceries in the refrigerator, the boy pauses and looks up in surprise. He introduces himself as Arai and the two have a sudden reunion. The twins and Tamaki are left to look on in wonder as they realize Arai is Haruhi's former junior high classmate. When she introduces Tamaki and the twins to Arai, she sends Tamaki into further despair when she doesn't address him as senpai (as requested), but simply "acquaintance," inadvertently making Tamaki appear to be stranger.
As Arai and Haruhi catch up on old times, the other Ouran Host Club members make remarks about Haruhi and her junior high school life. Tamaki stews on the side, ripping up trash for a "hamster home" and sorrowfully moaning about how he's merely an acquaintance. This cracks Arai up, who states that he figured the rich and elite would be very different, and that they're surprisingly funny. The twins watch on the side, growing increasingly jealous of how well Arai and Haruhi are hitting it off, commenting about his "refreshing" attitude in a snarky manner. Hikaru announces that it's obvious Arai is attracted to Haruhi and that he's getting annoying, which angers Haruhi. However, Arai simply agrees with Hikaru, saying that Haruhi had rejected him in junior high, but that he's over it. Haruhi has no idea what he's talking about and in typical Haruhi fashion, looks shocked along with the rest of the Host Club members. Arai then goes into flashback story mode.
Haruhi unknowingly rejecting Arai
Flashback to middle school, and Arai is seen chasing Haruhi down a hallway. He breathlessly asks her if she's going to attempt the Ouran High School scholarship test. She responds in affirmation. When Arai states that he wants to go to the same school with her, Haruhi remarks plainly that he should have told her earlier. Even when Arai finally shouts that he wants to go out with Haruhi, she takes him literally, saying they can go outside.
Back in the present, the Host Club looks at Haruhi in disbelief with Kyoya stating that she broke Arai's fragile heart with her insensitivity and Haruhi responding that she had no idea. She apologizes to Arai a year late, but he accepts the apology graciously, going on to talk about her appealing aspects (e.g. her sincere eyes and demeanor). As the Host Club and Arai start conversing, the twins continue to observe. Kaoru asks Hikaru if they should join in since it looks like fun, but Hikaru refuses, saying it's stupid for Tamaki to fall for Arai's stories. He loudly proclaims that Arai's tales are dumb and that he doesn't care for him anyways. Haruhi's infuriated response is a hard slap on his cheek. Hikaru demands that since he's her friend, she doesn't need to care about others, then runs off.
Kaoru follows his brother and tries talking things through with him, chiding him about his rude behavior, and encouraging him to apologize to Arai. When Arai is leaving, Hikaru appears and apologizes. However, after Arai rides away, Haruhi looks at "Hikaru" (in reality, Kaoru) and asks why he's pretending to be Hikaru. Kaoru replies that it will take time for Hikaru to come around, then ends the conversation by asking Haruhi for a favor.
Kaoru is shown later to be under the bedcovers, telling Hikaru that he caught a cold from sleeping on the floor yesterday. Kaoru rejects calling a doctor, but
Kaoru cooking up a date between Hikaru and Haruhi
instead asks Hikaru for a favor, wondering if Hikaru will take Haruhi out on a date that he promised her the day before. Haruhi and Hikaru prepare to go out on a date, and Kaoru is seen secretly looking on with happiness, while Tamaki sighs and asks him why he faked a cold. Kaoru responds that its all about growing up.
Trivia[]
In Japan, older classmates are addressed as "senpai" and younger classmates as "kohai." Since students speak more comfortably with friends of the same age, Tamaki's desire not to be considered Haruhi's senpai is a request to be closer, like a "classmate."
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
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