Ouran High School Host Club – 24

Summary:
At the Host Club, the newest attraction are the kotatsu. Tamaki says that although kotatsu are normally used in the winter, they are ahead of the seasons and it is suitable for people who like to try new things. And thus, this is the Host Club’s kotatsu Happy Circle Service. Talking with Kyoya during business hours, Haruhi wonders if this kotatsu Service is Tamaki’s idea, and he tells her that it is. A curious Haruhi then asks why the cool Kyoya (he and Tamaki were the Host Club founders) would accept and participate in such a crazy club. As Kyoya gazes at the dashing Tamaki (who is speaking with the guests), he says that it is simply because it is crazy. Kyoya remembers that it all started two years ago, near the beginning of the last spring of his junior high years. As the third son of the Ootori family, Kyoya was surrounded by the sons and daughters of successful business leaders at school and was frequently invited by his classmates to visit their mansions. Although he was not interested in going, Kyoya wished to use these invitations to establish business connections. At the Ootori mansion, Ootori Fuyumi (Kyoya’s older sister, 24 years old) was curious that Kyoya would go over to his classmate’s house just for that reason. Doing his calculus homework, Kyoya said that they want him to come too; it was simply just give and take.
Fuyumi daydreamed about how his classmates only wanted to watch the stars with Kyoya and build their friendship romantically. She then started to sort through Kyoya’s dressers, but the more she did, the messier they become. Kyoya wanted her to just leave it to the servants, but Fuyumi continued until all of Kyoya’s clothes became scattered around the room. In any case, Fuyumi said that their father was a very strict person and sometimes Kyoya must have felt very repressed. But she thought that he was different from his older brothers, so he could relax a little bit. Kyoya said that he could not become the Ootori family’s heir, but he was different from his brothers who only needed to walk the path given to them and not worry about anything else. Because he was the third son, he could not relax; he had to meet expectations, but also do better than his brothers and unflinchingly stand at the front. His job was to perform very well, painting the perfect picture on a canvas within a splendid frame. Fuyumi thought that because Kyoya was so smart, he could handle everything perfectly, but did that really make him happy? Kyoya responded that it had nothing to do with happiness.
Kyoya’s eldest brother had already graduated from medical school and was now doing residency at Kyoya’s father’s hospital as the heir of the Ootori family. Kyoya’s brother also graduated from medical school, but then got his MBA and was supporting the eldest brother. And then there was him, the third son. At the breakfast table one morning, Kyoya’s father read from the newspaper that Suou’s son and heir, Tamaki, was transferring to Ouran. Their two families had collaborated and competed with each other many times in the past, so Kyoya’s father wanted him to be good friends with Tamaki in order to build relations and also to know the enemy. Kyoya father said that the older brothers have already been the top of their class, so he would not be satisfied with Kyoya simply being first in school. Kyoya was confident that he could figure out another person without being seen through himself, no matter what kind of person this Suou heir was – it would be easy to befriend him and achieve whatever expectations his father has for him. Doing his research, Kyoya found out that Tamaki was a child that the Suou leader had outside the country. Because his wife did not have any children, Suou brought Tamaki to Japan. Kyoya envied the fact that the son of a mistress could become the heir.
At school, Kyoya (the president of his class) was introduced to Tamaki. Tamaki exuded a friendly personality that made the female vice president fall in love immediately when he complimented her. Kyoya found Tamaki’s personality weird, but attributed it to just western customs as he volunteered to show Tamaki around the school. While they were walking around, Tamaki asked whether Kyoya had kotatsu at home. Tamaki had become absorbed into this Japanese tradition and wished to sit under one, causing Kyoya to think that Tamaki was another Westerner who was a fan of Japanese culture. When Kyoya said that they don’t have kotatsu at home even though they have Japanese style rooms, Tamaki yelled and apologized to Kyoya because he thought that families that don’t have kotatsu were not close to each other (he got that idea from watching Japanese shows). Kyoya was a little angry, but he controlled himself and forgave Tamaki’s faulty knowledge, promising to add a kotatsu to his Japanese style room. Tamaki was so jubilant that he jumped up and down, hugging Kyoya and saying that Kyoya was a best friend. He even asked if he could call Kyoya by his first name from now on, and started shouting “bravo, mon ami.”
Back home, Fuyumi commented that Kyoya became friends with Tamaki in just one day. Kyoya thinks that Tamaki probably didn’t know what “best friends” means and was annoyed that Fuyumi was again sorting through his dresser. Kyoya reflected that he had been led by Tamaki’s wishes the whole day, but at least he knew that Tamaki was an idiot. By then, Fuyumi had taken out all the clothes again and complained that once she takes them out, they couldn’t be stuffed back in. Of course, that’s why Kyoya didn’t want her to take them out. At school the next day, Tamaki put on a serious face and asked Kyoya to take him to Kyoto. After he listed some sights that he wanted to see, Kyoya had recognized that none of them were located in Kyoto. Tamaki screamed again and went off into his corner, causing Kyoya to feel that Tamaki was a bigger idiot than he thought. When Kyoya suggested that they go see the sights one by one, Tamaki was so delighted that he called Kyoya a God and a Buddha. Kyoya realized that this was the second day they’ve known each other, and he had already been promoted to God.
When they went to Kyoto, Tamaki had furiously taken photos, while Kyoya stood on the side and thinking about how Tamaki was easily impressed by everything and easily made friends with everyone in class. At home, Kyoya had been reading through a lot of Hokkaido tourist guides because he was determined to be prepared for whatever Tamaki’s random mind comes up with. However, the next day when Kyoya talked to Tamaki about Hokkaido, Tamaki had said that he understood that Kyoya liked to travel, but they needed to study for the test, so he would accompany Kyoya when the tests are done. Kyoya was so angry that he wanted to beat Tamaki up, but he calmed down and became ambitious when he remembered that his father as testing his abilities. Fuyumi, on the other hand, was happy to see Kyoya so energetic and happy for the first time. Incidentally, all of Kyoya’s clothes were now hanging outside, so Fuyumi didn’t have to sort through his dressers again.
The next Sunday, just as Kyoya was returning home relieved that he didn’t have to deal with Tamaki through a weekend, he saw Fuyumi at the door. She tells him that his friend is here to visit, and when they walk inside, they see Tamaki playing the piano for Kyoya’s older brothers, who are crying from the music. The music has a similar effect on both Fuyumi and Kyoya. Afterwards, as Tamaki and Kyoya sat down and had tea, every word that Tamaki said caused Kyoya’s anger to flare up. Tamaki wondered if this Ootori mansion was bigger than his home in France. Kyoya didn’t know about that, but he thought that the main Suou mansion was probably bigger. Actually, Tamaki himself didn’t know about the main Suou mansion since he’s never been there – he lived in the second mansion. Tamaki then asked about Kyoya inheriting the Ootori business. Kyoya replied that he had no chance since he had two older brothers, and will probably work under his brothers. Tamaki finds that surprising because he thought that Kyoya was a greedy person and saw the unsatisfaction with the current status written in Kyoya’s eyes.
When Tamaki suggested that Kyoya shouldn’t give up so easily, Kyoya got angry and declared that it was not a problem of satisfaction or not, and it was not something that Tamaki – as a sure heir – would understand. However, Tamaki explained that it wasn’t decided that he would be the heir since his grandmother hated him. As he was then, Tamaki could be the heir and was only in trial period now. And it wasn’t that he was not interested in his father’s business, but Tamaki was confident that he could do other things very well too, such as being a genius scholar or creating an animal kingdom up north. Angered by Tamaki’s carefree words, Kyoya grabbed him by the collar. Kyoya believed that making an effort gave a person the chance to move up. That’s why he didn’t understand why Tamaki didn’t try harder. Part of Kyoya’s anger also stemmed from how he felt that despite being an idiot, Tamaki saw through him. Reflecting to himself, Kyoya had the confidence that he would not lose to his brothers, but he was unhappy to be confined within the frames of the third son.
A serious Tamaki replied that Kyoya was the one that had given up trying to surpass his brothers, and Kyoya realizes that he’s right. Changing the subject, Tamaki asked where the kotatsu was since he came to the Ootori mansion wanting to experience one. This caused Kyoya to start laughing and to tell Tamaki that the kotatsu was only for the winter and so he would have to wait until winter if he wanted to use it. Tamaki smiled at Kyoya’s evil-like expression, saying that that was Kyoya’s real expression. As for that canvas within a splendid frame, not only did Kyoya paint inside the frame, but he also extended his painting to cover the entire wall, a blossoming flower. It was four months later that Tamaki suggested of the Host Club idea while he was under the kotatsu in Kyoya’s room. Tamaki wanted the other members would be Honey & Mori-senpai of the high school division and the second-year junior high twins. The more Kyoya heard about the plan, the stupider he thought it was. However, he also felt that when Tamaki’s world was shared, he could see scenes that he had never seen before. As Kyoya drinks his tea, he starts to smile.

Preview:

My thoughts:
We learned a lot about Kyoya’s past in these episodes, especially that he has not always been so cool and seemingly apathetic minded. Kyoya and Tamaki’s friendship seem to be very strong, just like Honey and Mori’s, and the Twins’.

Preview:
There is a special event at Ouran and the Host Club members are dressing up elegantly to greet the guests. Title: Host Club’s Declaration of Dissolution!

Omni’s Thoughts:
-Character episode, light on the laughs, heavy on the Kyoya-being-angry (which isn’t something we see often). Like the other character episodes, I really like how this one ended, particularly with the painting.
-Inoue Kikuko voiced Kyoya’s sister Fuyumi! I think the last major role I remember her in was Ureshiko in Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo (Yukariko was too minor a role in Mai-Otome). Anyway, it’s good to hear her voice again.
-Next week looks like they’ll be using Tamaki storyline from volume 6, with Tamaki’s grandmother.