Adrien was dressed much like Tamaki was, except in a red color scheme while Tamaki was in a purple one.

Marinette had seen many pictures and clippings of Adrien, but seeing him in the flesh was a whole other out of body experience.

"Well, what do you think?" The twins spoke in unison.

Marinette was speechless, still. Tamaki was humming shortly.

"I guess we have to try and find out." Tamaki looked down and cleared his throat, all commotion going silent as they all focused on him.

"Our new host, Adrien Agreste, is now open for business." He announced.

It was almost like a wave of girls came running at them, washing away the Hitachiin twins and Tamaki away.

Kyoya eventually had to step in and settle the crowd, getting a list of appointments started.

Adrien was set at a small table with two girls, who were drooling at the eye candy he was. And Marinette couldn't blame them.

Marinette sat at a small picnic table with the Hitachiin twins, watching from the distance. Adrien certainly was a little awkward, but he glanced over at Marinette, and she gave him an encouraging thumbs up.

Adrien smiled and he turned to the girls, who were swooning at a smile not directed at them.

"How well do you know him?" One of the twins asked, pulling Marinette's attention away.

"I mean," She glances back at him before looking back at the twins. "Not personally? I knew of him, but I never knew him personally." She explains.

"His father runs one of the biggest fashion companies in France. The Agreste Line?" Kaoru asked.

Marinette nodded. "Yes! He's quite a famous designer and Adrien is his model, I have a lot of clippings — U-Uh, I mean," She starts to laugh nervously. "Of his work! Totally not just... Not just of Adrien."

The twins look at each other before they smile mischievously.

"Sounds like someone has a crush." They sang in unison.

"What!" Squeaked Marinette as she jumped to her feet.

A hush went through the club and all eyes were on Marinette. A blush went through her and she laughed nervously, getting back into her seat.

"Gosh, Marinette," cooed Kaoru.

"Don't go letting everyone know you have a huge, massive crush on Adrien." Hikaru sang.

"Shut up!" Marinette hissed softly. "I don't have a huge, massive crush!"

The twins laughed at Marinette's minor fuming and continued to bicker.

While Adrien didn't have girls to tend to, he would watch all the other hosts. Especially Tamaki.

Tamaki was a Natural Prince. He dripped with good looks and he always seemed to know how to get the ladies to swoon.

Adrien wasn't particularly fond of his model status back at home — being drowned by fangirls and not being able to leave the household without Nathalie and the driver.

And sure, while here in Ouran, he was still... "eye candy" as they called it, the girls weren't as wild as they were at home.

Tamaki flaunted his good looks and seemed to have fun doing it.

"My princess," Tamaki appears besides Marinette, kneeling on one knee. "Shall I steal you from the dastardly twins and whisk you away? I can show you the world." Tamaki sang, winking.

Marinette effectively blushed and set her hand in Tamaki's open one.

"Hey, who are you calling 'dastardly'." Cried the twins behind Tamaki as he twirled Marinette around.

"So, what do you think of my little club, Marinette?" Tamaki asks.

Marinette tries to settle the blush on her cheeks and she smiles. "I don't think that 'small' is the correct word for it, but it's very... interesting, to say the least."

Tamaki smiles. "You're more than welcome to come, any time you like." He gave a formal bow. "And free of charge at that."

"On one condition," Kyoya spoke. "We can't just let you in for free, now can we?"

Marinette could feel the chill run through her.

"If you bring more snacks!" Honey glomped Marinette's arm, his eyes tiny stars.

"And you help us pick and design outfits." The twins spoke together.

"Well, what do you think?" Tamaki asked.

Marinette looked down at Honey, then at the rest of the club. Tamaki looked very enthusiastic, but it was Adrien's cool demeanor that really sold it for her.

Adrien was sitting against an armrest, listening to the whole interaction. He smiled softly and gave an encouraging nod.

Marinette smiled and nodded, before she looked to the rest of the host club. "Alright, sounds like a fair deal.

Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into a month or two.

Adrien is still trying to get comfortable as a host, openly flirting with other girls, which were still in line to see him.

Marinette managed to bring a new snack daily, whether it was cookies, muffins, sponge cake, or mini bundt cakes. The club and Honey's sweet tooth were always satisfied.

Once a week, or so often, Tamaki would come up with the brilliant idea of having a theme to one of the meetings and Marinette and the twins are put to choose an outfit.

"How does he come up with these ideas anyway?" Marinette asked as they browsed through a catalogue of Hitachiin costumes.

"Do you really think they're 'brilliant ideas'?" Hikaru asks, using obvious air quotes.

"I've heard that Kyoya-senpai puts a magazine in the boss' periphery and, poof! The boss has a new idea." Kaoru whispers.

It makes Marinette think of all the themed parties they've had so far.

The first one when it was Adrien's first day. They had one in the school gardens, they had a Hawaii themed, and it made Marinette wonder.

"How does Tamaki get away with doing all these themed parties?" She asked out loud.

"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked.

"Like the tea party and the days the club has been at the gardens. And then all the decorations, like the tropical paradise. I'm eighty-five percent sure that almost all the decor was real."

"They were real." Hikaru confirms.

Marinette shivers as she recalls a snake she saw, slithering its way up a palm tree. "I mean, the school is okay with all that?" She asks.

"Why wouldn't they?" Kaoru asks.

Marinette's eyebrows furrow. "Well, I mean... to get all those authentic decorations, and to use the school's pristine gardens for a host tea party, I mean..." She trailed off, hoping that the boys would get the gist of her thoughts.

"It seems to me," Kyoya started, startling Marinette in her chair. "You don't know exactly who Tamaki is." He was scribbling words into his portfolio, standing over her.

Marinette sighed softly and looked up at him, looked at the twins and back at Kyoya. "I guess not?"

"The boss is the President's son." The twins replied.

"The President?" Marinette exclaimed.

"Of Ouran." Kyoya added. "He is the son of Yuzuru Suoh, Tamaki Suoh."

Marinette looked over at Tamaki, who was sitting on a cough with girls at his sides. "Tamaki Suoh."

When she put the two of them side by side, they looked nothing alike. But still, you won't look exactly like one parent and adoption can still be a thing. It made her wonder about his mother.

"What about Tamaki's mom?" She asked, but the sudden, sharp closing of Kyoya's portfolio made her jump.

"Would you look at the time? It's time to close for today. If you would excuse me." Kyoya gave that cold smile before heading off to go see Tamaki.

The twins watched Kyoya leave before they turned to Marinette.

"Not much is known about the boss' mom."

"All we know is that it's a touchy subject to discuss."

Marinette slowly nodded, her eyes wandering back to Tamaki, who was pouting puppy eyes at Kyoya, who was completely immune to them.

Everyone had their own family affairs. She knew that Adrien's mom was out of the picture, one of her classmates at home, Chloé, her mom left at a young age.

She was blessed to have both of her parents, but she wished nothing but the best for those who had lost a parent. Nothing can replace a missing parent.

"Marinette!" She turned to the call of her name, seeing Adrien waving her over.

Friends can become something like family, right?

"Let's go home!"

"Don't let your big, huge crush on Adrien distract you." Hikaru teased.

"Oh, shut up." Marinette hissed quietly. She stood and grabbed her school bag, heading over to Adrien. "Let's go." She smiled.

Wishful thinking, Marinette.