SynopsisEdit

Kyoya recalls for Haruhi how he and Tamaki first met and became best friends.  Their friendship starts out as an "assignment" by Kyoya's father to befriend Tamaki.  Kyoya's patience is tested by Tamaki's odd requests, including sightseeing all over Japan.  Ultimately, he snaps; but instead of being put off, Tamaki accepts Kyoya as he is.  From that point on, their friendship is established and grows into their being "best friends" as Tamaki wanted from the outset.Edit

Characters In Order of AppearanceEdit

• Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka
• Mitsukuni "Honey" Haninozuka
• Hikaru Hitachiin
• Kaoru Hitachiin
• Tamaki Suoh
• Kyoya Ootori
• Haruhi Fujioka
• Fuyumi Ootori
• Yoshio Ootori

Detailed SummaryEdit

The episode begins with "Welcome to the Host Club." The scene skips to the salon, revealing each character. The guests discuss the Kotatsus in the room. Tamaki remarks that even though a Kotatsu is usually used in the winter he believes that it's perfect for the clients of the host club because they're always ahead of the trend. Kyoya looks up at Tamaki from his notebook as the blond expresses his hope that the girls will enjoy the home-style service of dining under a Kotatsu.

Haruhi, while standing beside Kyoya, asks if the Kotatsu service was Tamaki's idea. Kyoya replies, "Yeah," and continues writing.  After a while she asks, "Why would someone as cool as you fall for a crazy idea like a high school host club?"  Kyoya looks up at Tamaki with a small smile and says, "Well, because it was a crazy idea."

Flashback two years before the first episode with Kyoya entering his final spring in middle school.  A shot of Kyoya's bedroom suite is shown, vacant and empty. The title scene commences, then depicts Kyoya walking down an Ouran hallway.  A classmate calls to him, asking him to wait. The boy reveals his father's excitement over the important people who were present at the opening of a new Ootori hospital. The scene shows the boy as a black-and-white still while Kyoya details the boy's socio-political merit in his head. Kyoya replies politely and walks into a classroom.

There, two more boys approach him who congratulate him on being first in their class and for being class representative for the third year in a row.  The scene focuses on one boy in the same black-and-white way while Kyoya once again details the boy's merit in his head, then refocuses on the other boy, the same thing repeating over. He then notices some girls admiring him in the corner of the room but dismisses them as "frivolous minded."

He sits down only to have another boy approach. The boy is detailed the same way as the other three after he asks Kyoya to come with him to his family's villa in the mountains. In his head, Kyoya remarks he could care less for the stargazing the boy requests everyone do with him and is only interested in meeting the boy's important father.

Scene skip ahead to Kyoya's home where his sister Fuyumi berates him for imposing on the boy to only meet his father. Kyoya replies that it's simple give and take.  Fuyumi reminds that as the third son, their father expects less of him than of their older brothers. Kyoya expresses regret at that, but determines to not only surpass his father's expectations but to never step on his brothers' toes in the process -- a daunting task expressed as being forced to paint a perfect picture already placed in a magnificent frame. Fuyumi compliments his ambition but asks if that will make him happy.  Kyoya replies that his happiness is irrelevant, insinuating that all of his emotions are likewise.

Kyoya's voice is heard again as a voiceover, commenting on his brothers' successes as the four Ootori males are seated at a table, dining.  Kyoya's father tells Kyoya to befriend Tamaki Suoh, a new transfer student, because it "would be in our family's best interest."  Despite Fuyumi's previous words, the Ootori patriarch makes it clear that Kyoya must indeed surpass his brothers in order to please him.  Desperate for recognition, Kyoya agrees to befriend Tamaki, remarking to himself that it will be an easy task.

Kyoya researches Tamaki on his laptop.  Kyoya's intial opinion is disdain and envy for the "love child's" easy path to heading the Suoh family.  Skip ahead to the following day when Tamaki is introduced to Kyoya and Ayame, the class representatives. Tamaki gushes over Ayame's beautiful hair. She blushes and Kyoya wonders if Tamaki's effect is based in a cultural difference. Tamaki and Kyoya then shake hands as Kyoya asks if he'd like to go on a tour of the school with him.  Tamaki happily agrees.

As they walk, Tamaki asks if Kyoya has a Kotatsu at his house. His hopes are coupled with sadness over his own home's Western decor.  Kyoya notes that Tamaki is a foreigner enamored with Japanese culture.  Kyoya then informs Tamaki that his family does not own a Kotatsu but that his house does have Japanese decor. Tamaki freaks out, then apologizes for being insensitive in asking Kyoya about the Kotatsu since only happy Japanese families have one.  Kyoya promises to place a Kotatsu in his home if Tamaki visits. Tamaki is thrilled, insisting that he and Kyoya are now "best friends" and asks if he can now call Kyoya by his first name instead of by his last as he had been doing before.

Scene skip back to Kyoya's bedroom where Fuyumi questions her brother's best friend status with Tamaki in only a day.  Kyoya remarks that Tamaki doesn't understand the meaning of best friends and wonders if the boy is even fluent in Japanese. He admits that although Tamaki was able to draw him in like all the others, he considers Tamaki a complete idiot.

The following day Tamaki tells Kyoya he wants to visit Kyoto, listing several tourist locations. Kyoya corrects Tamaki's false impressions and the blond again freaks out, further convincing Kyoya that Tamaki is "an even bigger idiot than he thought."  He agrees to show Tamaki the sights and calls Kyoya a god.

Scene skip to Kyoya and Tamaki in Kyoto where Kyoya reflects upon how how confusing Tamaki is yet has already won over the class.  When Tamaki impugns Kyoya's ability to entertain him, Kyoya creates a perfect itinerary for visiting Hokkaido only to be told that he should be "hitting the books" for finals by none other than Tamaki. That evening at home, Kyoya's calm facade is shattered.  He rants to Fuyumi saying, "I've never wanted to hit someone so badly in my entire life." Instead of being shocked, Fuyumi is secretly pleased to see her brother express honest emotion.

Skip to the following Sunday.  Fuyumi meets Kyoya at the front door and tells him "his friend" is there.  Inside, Kyoya hears Tamaki play the piano for the first time, bringing him to tears.  Later that day, as the boys share tea, Kyoya tries to make small talk, but Tamaki cuts to the heart of the matter about Kyoya's true feelings about heading the Ootori family.  Kyoya reveals his jealousy of Tamaki's ease of succession in the Suoh family to which Tamaki replies that, given his grandmother's dislike of him, is not guaranteed. 

Tamaki's cavalier attitude infuriates Kyoya who tosses over the table and chastises Tamaki for being ungrateful and, to himself, for being able to see through Kyoya's facade of complacency.  Instead of being upset, Tamaki challenges Kyoya to create his own future.  Kyoya laughs for the only time in the series and a more genuine version of his personality begins to emerge.  Kyoya is then seen at the canvas of his life, going beyond his previous notions to begin shaping it to his own desires.

Scene skip to winter.  Kyoya and Tamaki are having tea at a Kotatsu in Kyoya's room evidencing a happy relationship where there was none before. Tamaki outlines his plan for the Host Club.  Kyoya has come to view Tamaki as a true friend who accepts him as he is and who, if he allows himself, will show him another side to life.  In his tea, he sees an upright tea leaf in the liquid, omen of good fortune, and smiles.

TriviaEdit

• The origin of Tamaki and Kyoya's friendship is revealed as initially forced, but later transformed into a genuine bond.
• Fuyumi is revealed as Kyoya's older sister and the ony Ootori family member who genuinely cares about him. Kyoya's patience with her evidences his affection for her in return.
• The symbolism of Kyoya's wardrobe in this episode is subtle, but telling.  At the start, one sees Kyoya's bedroom empty of life, without any personal touch except for his closed schoolbag.  In the next scene with Fuyumi, she berates Kyoya for being manipulative. Kyoya's emotions here are neatly boxed, like his wardrobe in the drawers.  Fuyumi refuses to allow this and, bit by bit, Kyoya's clothing/emotions begin to emerge, unable to be adequately re-stowed.  He tells Fuyumi to stop "rummaging" but she keeps at it, drawing him into a conversation about their father's expectations.  After Tamaki enters Kyoya's life, Fuyumi is seen telling Kyoya he has too many clothes/emotions stuffed away.  The floor is now covered with clothing.  Fuyumi also remarks that once they're out, they can't go back in.  When she notices Kyoya's Hokkaido plans, Kyoya's clothes are seen sticking out of the drawer permanently, if a bit messily.  When Tamaki refuses the Hokkaido trip and tells Kyoya to "hit the books," Kyoya's emotions explode and his wardrobe is seen all over his room, literally letting everything "all hang out."