Letting Go

Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club

Hitachin Kaoru knew the time was near. This feeling inside him was only affirmed when he saw the two started dating officially as girlfriend and boyfriend.

They should have never let in Fujioka Haruhi in their world. Then, Kaoru wouldn't be going through this loneliness. No, it was not because he was in love with Hikaru in "that" way, just that the two had always been so close. This loneliness was the feeling of the loss of a family member.

Such was Kaoru's train of thought until he met "her."

They were third years, Kaoru, Hikaru, and Haruhi. They were the only original members of the Host Club left. They had gotten new members, but they weren't anywhere near as good as the original hosts. However, one ordinary day of host activities was about to turn into an extraordinary one.

Ever since they had started dating, Hikaru had changed his brotherly love act with Kaoru into a love triangle with Haruhi, still disguised as a boy. But that extraordinary day, Kaoru met the newest scholarship student. Mikumura Keiko.

The meeting had been accidental. Keiko had gotten lost on the way to the library and had wandered into the third music room by accident. But while Haruhi had looked like a guy the first day, she looked completely like a girl, even though she was dressed in a warm sweater (for it was winter) and jeans. But what really set her apart was the seriousness she looked at life from and her sarcastic and cutting remarks. Whereas Haruhi's had only been blunt, Keiko's had been hurtful.

After club activities, Keiko had discovered Kaoru crying in a corner in the maze.

Rather than going all teary-eyed, she had slapped him hard, cursed him (along with a

lecture on how weak he was), then left.

It was at this point that Kaoru knew for sure Keiko was not the same as any other girl. And she only continued to prove it, beating the whole martial arts club, including a surprise visitor, Hunny. The only one who beat her was the other scholarship student, Satsuki. But, only after fighting nonstop for five hours. Clearly, she was a strong girl.

As for why he fell for such a girl was beyond him. She could curse better than any guy (though she rarely did), fought better than just about anyone, and was calculating and serious, with a down-to-earth and sometimes pessimistic view of life. But still Kaoru had caught her in some shows of kindness, most prominently when she slapped him the first time and told him to move on with life.

After high school though, the Kaoru no longer saw her as much. At first it bothered him, than he realized what she had taught him.

How to move on.

Sayonara, Keiko.