.
But The Rose Has Thorns
Snodin
.
It was a normal afternoon in the Host Club. The boys flirted- either with the guests or with each other, it didn't matter; becaue at the end of the day, everyone was happy.
It was after hosting hours when things got interesting.
As per usual, the younger Host Club members were in charge of cleaning up Music Room 3. Haruhi was especially appointed this task as part of her debt repay, much to her annoyance. It wasn't that she was a stranger to cleaning; heck, she downright enjoyed it at times. What really annoyed her was the fact that she had to spend that late afternoon with... those two.
Hikaru and Kaoru were being their usual impish selves, exchanging coy glances at each other and telling mean jokes about their "Boss," and asking stupidly childish questions to Haruhi. Of course she answered them as calmly as she could, but always with a decisively cold tone:
"Hey, Kaoru."
"Yes, Hika?"
"Have you ever wondered how much our servants make a week?"
"No, I never bothered to ask. Hey, Haruhi?"
"Yes?"
"Do you have any idea how much money a maid would make in a week?"
"Are you asking because I clean up after you rich bastards?"
"We're asking because you're a commoner," said Kaoru innocently. "And," he added quickly, "because you seem to know everything."
"Don't you wish you could afford your own servants, Haruhi?"
"No."
"Why not? Wouldn't that make your life easier?"
"I wouldn't feel comfortable with making someone else clean up after me."
"How often do you have to clean up your own messes, Haruhi?"
"Every day."
"Do you get paid for it, like our maids and butlers do?"
"No."
"Your father doesn't give you a salary? No wonder you're so dirt poor."
"Hikaru," snapped his twin, "now that was just mean."
The elder Hitachiin stopped in his tracks with a dumbfounded look on his face, as though he were offended by his brother's condescending remark. "I was only asking," he said in a slightly miffed tone. Haruhi ignored the comment; she was distracted.
She was standing over the round table by her couch, observing the red roses that were arranged in a glass vase in the center. She knew she had to dispose of them, even though they were freshly picked. It was the policy of the Host Club to have everything fresh and new for each new day, and that included fresh batches of roses. She saw this one particular task in her routine as the most wasteful; why throw away perfectly fine bouquets? It wasn't as though they withered overnight. Still, she felt such an argument wasn't worth approaching, especially where Kyoya was concerned. Whatever he said went, and that included "fresh new flowers."
As she stared blankly at the intricate, blood-red petals, she found herself imposing a question of her own: "I've always wondered... Why are roses the symbol of love and affection?"
"Hmm?" the boys chimed in unison.
"I mean," blonked the girl in boy's clothing, "I get that they smell nice and all, but so do other flowers. And none of them have thorns. So why roses?"
The twins looked to each other with narrowed eyes; it seemed like such a simple question with a simple answer, yet neither of them had an immediate answer.
"Maybe," said a snarky Hikaru, "it's to keep sneaky Tanukis from stealing them."
"Hey," replied the tomboy defensively, "I don't steal anything from you guys. And even if I did, what use would I have for flowers?"
"Maybe you wanna give them to your secret boyfriend," grinned Hiakru slyly.
"I don't have a secret boyfriend."
"Ignore him Haruhi," came a friendlier voice in the back of the room. "He's just messing with you because he's bored."
As much as she appreciated Kaoru's sudden involvement, she was far too prideful to heed his advice. She never did like Hikaru's bullyish demeanor, and for once she was determined to stand up to him. "At least my roses look natural; yours look fake."
"Ha!" huffed the elder Hitachiin, who stood his ground. "Mine are unique and original, unlike yours. You get the red roses because they're as common as you are."
"Hika," growled Kaoru softly, but his plea fell on deaf ears.
"Turquoise is a sad color; it reminds me of rainy days."
"Red is atrocious; it's the color of blood."
"It's also the color of wine."
"Wine which you could never afford."
"Says someone who's too young to taste it himself."
"Says someone who acts all high and mighty when really she got into this school by dumb luck."
"If by dumb luck, you mean actual brains, then ye-OW!" she yelped.
At some point during the silly spat, Haruhi had clutched onto the roses she was supposed to put into the trash can beside her. The longer the spat went on, the tighter her grip became, until at last she felt the pained sting of rose thorns on her skin.
Both Hitachiin brothers were taken by surprise and ran to her calling out, "Haruhi!" Since he was closer, Hikaru got to her first.
As she dropped the roses, the elder twin gently took her hand. "Let me see."
"Don't!" she snapped and tried to pull her hand back, but she stopped herself when she saw the look of concern in his amber eyes. "I mean," she said softly, "it's fine. I'm fine."
But he had already seen the red liquid on her hand's palm. "You're bleeding," he frowned.
"It's just a small cut, Hikaru, it's not like it sliced through me. I'll just get an antiseptic, and we... can..."
She stopped when she felt a pair of lips touch her wound. Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped at the sight of the boy she was arguing with a moment ago suddenly pressing his face onto her cut, gently caressing it with his lips and even the edge of his tongue.
This was all a rush of instinct on Hikaru's behalf; one too many times, he had come to his brother's aid when Kaoru clumsily spilt tea and burned himself, or when he accidentally bumped his hand or arm onto furniture like the clutz that he was. Soothing a wound in this matter was all too familiar to Hikaru, to the point where it seemed like he didn't realize what he was doing until a few seconds later.
And when he did in fact realize what he was doing, and to whom, he let out a small fearful gasp and jumped back, releasing his grip on the girl. Between them, a moment of awkward silence fell. His eyes darted, his cheeks flushed pink, and he was beginning to feel hot under the collar. The girl, meanwhile, just looked perplexed.
Some time during this moment, Kaoru had rushed out of the room to get antiseptic and bandages from the nurse ward. It would only take him a few minutes to return, but for his brother those minutes felt like hours.
She just stared at him. Waiting. Silently judging him, perhaps. It was torture.
Finally, he spoke up. "So, uh... uh... ho-how's the weather?"
Her eyebrows furrowed. "Uh, it's sunny?"
"Right! Heh, I knew that! I was just testing you," he grinned stupidly. Then he glanced back at her moist hand. It stopped bleeding, but now it was pink from his sucking on it. "...Does it hurt?"
The girl looked down and observed her hand. "No, it's fine. I do appreciate your help, though." Her eyes then fell upon the flowers scattered on the floor. "Heh," she mused. "See? That's what I mean about roses. They're lovely, but they're covered in thorns. It makes you wonder..."
"...Why they're meant to be romantic?"
"Yeah."
He shrugged sheepishly. "I dunno..." He shuffled in his position. "I really don't know." He turned away alightly, looking ashamed. "...Haruhi?"
"Yes?"
"...I'm..."
"I'm here! I got it!" cheered Kaoru as he rushed back into the room, holding a small tube in one hand and a box of bandages in the other. He skid to a halt in front of the pair. "Here you go, Haruhi! This'll keep it from getting infected."
"Thanks," she smiled weakly, turning away from the other redhead. As she dressed her wound, she glanced at Hikaru's direction; he turned his back to her completely.
Just when she thought he had completely abandoned her, she heard his voice. It was small, yet deliberate: "I'm sorry." Both Haruhi and Kaoru turned to him. He looked back at both of them, still pink in the face. "I'm sorry I made you hurt yourself, Haruhi. I'm sorry I started that whole stupid argument."
And, he thought to himself, I'm sorry I kissed you.
The tomboyish girl gave him a small nod. "I'm sorry too, we were both being stubborn."
Kaoru slinked over to his twin with a pair of narrowed, judgemental eyes. "But you, mostly," he hissed softly.
"Yeah," blushed Hikaru. "I'm sorry about that too."
It didn't take long for the trio to finish up their work, and Music Room 3 was spotless once again. Not much more was spoken between the three of them. Which was just as well, since Hikaru had become far too bashful to speak to, even for Kaoru.
Haruhi was the first to leave, saying her goodbyes and waving before leaving the room. The twins stood side by side, watching her leave, both relieved that their little toy was once again in a pleasant mood. One of them was smiling genuinely, the other was faking it slightly.
His eyes fell upon the empty glass vase on the long table by Haruhi's couch. It looked so sad now, so lonely without flowers. He sighed softly. Then, to his brother's surprise, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a red rose which he had cut so that only its head remained. He stared at it deeply. And sighed again.
"Hika?" peeped Kaoru curiously after noticing his bother's new trinket.
As though he knew what his twin was going to ask, the elder Hitachiin replied, "I just want to keep it. That's all."
Kaoru nodded in reply, as though he understood.
But did he, really? Did anyone really understand how much Hikaru had been struggling with his feelings for Haruhi, that the only reason why he teased and argued with her in the first place was to distract himself from those feelings? And, why? Why was he so embarassed by his kind gesture? Why did he feel the need to hide himself from her? What was he so afraid of?
And that's when it hit him like a brick wall.
Why are roses the symbol of love?
Because love hurts.
.
END