Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. All rights concerrning the original storyline and characters belong to Hatori Bisco and Shoujo Beat.
There When You Need Us
There had been quite a commotion throughout the expanse of Ouran. Since the natural rookie's entrance of the gates, word had spread like wildfire. As the word branched out, it sent each host member scurrying toward room 1-A.
"HARUHI!!"
Haruhi looked up at the voice of the 'king' to find him and the twins in an exhausted disarray, a seemingly uncaring Kyouya, and a slightly worried Honey a-top the silent Mori.
"Yes sempai what is it?"
"Where's your uniform?!"
Haruhi had indeed not wearing her uniform that day. She instead sported a black sweater over a collared button-up, khaki pants and black tennis shoes. The only differences between what she wore then and what she wore before the Host Club had… recruited her were the hair style, lack of glasses, and the color of her sweater.
"At home."
"Why?!"
"Because I'm wearing this today."
"Haruhi," the group turned to the shadow king, "you haven't done anything to damage your uniform have you? Because if you have-"
Haruhi jumped angrily from her chair, "My debt will rise! I know! I just so happen to have a previous engagement after school today that requires a certain attire, speaking of which I won't be able to make it to club activities today! Now if you will kindly go to your classes, I'd like to get this day over with!"
Everyone stared in shock. No one had ever seen Haruhi so upset- ever.
Kyouya typed a moment on his laptop, no doubt adding to Haruhi's debt, and walked away taking Tamaki with him, Mori and Honey blinked away their shock and went back to class 3-A, and the twins took their seats on either side of Haruhi, staring in shock as she took hers as well.
=yay nwo ym no siht etorw i=
People had continued to stare all day, but Haruhi took no notice. She'd rather enjoyed being left alone by the hosts and fans. Besides, she felt that her outburst was justified. What did it matter if she didn't wear her uniform today? She needed to wear this today. She would have rather worn the black dress she carried in her bag, but that faced costly punishments so she would change after she'd left the grounds behind.
Unknown to Haruhi, her outburst had canceled hosting for the day. The hosts had something much more important to do: find out the reason to Haruhi's outburst.
The hosts crept along about twenty meters back. Tamaki crying over his 'daughter being rebellious,' Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged worried glances not even bothering 'tono,' Honey munched a cookie thoughtfully from a-top the ever stoic Mori's shoulders, and Kyouya mentally calculated the profits they were losing and debated adding it to Haruhi's debt.
"What is she doing?" Hikaru asked.
"Why's she going into a gay bar?" Kaoru wondered aloud.
"Ne, ne what's wrong with Haru-chan?" Honey asked, "She's not really a guy and she's not gay." (A/N: I have nothing wrong with homo-sexuals, but I'm going by personality here.)
"This is where Ranka-san works," Kyouya informed the group.
Tamaki and the twins took a step forward and stopped.
"We shall wait for her to leave," the 'king' pronounced dramatically.
"We're scared too, tono," the twins said shrugging.
=yay nwo ym no siht etorw i=
About a half hour later Haruhi exited with her father. The entire host club -even Kyouya and Mori- blinked in surprise. Ranka had tied his hair back in a low ponytail, had removed any make-up, and wore a black suit with a red, satin tie. Haruhi had changed from her sweater/ khaki combo to a dress, and even the critical Hitachiin twins found the dress rather becoming, it was black with long, lacy sleeves and flowed long past her knees, but not quite to her ankles.
"Otou-san, do you have the sweets?"
"Yes, you got the flowers?"
She held up a decent sized bouquet, "White lilies."
Ranka nodded, "Let's go."
The hosts quietly followed.
Once the father and daughter reached the main road, Ranka hailed a cab, which the hosts were able to keep up with only thanks to rush hour traffic.
"Ne, ne Tama-chan," Honey spoke up, "where are we going?"
"I don't know, Honey-senpai, I just don't know..."
Everyone was silent after that; even Kyouya had put away his laptop, cellphone, and notes. They just walked in an understood silence.
=yay nwo ym no siht etorw i=
Before long the Fujoka's exited the taxi and walked down a street a bit too small for a car and between two buildings with the hosts hot on their heels.
"Tou-san, do you get the feeling we're being followed?"
The hosts froze. There was no where to hide this time, no cars, no doorways, not even a trash can.
"Haruhi does it really matter?"
"Hmm... I suppose not. I just hope it's not the club following me because Tamaki's worried about his precious 'daughter.'"
The two laughed, but kept walking with the hosts following a bit more carefully.
The walk followed the street till it ended at the foot of a tall white stairway.
"Oh no!" Tamaki exclaimed dramatically sweeping his hands out, "It cannot be! Ranka-san couldn't have run out of money and now have sold his daughter into a marriage with a rich families' heir to save them from the poor house! I shall not let it-
"Shut up Tamaki, you'll give us away," Kyouya said coldly.
"Yeah, Tono. Besides-"
"If that were the case wouldn't Ranka-san have sold her to one of us?"
"Wouldn't it make more sense to give her to a rich heir she knows?"
Tamaki stared at the twins for a moment.
"Tama-chan they're going."
The Hosts' heads swiveled at Honey's words to find the Fujoka's halfway up the stairs, and rushed to follow.
The hosts quickly found themselves at a small temple, but what would the Fujoka family be doing there?
They rounded the corner and immediately realized they'd once again meddled where they should not have meddled.
Sitting right before them was something they had all known existed, but never really thought about.
Fujoka Kotoko's grave.
There it was, the answer to all their questions: Haruhi had been cranky, worn black, her father had dressed as a man, Haruhi had willingly worn a dress, all because it was the anniversary of her mother's death.
The hosts watched as Haruhi knelt before the grave.
"Hello Okaa-san, long time no see."
Ranka, no, Ryoji did not kneel, but the hosts could clearly see how much the man cared for the woman that had once been in the vessel beneath the stone. For the first time, they understood and respected the man's decision to never again love a woman after Fujoka Kotoko's death.
"Kotoko, it has been a year since our last visit, please forgive us."
"Tou-san, you remember what she said, 'You can visit all you want for a year, but don't you dare continue to mourn except on my birthday and the anniversary of my death, and don't even think of bringing tears or black on my birthday.'"
"Yes, but you and your friends went to a water park on her birthday," the hosts exchanged guilty looks, "I didn't want you held back by sad things."
The Fujoka's set to work and cleaned the stone, lit incense, offered the sweets and said a prayer.
After a while Ryoji stood, "I should be getting back."
"Tou-san, do you mind if I stay a bit longer."
"Alright, but make sure you're safely home by dark."
"Of course."
He turned towards the stairs and the hosts, but when he walked by he didn't seem surprised to see them. Instead he spoke, "Tread more carefully in the future, but today, just be wary. She may not act it, but Haruhi is still a girl."
And with a sad smile, he turned and walked away.
The hosts looked at each other somewhat nervously, wondering what they should do next, but Tamaki took a breath and did just as Ryoji had adviced: he tread carefully.
The other hosts watched in surprise as he made his way to Haruhi and knelt down to pray. Haruhi glanced at the handsome boy to right for only a moment and turned back to her mother's grave.
Noting her reaction, the remaining hosts followed Tamaki's example forming a circle around Haruhi and her mother.
For a while no one said anything, even after they had each finished their prayers they each remained still and silent.
"I didn't think she would die."
The hosts looked up at Haruhi's words.
"She was sick and sometimes went to the hospital, but she was always so lively. She came home tired sometimes, but she was a lawyer, that was to be expected," despite herself, Haruhi started to cry, "Th-then she was just gone. She- she wasn't there anymore. The house was s-so empty, and the- the dark was so m-much darker, storms so much louder."
Tamaki put an arm around the girl's shuddering shoulders.
"That's just the way life is sometimes, there's not much we can do about it."
Hikaru put his hand on her back in an awkward attempt to comfort her, as Kaoru spoke.
"As long as we love each other for the time we have and remember the happy times when they're gone."
Honey stood put his hands about Haruhi's neck.
"We're not alone, even if someone is gone."
Mori placed his hand on her head, "We have our families and each other."
Finally, Kyouya put his hand on Haruhi's left shoulder, "We are people you can come cry to."
With that Haruhi broke down into sobs, and the entire host club sat with her until long after her tears subsided.
=yay nwo ym no siht etorw i=
They had walked Haruhi home, and declined her first invitation to stay for dinner, saying she should spend the evening with her father as he would be getting off work early that evening.
No one ever spoke of the incident again, and things returned to normal, except Haruhi and the hosts seemed a bit closer.
And she never forgot who she could cry to, if she ever needed it.
I finally finished.
This story is dedicated to anyone who has ever lost someone they cared about. Don't forget to cry when needed, and don't forget who cares about you. This is a lesson I am still trying to learn and I will not blame you for your pain. To rise from sadness is not an easy task.
God Bless and Good Luck