Disclaimer: All characters and the universe they inhabit belong to the wonderful Bisco Hatori. I'm just barrowing them for a bit.
Spoilers/Warnings: No spoilers, but there is character death so be warned.
After the funeral Kaoru stands in one of the massive hallways of the Ootori mansion and listens to the people as they pass by, muttering about oh what a tragedy.
He thinks of the elder Ootori spinning false grief with fancy words, working overtime to ensure what his eldest has done to his youngest will not taint the family name. Of Fuyumi sneaking away to Kyouya's empty rooms because Ootoris don't shed tears in public but really, hadn't it been her job to look after the both of them? Of a perfectly nice second son who had overnight found himself the heir to a company he never wanted, standing in the footprints of a brother much better suited to the job and another who would kill rather then admit that.
He remembers how Mori spent what seemed like forever holding on to a kicking, screaming Honey to keep him from lashing out at he who had stolen Kyouya away, another eternity holding the younger man while he cried for the both of them. How Haruhi had for once not shoved Tamaki away when he buried a tear stained face in her shoulder, wailing about how he should have never pushed mother so much, how he should have been there to protect his best friend, how he should have just stayed in France so none of this would have ever happened. How Hikaru had looked angry as he squeezed his twin's hand, having no idea how to handle a situation where the two of them couldn't shoulder the burden together.
He reflects on a world without sunlight glinting off glasses pushed up on a patrician nose, black notebooks that held everything you would ever want to know, crafty schemes that were as much for your benefit as they were at your expense. Without cranky mornings, the soft smell of spicy cologne, conversations with someone who wasn't Hikaru but who still got it.
He listens to the people as they pass him and decides that really, they don't know the half of it.