Chapter 1

Day of Remembrance

He remembered that day.

That day was full of heavy hearts, masked with smiling faces. Ouran Academy's largest hall was crowded with Japan's biggest names. Most of the adults there rarely had a day alone with their children, but now, almost all the parents of the graduating students were there.

He remembered his mother pulling both him and his brother close. She told them how much she'd miss them while they were gone, that she'd come visit them whenever she'd be in Italy for business.

He wasn't concerned with leaving. There were time they'd gone to Italy many times - in fact, it was his favorite place in the world. He was excited to leave there for his studies. His twin would be there, so he wasn't worried at all. As long as he had his brother he'd be fine.

But leaving his friends, and the special Host club, was what stung. They were all moving away to places all over the world. But they had all gone traveling, they've all been away at one point or another.

But then there was her. Haruhi Fujioka. The love of his life.

Or, at least... he felt that she was.

He remembered her in the corner, spending most of that night hovering around the buffet table. Wearing a borrowed, designer brand dress, tagged with his own mother's name. She had her bobbed hair pinned back so it wouldn't get in the way of her food.

She was leaving for Boston next week. She was going to be a lawyer, just like her mother. He was fine with her leaving. They all said their goodbyes to each other. They smiled and spoke of visiting each other, all the time. Exchanging emails and phone calls. They'd never forget each other and later they'd all return to Japan.

Everything was fine with him. More than two weeks in advance he was going to tell her at that party that he had feelings for her, and that he had for a very long time.

He was, however, until his best friend informed him that he was going to Boston with, Haruhi. They talked to each other all the time, talking with brochures, anxious to get where they were going and what they were going to do together.

He gave up because that. Even so, he tried to tell her at the party. The very minute she was alone, and her mouth wasn't full of sushi, he told her he'd miss her, that he would annoy her with countless of emails a day.

Though before he could get the three simple words out of his mouth, the words being 'I love you', Tamaki appeared, with his charming smile, draping a long arm over her shoulders out of nowhere. He swept her away, stuffing pictures into her face that he managed to steal from an American tourist who just happened to have been to Massachusetts.

So he didn't get to tell her, and by then he was glad, because why did he think it was a god idea? She was obviously in love with someone else. Had he told her his feelings that night, he would have left awkward and hurt.

The last day they saw each other was at the airport. They all boarded their planes together after saying what they thought was necessary. He watched them board the plane together, with Tamaki, ready to jump out of his skin from excitement as he tugged at her hand.

Then, there was his brother. His beloved Kaoru watching him from the other side of the hall, motioning his hand towards him, telling him they had to leave.

He looked over his shoulder as they were boarding, casting one more glance at her and Tamaki, before letting the flight attendant lead them away.

Classic case of unrequited love, he thought, but he didn't think it would mess him up so much.

He didn't realize what kind of bind it would get him into.

"Put mother on the phone."

His brother's voice appeared out of nowhere through the silence that Kaoru's attention immediately averted to him.

"Mother?" he asked. "For what? She barely left for her council meeting."

Hikaru leaned further back in his office chair, flicking a piece of paper between his fingers mindlessly. "Tell her I'll accept Mr. Broccoli's proposal."

"His proposal?" Kaoru's lip raised in disgust. "You can't be serious. You said you wouldn't."

"I changed my mind."

"That's ridiculous," he tried to argue, frowning. "You don't really want to. Mr. Broccoli only asked you because you're the oldest— and quite frankly, probably the only one who would say yes. Please don't do this because mother looked excited."

"No," Hikaru answered. "I want to."

"You couldn't want to," Kaoru tried again to put his own words in his brother's head. "We've barely even met her three times. The third time was an accident."

"If I didn't have these accounts to finish I'd do it myself. Could you just call her please?"

With a grumble, Kaoru swung his chair around to face his desk, and reluctantly took his phone from his bag.

"I think you're making a mistake, Hikaru. And I don't like it."

"You never like anything I do."

"Because all your decisions are stupid. Wait- scratch that," he glared at his phone's keypad. "She's stupid and her face is stupid. Actually... I think you'll be a perfect match. There, you have my blessings."

Hikaru cracked a smile, taking his feet off the desk. "Mind what you say about your future sister-in-law."

Kaoru rolled his eyes, growling in disapproval as he pressed his phone to his face.

"Don't remind me."

"Don't be mad at me," Hikaru chuckled darkly, as if he meant to irritate him further. "I want to, and you've never said anything about her before."

"That was before you wanted to marry her," Kaoru hissed a whisper as his mother's secretary answered the phone. "God, I can't do this right now. I need coffee."

Immediately after the assistance's voice left the speakers, their mother's voice appeared. Kaoru instantly passed the phone to his own assistant who came in to bring him more fabric samples he asked for.

Hikaru looked up from his papers. "Where are you going? We've got work to do."

"I'm stressed out now, I'm getting coffee," Kaoru loosened his tie, only to throw it over the head of his chair, after telling his secretary what to do. "What do you want in it?"

"I don't want any coffee."

"I'm getting you coffee."

He sighed. "Fine. No sugar."

"Good god you're full of bad decisions today, aren't you? You know what? never mind. Your brother knows best. I'll be back in five."

Then, holding his finger to his temple, Kaoru walked out of the room, muttering about how utterly stupid he could be.

Hikaru waited for the door to shut before he turned back to his work.

It wasn't a bad decision, he told himself. He knew what he was doing.

Whether it was a good idea or not, he was going to do it. With or without twin's permission.

To be continued - Helpful criticism is appreciated.