This was inspired after reading chapter 59! Five Reasons is not entirely centered on the Hikaru and Haruhi couple, but it's more of an observation of the triangle between Hikaru, Haruhi, and Tamaki.
Thanks so much to larrythestapler and asianangelgirl – they were the ones who encouraged me to write another Ouran fanfiction, even though I was very lazy. It's a wonder how I managed to complete this. And thanks again to asianangelgirl for BETAing Five Reasons and having to suffer through all those mistakes I made!
And lastly, thank youuuuu for taking the time to read (and possibly review if you want) Five Reasons. I really appreciate it. :-)
Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club.
FIVE REASONS
Hikaru has five reasons why he loves Haruhi more, and five reasons why he gives her to Tamaki instead.
1.
Hikaru notices Tamaki has stopped daydreaming about Haruhi.
It is a surprise, considering how Tamaki's fantasies used to be so excessive, how he used to have his eyes filled with hearts as he pictures the girl in a lovely, girly dress that would cause his face to flush. But those thoughts are no more, and he no longer has that starry-eyed, cheek-reddening, lewd expression. Hikaru thinks oddly of this, and wonders why the Tamaki Inner Mind Theatre that his king used to enjoy is gone.
Hikaru knows that he still imagines Haruhi and him together, though. The number of times has grown since he's recognized he's fallen in love with her. And who can blame him, when the girl is so horribly apathetic and unaware about the concept of love?
Tamaki may not dream of romantic scenarios with her anymore, but there is one other person left who still does.
2.
"Thank you… Hikaru."
They're huddled up underneath the table of the church, and the booming strikes again. She whispers his name and his name only through the cracks of thunder. His headphones are tucked safely over her ears as she rests her head on his shoulder, and her slow breathing is soft and regulated. He looks over at her peaceful, sleeping face when she curls herself up underneath the thin blanket, its cold touch now feeling mysteriously warm even through the wet rain droplets.
He keeps the girl beside him, because that other person didn't go after her. Hikaru is the only one there to protect her, and he likes it that way.
3.
Haruhi rolls her eyes when he visits her apartment and calls it crappy. But he's learning to be more thoughtful, so he's showering her with loads of expensive items he bought especially for her, because Hikaru knows such things are limited in the deprived lives of commoners.
She sighs and politely refuses the gifts, explaining they're too exaggerated for her taste and she doesn't need them anyways. But Hikaru grins when her face lights up, an obvious indication that she's spotted the food peeking out from the pile of presents.
And of course, when Tamaki comes over, all he has is a shopping cart he accidentally stole from the grocery store. With a more aggravated sigh, she helps her confused, teary-eyed senpai return it back to the store before the owner gets angry.
4.
She comes to school with a stuffy nose, and her warm auburn eyes are now red from her lack of sleep. It takes a while for him to take comprehension, so after Kaoru jabs his elbow against the older twin's stomach, Hikaru asks if she's okay, and suggests for her to go home if she feels she can't concentrate. Haruhi refuses because she's worried she will miss out on her schoolwork, but ultimately, she takes his advice and rests back at her apartment.
… Only to be interrupted by her annoying senpai, who crashes over her house in a giant Kuma-chan bear costume that knocks many things down when he marches around the room. His stupid intention for cheering the girl up is hopeless when a very red-faced Haruhi yells at him to go away.
5.
In the end, Hikaru won.
He is so happy about this, he wants to jump in the air for joy, but he doesn't because it would look odd on their date, and the girl beside him would scold the older twin in her usual Haruhi manner.
But it was a close race. He knew she loved Tamaki, but that doesn't matter anymore, because he won, and she is his prize. And he's planning on keeping her forever and ever and never letting go, no matter what.
…
But what Hikaru finds strange is that when he looks at Tamaki, he does not see any signs of bitterness or anger. Instead, he sees a smile plastered on the king's face. It is a somber smile, but nonetheless, one that is happy for the couple. Tamaki accepts his defeat without complaint, and gracefully exits.
Hikaru struggles to find logic out of this. Does he not love Haruhi enough to put up a fight? Does he not love Haruhi enough to show it?
He has five reasons.
1.
The time where Tamaki would daydream of Haruhi is old, obsolete, and far away from whatever's occurring now. It happened when they first met, and he, who treated all girls as if they would bow to their knees for him, twisted her into that type of girl he could understand and charm easily. This was why he loved his imaginations so.
But soon after that, Hikaru, Tamaki, and the other host club members have gotten to know Haruhi far more than their everyday client. Every once in a while Hikaru still enjoys picturing the girl in the feminine dresses his mother likes to design. But Tamaki is too wrapped up trying to decipher Haruhi's complex character – her likes, her motivations, her dreams – rather than conjuring up a different kind of Haruhi in his own favor.
Because he finds this one much more fascinating.
2.
When Haruhi asks Hikaru how he knew she was afraid of thunder, he realizes he forgot to thank Tamaki for yelling at him about her fear and ordering him to go after her when she was facing it alone.
Hikaru doesn't know how to answer Haruhi's question. After all, the only person who was supposed to know about this was Tamaki.
3.
After arriving home from the grocery store, Haruhi is munching on Hikaru's extravagant gifts of food, which she doesn't realize she had refused earlier. That's because she's too busy complaining to Hikaru about how bothersome her senpai is when he pathetically attempts to join in on the commoners' lifestyle.
Tamaki tries his best to understand "their ways" – the commoners' ways, and Haruhi's way of living. She mutters and calls him a rich bastard, but can't help but laugh at his sincere effort to empathize with her.
4.
Hikaru is glad to see Haruhi at school, somehow instantly recovered from her sickness the previous day. He asks her how things went with Tamaki yesterday, and her face crumples into a rueful grimace when she says he was bothersome as usual. Hikaru chuckles at this because her annoyed reaction by Tamaki is so expected.
What he doesn't expect, though, is when Haruhi tells him that Tamaki knew she would be worried about her schoolwork. Thus he came over and tried to teach her all the lessons she missed; but of course, given the fact that Tamaki does not attend her classes, does not have the notes, and is stuck in an oversized bear costume… it was a difficult task to accomplish.
But because Haruhi was too preoccupied being angry with the troublesome Tamaki, she forgot all about her ill condition and, for some reason, didn't feel sick anymore.
5.
Out of all the host club members, Tamaki is the one who loved Haruhi first. He is the first to have learned about her fear. He is the first to push her to greater heights. He is the one person who shared the most romantic moments with her, and he is the one who has the highest chance of being together with her.
But he gives all this up, despite what they could have had, and while his smile may show the somberness of his loss, it also shows the true happiness he is feeling. Because nothing touches him more than knowing that Haruhi is happy with someone she loves – even though he knows it isn't him.
That's why, in the end, Hikaru is the one who leaves the stage and lets Tamaki have her.
Because he comes to a conclusion, and while it's something he hates to recognize, it is the truth he can't hide from.
There are five reasons why he loves Haruhi more, and Hikaru knows exactly who that person is.
End.