The Mysteries of Life
Chapter 1: The Lamp Post of Destiny
Haruhi is now 25. Her intellect, which no longer fails to surprise anyone, had accelerated her academic level and had let her graduate earlier than her peers.
Peers meaning not the Ouran High School Host Club (they graduated at the same time).
Ouran High School Host Club meaning those rich bastards who had pursued their college education elsewhere.
Elsewhere meaning highly prestigious schools in highly prestigious places in highly prestigious countries (if there is such a thing).
Only Haruhi was left in Japan. Tamaki was in Paris, the twins Hikaru and Kaoru went to some Argentinean continent, Hunny and Mori traveled the world together, and Kyouya…who knew? It seems he knows everything about everybody but nobody knew squat about him. Oh wait, seems is an understatement; it's actually a fact.
Usual contacts were kept, though in Kyouya's terms, it means no contact at all, just don't be surprised if you suddenly see me lurking in the shadows. Boy, did she miss those days. She could say the host club was the best days of her life, but she dare not say it out loud. Anything she says can and may be used against her…who knows what Kyouya—ever lurking in the shadows—might do. She still was amazed at his action of clearing her debt all of a sudden. But she knew deep deep down inside that if he needed any pecuniary resources, he could easily convince her that she owed him money. Lots. Though he never ever would need money, but if he was bored and needed entertainment…she shuddered.
She caught herself thinking again. It had been so long since they went out together as a group—all seven of them. Sometimes she went out for dinner with Tamaki and his wife during their rather frequent visits. Oh, I've heard so MUCH about you that I think I've been with you all my life! She would say. The twins dropped by once a week from wherever they were from and always brought clothes with them. Which they would force her to wear and then pose for a picture—she dreaded those days. Hunny and Mori sent her plane tickets now and then along with a letter that says 'This ticket costs money, please come so that it will not be a waste!'
Were they smart or what.
Now, Kyouya is another thing. Another subject, another species, another paragraph. He never bothers to keep in touch, which is definitely his nature; yet wouldn't it be nice if he did? After all the years they had been together as the host club?
Inwardly she shrugged. If he wanted it that way, than who was she to interfere?
The air was getting stuffy. She had immersed herself in work the whole day and felt the need to have a break. Before she stepped out, she took one last look at her home, still the same apartment unit, everything in order… contented, she locked the door and began her relaxing walk.
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'Sir, there seems to be a commotion on the side street up ahead.'
That was why he hated taking these little roads, saves time says the driver, but if they were to meet these 'commotions' every time, then the 'time saved' was useless.
He sighed as an indication of his displeasure and was about to say 'Don't mind it' but made the mistake of glancing at the said 'commotion.' From what he could gather from the insufficient flickering light post nearby, a group of hoodlums were cornering a young man, but at a more intense gaze and at the moment the light post seemed to will itself to light the world with its life, he realized that he actually knew who the young man was.
This was going to cost him time. Damn the light post.
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The relaxing walk wasn't turning out as she had hoped.
Upon returning home she had come across the 'territory' of the people currently accosting her now. They weren't particularly bright, and Haruhi wasn't that much of a street-talker, so both parties couldn't understand each other at all. The only plan that came to Haruhi's mind was to confuse them with legal jargon, but it didn't do much.
'You, little fella, lookin for a fight?' said a stocky muscular man. He had dragon tattoos going down both of his arms, his hair was styled for a kebab party, his teeth were shiny and were blinding even if the lamp post nearby was only weakly flickering.
'Not really. I was just about to leave.' She realized she was surrounded, they weren't going to let her go that easily. She had 'stepped' on their territory and she was going to 'pay.'
'We're not lettin' you go that easily. Y'stepped on our territ'ry, and you go'nt PAY!!' another man threatened. She can't even start to describe what he looked like.
'Is there any way I could compensate for this? I could treat you for dinner, or a…movie. You like movies?'
This garnered lots of responses:
'Compe- what?!'
'Sounds good, boss. I'm a little hung-'
'Shut up, Twinkie!'
'I do wanna watch that Ghost Rider flick.'
'Yeah, that gangster man.'
'Turns into a skull!' shouted the last two speakers, they high-fived afterwards.
Haruhi was trying to edge her way out when one of the gang members noticed her.
'Where you think you goin?'
'We don't want to miss that movie! Better get going, the next show's starting in a few minutes.' The two who high-fived smiled idiotically at her, but the rest weren't as happy.
'Gang rules, man. We'll beat you up first, then we catch that flick them people were talkin' bout. Won't take more than a few minutes.'
The situation she was starting to think of was amusing suddenly became frighteningly dangerous.
'Excuse me.' A deep voice announced. Everybody's head turned (rather comically, Kyouya observed) to face a shadowy figure silhouetted by the flickering lamp post.
'Who'r you?' said kebab-man.
'Please save yourselves a lot of inconvenience and let the girl go.'
'Incon-what?!'
'Girl? Where?'
'Hey, boss, he's actually a girl,' said a gang member who suddenly grabbed Haruhi. 'We can hardly see it but yep, here it is.'
She was getting indignant about where the man's hands were going. Without second thought, she kicked her captor where she knew it would hurt the most.
'Hey he's actually a guy! I could hardly see it but whaddayaknow, there it was.' It was the most offensive thing she had ever consciously said (or done) in her life.
Taking advantage of everyone's surprise (and concern for the groin-kick victim) she made a run for it, taking mystery man's hands (he seemed too stunned to move) as well. Who knew what the gang could do to the guy?
Finally after a long distance of running and when she was sure nobody followed them, she stopped and faced the man.
He wasn't anybody she knew. He looked suspicious, too, wearing shades in the evening like that.
'Sorry, miss. I'm afraid have to leave you here, my boss is waiting in the car parked near where we were running from, and he's a rather impatient man. I'm glad nothing serious happened, ehm, you were quite intent at your running and your grip was rather strong that you didn't hear my shouting and I couldn't break free,' he laughed. 'It made my day though.' He looked around, and thought for a while. (Haruhi was still digesting what he said.)
'Actually, son-ER, miss, I could drive you home, I'm sure my boss won't mind. After all, it was he who sent me to save you; he seemed to know who you were.'
She accepted his offer and apologized the whole way back.
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Thank you for reading. Please review!