When Kaoru walks outside, he sees his twin brother pacing nervously back and forth. As soon as Hikaru catches sight of his twin, he runs over, wringing his hands together. Kaoru lightly holds his older brother by the arms. "What's wrong, Hikaru? You've been like this all day." Hikaru takes several deep breaths and then… "I'm…I'm going to confess to Haruhi."
Every word that he says is a dagger in me…
"O-oh. Well, good for you! I'm proud of you." Kaoru pushes a smile, trying to make it as genuine as possible and ignoring the sharp pain invading his heart. Hikaru's eyes light up and his signature grin, the one that Kaoru loves so much, appears. "Oh, that's a relief. I thought you'd be hurt because I know you like Haruhi too…" As his brother ecstatically rambles on, Kaoru smiles softly, a combination of sadness and happiness. 'If only he knew.' Kaoru thinks.
In my life,
There is no one like him anywhere…
The two walk slowly to their car, waving goodbye to the occasional person. On the way home, the two sit in silence, Hikaru's monologue over. They entwine their hands, a gesture that for the elder, signals an ever-present comfort. For the younger, signals the nearing end of what used to be theirs. Still, loyalty and love for his twin, his best friend, his crush, overrides Kaoru's melancholy. As he pushes the pain and unspoken rejection back until it becomes merely a dull ache, Kaoru silently promises to both himself and Hikaru that wherever Hikaru finds himself going, whomever Hikaru finds himself going to, Kaoru will always be by his side, whether it be physically or in spirit.
Anywhere, where he is…
Still, as the two lie in bed that night, Kaoru lies awake, wondering, imagining what it'd be like, what it'd feel like if, just if, Hikaru confessed to him. If, just if, Hikaru's love, was him.
If he asked, I'd be his.
The sun dawns on a new day. On a day when the tightly closed world of the Hitachiin twins is cracked open. A day where the security of "Us", edges closer to the insecure world of "Everyone Else". As Kaoru gazes at his still half-asleep brother, he whispers a barely audible, "Thank you." A 'thanks' that encompasses everything that Hikaru has done for him. A 'thanks' for love. A 'thanks' for touching his heart and his life.
In my life,
There is someone who touches my life…
When it is finally time, Kaoru hides behind a row of bushes, upon Hikaru's request for him to be near.
Waiting near…
The answer is no. From his vantage point, Kaoru hears Haruhi's polite and friendly rejection. Kaoru sees the sadness in his brother's amber eyes. Kaoru feels the imperceptible clang of rusted locks, built by the mind, breaking. And as Hikaru waves goodbye to Haruhi, Kaoru knows that though the change was not as earth-shattering as he had assumed it would be, the lock has still been broken. Despite this, as Hikaru runs into Kaoru's open embrace, as the tears begin to fall from his twin's eyes, Kaoru pushes the gate closed. For now, their world doesn't have to be left behind just yet. But even when it is, when the gate is open from the inside, when Hikaru leaves to explore the world of "Everyone Else", when he does not take Kaoru with him, Kaoru will wait. As long as it takes. In this world of "Us", when Hikaru will want a break from "Them", Kaoru will be here, in their world, in their home, with open arms.
Waiting here.
"I'm home."
"Welcome home."
A/N: Wow. So, it has been a while. I recently re-watched Ouran High School again and I fell in love all over again. And I know I did a oneshot like this already, but FanFiction took it down. Boo. Anywho! Hope you enjoyed this. My inspiration was from Les Miserables. Specifically the song "In My Life". It's a beautiful song that I thought would fit perfect for Hikaru and Kaoru. And one thing, near the end, I know that I didn't add that "Hikaru would also be waiting for Kaoru". I didn't know how to fit it in and it IS in Kaoru's point of view. But know this, if it came down to it, I know Hikaru would be waiting for Kaoru as well. Welp. Thank you for taking your precious time to read my little drabble. It means so much. And please review! Preferably if you liked it and constructive criticism. But if you didn't like it, feel free to tell me that too! Hey, it's a free country. Anyways. Love you all! And to all the readers who were waiting for updates to my other stories, I am SOOO sorry. I will try, but my brain has been blanking for a loong while now and I can't think of anything else to write. OH! But if you have read one of my other, not completed, stories, and you have an idea to help me continue it, pleeeease PM me. I'd LOVE to get ideas and inspiration from all you beautiful, wonderful people. And this Author's Note is now almost as long as my story. Sorry about that too. Again, thank you so much and bless you all! (Now it sounds like a sermon.)