An atypical pairing. An atypical structure. Or so.

This is my first KaoHaru I've posted up (and my first het couple), so obviously I didn't feel too confident in posting it at all. Made for the Phobia Challenge in SHINE. Check it out if you have the time.

Warning: Not much. Slightly AU. Slightly romantic. You'll see. Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran.

decidophobic

decidophobia. n. fear of decisions and/or making decisions.

Kaoru was the last person Haruhi thought was decidophobic.

- 7

"Let's go and play, Kaoru!"

His hazel eyes blinked once. Hikaru was grinning at him, a blindingly bright smile on his face. He had shovels and a bucket in hand. Kaoru stared at him.

"… didn't Mommy say not to?"

"Ah! She's not going to come back!" Hikaru chirped, pulling his little brother from the ground. Kaoru dropped back down listlessly. The elder twin pouted, "She's… not going to come back… yet."

Kaoru averted his eyes, "But the last time…"

"That was the last time! Come on!" He tugged on his brother again, "Let's go!"

Kaoru frowned, "But we got into trouble for ruining the garden…"

Hikaru simply smiled at him, "But you're the one who wanted to, Kaoru!"

- 13

"Someone asked you out, Kaoru?"

"Mn."

Hikaru slid against the desk, fingers pacing against edge. Kaoru flipped to the next page of his book.

"What did you do?"

"Excuse me?"

Hikaru looked into sharp hazel eyes, nonchalant.

"She never gave us a love letter. She confronted you directly," he said, tapping the desk to illustrate his point, "You met her alone. Without me. What did you do to her to put her on front page news?"

At this, Kaoru put down his book. He crossed his arms, not meeting Hikaru's eye.

"I kissed her. But I didn't know she would slap me."

- 18

"Sorry, Haruhi."

The girl blinked, turning to meet his sheepish smile.

"Ah… Kaoru, I thought you were leaving already."

"Nah. Hikaru's still missing. Chauffer says we can't abandon him here."

She laughed, "Right, Kaoru. You aren't worried about him?"

"He's an adult. He can take care of himself," he crossed his arms, "Or well. His little girlfriend can take care of him. He can't take care of himself."

"So you're worried."

"No, I'm not," his eyes wandered from hers, pouting slightly, "So where the hell is he?"

Haruhi glanced around the ballroom as well, the sea of graduates floating about the room, "Ah… I thought he was here a while ago…"

"Maybe he's out finding a girlfriend for me too."

"Don't get your hopes up, Kaoru."

"I'm not."

Haruhi could feel his gaze on her bare neck. She turned to look at him blankly, blinking, "What?"

He smiled, a small, confident smile, and kissed her, a light peck on the lips. Her eyes widened, as he whispered, his voice quiet.

"Sorry, Haruhi. But… I love you."

Without another word, he pulled away from her and ran away.

-

"You're an idiot, you know that, Kaoru?"

"I know."

Hikaru gave his brother an annoyed look, before scoffing, "I'm not talking to you until you figure out what you did wrong."

Kaoru simply looked out the car window, "Right."

- 22

"Hi, Kaoru."

He almost choked on his glass. It was Haruhi's voice, of course, but…

"You look good, Haruhi!" he laughed, "Four years does this to someone!"

Haruhi smiled and she pulled absently at her long strands of hair, "Well. Tamaki kind of… forced me into it. For the reunion and all."

"Ah… Tamaki…" he looked around the petal-covered room, the blonde perfectly out of sight, "… where is he, anyway?"

"Undoubtly plotting something behind our backs."

Kaoru grinned, "So how've you been?"

She quirked a brow, "I should be asking you that. How have you been? I'm sure that you've heard enough about me from Hikaru."

"Well… you know him, he talks too much," Kaoru commented, leaning against the refreshments table, "He doesn't stop about anything. I'm surprised though, how he's found time to talk to you."

"You forget, he can do anything if it means bothering someone in the ungodly hours of the morning," she deadpanned. She blinked, looking up to him, "Ah. Are you staying in Japan for the time being?"

"Yup… we just got to get some things sorted… and then I guess, we'll decide what to do then."

She picked up a glass of red wine, "You mean, Hikaru will."

He smiled, "Hikaru will."

She took a sip, before placing the glass none too professionally back onto the table.

"So why do you think you don't make good decisions?"

Kaoru blinked, "I don't. I just can't seem to get anything correct."

"That's the same thing, Kaoru."

"No, it isn't," he turned towards her, a frown set on his lips, "Every time I do something on my own, I screw it up. I can do things that I want to do, but I can never guarantee that it turns out well. Unlike Hikaru, I don't make good decisions."

"Like when you ran away before I could reply?"

He froze, and turned away.

"Actually… I think it was a good thing when you left."

"Hikaru didn't," he interjected.

"Hikaru doesn't. But I think it's a good thing that you did," she smiled, and he frowned, reluctantly. She continued, "You know, for those entire four years, you were the only one to really confess to me."

He blanked, "What? Then what the hell was Hikaru talking about?"

"I don't know," she brushed it off casually, "Anyway, I'm saying it's a good thing."

"That I left?"

She nodded, "You know why?"

He looked at her, his mind blank, "No."

She simply smiled and kissed him, her lips pressing against his, gentle.

"Because otherwise, I wouldn't have found out that Hitachiin Kaoru was scared of making decisions."

-

"Or were you just scared that she would slap you for kissing her?"

Kaoru glared at him, "Please don't bring that up, Hikaru."