They are doing it again. The twins have intertwined their bodies with me after the club, possessively keeping me in their midst, planning my afternoon over my head. I used to be able to shrug it off, but for the last few weeks I've felt irritation build up. It is the same thing over and over again with no reprieve. Any minute now Tamaki will- "You two shady twins better stop harassing my little girl!" I could picture a visible cloud of dust shot into the air behind him as he makes tracks for us like a bullet train, not even slowing down.
"Mori-Sempai!" In a flash, I am whisked away in time to be free of the inevitable collision between the three. "Thank you," I gratefully say to him. Again.
"Welcome." He starts walking me to Honey, just like always as the people behind us are involved in another fight, their voices escalating. It's a good thing this music room is abandoned and nearly isolated. And generally sound resistant.
"Please let me down." I break routine, earning half a glance from Kyouya before he refocuses on his laptop. I stand there, wondering if I should really do this today, but decide that it has to stop. I take a deep breath, clench my fists, and raise my voice. "That's enough!" They stop and look at me, eyes getting wider as I approach, backing into the wall. My voice is lower as I continue. "I've had it and can't deal with this anymore."
"I think you're right my daughter; I shall dispose of these twins immediately and take you home with me." He grabs my wrist, but I wrench it from his grasp, earning a lot of shock in his violet-hued eyes.
"I'm tired of you guys pulling me around at your speed. I have my own life and need to get back to it." It is dead silent as the aristocrats weigh my words. Kyouya is, naturally the first to recover.
"But your debt-"
"Shut it Kyouya." He and I lock eyes after I realise I have dropped the honorific. His eyes which had before scared me into submission even with the Shadow King glare turned off had dulled appearance since two years ago. "You and I both know that I finished it last year with Éclair. Ever since then, for an entire year, I haven't been indebted to the club, which means I can leave if I want."
"Mommy," the blonde has moved over to Kyouya, "is our daughter leaving us?"
"Tamaki!" I yell it to get his attention, lacking an honorific again. I lock eyes with him, not needing to take another step to make him move half a step back. "I have said this over and over: I am not your daughter. I never will be your daughter. I already got a dad: I don't need another one."
"But you don't have more of us," the twins point out, taking a simultaneous step away from Tamaki.
"One of you guys is more than enough for me." I stare them down to where they look like they want to squirm before continuing. "Already you distract me from my studying so much that I work twice as hard on the same stuff, studying every second I have off while you two kidnap me left and right to take me God knows where whatever time suits you. I'm sick of it."
"Haru-chan," Honey tugs on my sleeve, having left his cake halfway eaten on the table. "I'm sure we can fix this and make everything better-"
"'Haruhi', please," I ask, getting rid of the closeness. "You know as well as I that no one is going to change. I'm always going to be the money making secret princess toy that's always a damsel in distress to save. If you guys aren't saving me, I'm being used." I shift my focus to the group as a whole. "I'll leave until I can see that you understand and can respect me as you should." I head to the back room, hearing them buzzing behind me. I take a breath as I grab my book bag. I step back into the room after one more calming breath to find them crowded around a whiteboard, the marker in Tamaki's hand. The words "OPERATION TAKE BACK HARUHI'S LOVE!" is written in bolded, bubble letters. I feel a peculiar numbness in my arms as my hold on the bag slacks. "You know what? Regardless of it all, I'm through; it's not worth the patience right now." They are silent as I turn and walk out of the Host Club.
"Haruhi." A strong hand loosely holds onto my forearm out in the hall, spinning me around. Mori is the one came after me, his stoic mask annoyingly still in place.
"Let me go. Now." His fingers quickly release as though I had caught on fire. I don't stay for any little words he may have for me, and take off down the hall. Surprisingly enough, no one else stops me as I reach the apartment building. I rush into the house, slamming the door, surprising my father as I slow my breath.
"Hello, what's got you in a tizzy today my dear?"
I stupidly say the first thing that comes to mind: "I broke up with them today."
"You were dating someone and didn't tell you own father Haruhi?!" His voice has grown in disbelief, but I calm him down.
"No, I wasn't dating anyone, but for all the time they have pushed into my lives, I might as well be. I left them though and don't plan to join their fast paced lives again for their gain."
"Oh, darling." The sentimental endearment makes me lift my eyes to him before he continues. "I had noticed you have seemed exhausted as of late." He's quiet as I get up and make him a mug of tea, finally speaking what's on his mind as I sit with him again. "If this is something you have thought about, then I will respect your thoughts. Besides, you'll be getting away from that perverted halfer," he chuckles. We sit there for a while and sip our tea with the biscuits I get up to retrieve from the cupboard until there is a hurried knock at the door. Dad gets up to answer the door while I focus on the tea.
"Good evening, Ranka. We were wondering if we could talk to Haruhi for a moment. If you don't mind." Glancing upwards, I watch as Kyouya addresses my father. I watch my father shift on his foot, caught in Kyouya's pressing eyes.
"Hey Dad! Who's at the door?" I keep my voice light as I ask, clearly able to tell who's there, though I just keep looking questionably at Dad. I can sense a cloud of hopefulness burst and be replaced with disappointment beyond the door. Backed up by me, Dad relocates his composure with the guys.
"Oh, no one you'd be interested in to see." He calls over his shoulder. "Why don't you go study in your room while I invite them in? It won't be longer than a cup of tea I imagine."
"Do you want me to start the tea then? It won't be long."
"No honey, I'm sure I can manage a few cups of tea on my own: I'm not an invalid."
"Okay." I immediately get up from the table, leaving my own tea on the table, heading down the hallway. I close the door, take a breath, and then react to their presence by quietly tenderising the pillow. I knew they'd show up here eventually, I think after sitting on the floor with my back leaning on the door, but not this soon. They sure are quick, aren't they?
