Haruhi felt herself sinking, sinking in an endless depth of blue, her breath escaping from her lungs in one swift whoosh. This was it. She failed to bring back Tamaki. She had fallen off that bridge, been ripped from the distressed gaze of Tamaki Suoh, who would have made it to save her had he not hesitated at Lady Eclair's touch.
Haruhi knew he would jump after to. He had done it once at the beach, he had to do it again.
...Right?
But no, that red car kept going, taking all Haruhi had farther and farther from where he needed to be.
Her chest cavities had begun to burn for oxygen at this point, and Haruhi knew she was drowning. In a flurried panic, she attempted to claw herself to the surface, her legs kicking out wildly, but to no avail. It was hopeless- a waste of energy.
This was going to be the end of Haruhi Fujioka.
Her last fleeting breath escaped her lips, and her vision began to blur while she gave up her desperate fight that was going nowhere. As Haruhi felt her lungs collapse, beginning to fill with freezing river water, she remembered those words Tamaki had spoken to her. Before Lady Eclair had ruined everything, before Yoshio Otori had put an end to the host club's fun, before the very termination of the Ouran High School Host Club- which was once Ouran Academy's elegant playground for the super rich and beautiful- was announced to commence at the end of the school fair.
"I love you, Haruhi Fujioka. Nothing will ever change that- not how much your father hates me, not how much you may hate me, and especially nobody who tries to rip my affections for you from the depths of my heart."
"I love you, Haruhi."
"Haruhi!"
Haruhi coughed, spluttering up the river water that only too recently had caused her to lose all common sense. She slowly sat herself up, her arms shaking from the fear and the icy-cold river, starting as strong arms suddenly pulled her close in a tight embrace. "Oh my God, Haruhi," a voice murmured, choking on a sob as it's owner buried their face in Haruhi's sopping wet hair. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault."
Haruhi wanted to comfort her senpai, assure him that it was fine, she was fine, everything was fine. But instead, she just sat there, paralyzed- from shock, or maybe post-traumatic stress- but whatever it was she sure as hell wasn't going to be saying anything.
Instead, Haruhi cried. More than that, she sobbed. She buried her face in Tamaki's chest, clutching onto his back with tightly curled fist, an endless stream of tears pouring from her eyes. The two sat there like that for what felt like eternity before Haruhi's wailing softened to an end. Tamaki gently took Haruhi by the shoulders to hold her in front of him, gazing at her with those charming, mulberry eyes that seemed to hold all the patience in the world, reflecting the kindness in his heart that was powerful enough to move mountains. He rested a lithe, piano-player finger on Haruhi's chin, tilting her face up to force her to make eye contact.
"Haruhi Fujioka, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on- despite the fact you had me fully convinced you were a boy the first time we met." Haruhi granted him a shaky, watery laugh and he grinned at her affectionately before continuing. "Even when your hair is sodden with stream water, it frames your face in the most flattering way possible, and your deep brown eyes that look like endless pools of the sweetest chocolate hold me in a standstill, although they are red and puffy from the tears you spilt... Because of me."
He trailed off for a moment solemnly before he raised his voice so it echoed across the river and could be heard over the sound of water crashing against rock.
"And I love you!"