The characters and setting of this story are the intellectual properties of Bisco Hatori, not my own.


Haruhi hurried through the entrance way of the courtyard, trying to find Tamaki. It was his final day at Ouran Academy, and she knew that he was probably anxious. He wasn't admitting it, but she could tell that a fear had been building in him over the course of the last few days. She always knew his emotions better than he did. It's how she knew he cared for her so deeply before he was willing to admit it to himself.

"Hey," a familiar voice called. She stopped in her tracks, turning to see Kyoya leaning against a wall, looking sullen and pale, "do you have a minutes?"

"Sure, but only a minute," she replied. "I've got to find Tamaki."

"Good. He was suppose to meet me, and I really need to talk to him alone. He said he would be here, could you remind him that we are suppose to meet?"

"Yeah, I could do that."

"Thanks," he said, becoming quiet and sullen once more.

She hurried away, sparing one last glance back at him. Something felt off to her, but she had no time to worry about that now. Her love was somewhere in the school, needing comfort, even if he didn't want to talk about it. Where he was, though, was the big question. It was a big campus to hunt one person down on.

Think, where would I go if this was my last day?

She would be with Tamaki, probably in the courtyard watching as the leaves of the trees blew gently in the wind. He would have sat patiently with her, holding her hand softly watching with her. The campus was still beautiful to him after all these years, which was miraculous to her. Someone with his stature normally overlooked the small things like that.

Overlook. Of course! He would be taking in as much of the area as he could. There were so many windows overlooking the campus for him to be able to take in everything all at once. It would be so like him to want to be at the top. After all, he was the king, and the school was his thrown.

Haruhi raced to the upper floor, wondering which way would have the best view for him to say goodbye from. Finally she spotted the back of a familiar blonde head, walking slowly down the corridor, not even looking out over the campus. He looked as though he was lost within his own head, thinking deeply in a way he never let anyone see except for her. She was thrilled to know that he trusted her enough to let her see him at his most vulnerable.

"Oh Tamaki-senpai," she said down the empty call, her words echoing off the walls, "where do you think you're going?"

He turned, smiling widely as he did. She loved his smile. It was somehow a combination of charming sweetness while still managing to convey an air of confidence. It was that very Suoh smile that had won over the hearts of a thousand girls, all of which that he could have been with that had the same social standing as himself. Yet he saw something in her that was worth more than anything those other girls money could have bought. When she asked once, he said that it was her eyes that made her stand out above the rest of the crowd.

"My sweet Haruhi, sweet and beautiful as ever," he replied, a tenderness in his voice that he reserved for their private moments together. She felt a warmth spread through her when he spoke to her like that. It was a comforting feeling that she hadn't felt since her mother was alive. While she would have moments where she missed her dearly, he would always be there the support her. Every time he visited her home, he would pay his respect to her late mother before he left. It made her feel less alone, even when there was no one there.

"Tamaki, if you don't hurry up you'll be late. Kyoya is waiting for you out front. This may be your last day as a student here, but it doesn't mean that you can't come back. You can always check on the Host Club to see how the twins are taking care of it. And of course, you can always come to visit me and," she ran a finger down his chest, enjoying the way his body would respond when she teased him, "keep me distracted from my studies."

"Why Haruhi, since when did you put your studies second to our little games we play?"

"Since your father promised that my education was safe as long as I keep you happy, and out of his hair," she joked, knowing that he would at least get a little chuckle at the thought of her using anyone for her advantage.

He kissed her forehead softly, making her shiver a little, "He can wait a little longer. I just want to take a stroll around the rest of the school for one last time."

Taking her hand, Tamaki began to stroll around the school. He did stop to look over the fountain where he showed his first completely selfless act with her by helping to fish her soggy belongings from the water. It had taken her by surprise that he had climbed right in with her, and then proceeded to defend her without really knowing her. That was the moment that she began to fall for him. She knew that his heart would always be kind no matter how conceded he may act, and she wanted that heart to belong completely and utterly to her.

He walked around, her matching his steps, comforted by the warmth of his hand. She didn't even care where they went as long as he was happy. They kept a steady place, pausing briefly to take a look here or a last glance there. This continued until they came to a complete stop. They were in front of his home away from home, a place where they had spent all of their free time when they were within the school.

Music Room 3 had signified such a large part of his youth. His grip became slightly tighter. He probably didn't even realize that he had squeezed a little tighter, but the subtle clue let her know that he was mildly upset. When she looked at him, she saw a sad longing in his eyes. She knew that if he would miss anything about being a student, it would be this room.

The Host Club was the physical manifestation of his happiness and creativity. He took so much pride in what he had created. It was a legacy that would continue long after he left, one that she planned to personally carry on herself if it came to it. She knew he would never ask her to stay, especially if it was out of a sense of duty, but she would never do it for that reason. No, she would carry it on because she knew the joy it had brought to everyone that experienced it, and she hoped that it would bring joy to future bored students who had too much time on their hands.

She was so grateful for the day she walked into that room. If it had not been for that search for quiet to study in, she may never have met Tamaki or any of the other members. It was either that or she would have met him in passing and thought he was one of the most conceded people in the world. Instead, she was introduced to a dream world unlike anything her imagination could have come up with.

It was Tamaki that helped give her a place to belong at Ouran Academy. She would have spent the whole time studying and staying to herself, yet he wouldn't have that. After she broke the vase, which had now become an event they would all bring up to embarrass her, they all took her in even after they knew that she was not a male. He was so adamant that she join them and never leave. It was him that made sure she had a place that she could belong.

"You will be able to come back," Haruhi said, trying her best to sound reassuring. "The Host Club will always be here for you. I'll always be here for you."

It must have made Tamaki feel a little better because he gave her hand a tight squeeze. He was clearly still uneasy about leaving, though she could see why. it was more than leaving the Club behind. He was scared to have to start anew. At Ouran, he knew where he belonged, which was always a comforting thought. Once he left these doors, it wouldn't be so easy. He would have to find a new niche and new friends. He would act confident, but this was mostly a show to hide the insecurity he really had.

"Tamaki, we really should be going," she said to him, tugging him a little. Talking to Kyoya would make him feel better. His best friend had a way of calming Tamaki in a way that she was almost jealous of. The way they acted sometimes made her question their entire relationship. It was like she was the third wheel, invading on their private moments. Thinking about it always had a way of making her laugh.

They exited the school together, hand in hand. She could see Kyoya from where they were, and he still seemed like something was wrong. Perhaps he was just as nervous about leaving school as Tamaki was, but that still didn't seem right. It worried her to not be able to read him. Something in her knew, just knew, that whatever was on Kyoya's mind wasn't good at all.

"He said he needed to talk to you alone, I don't ask questions when it comes to your relationship with him." She tried to make it sound casual to ease Tamaki, but she was pretty confident that she had failed.

Tamaki began walking towards his friend, tension clear in his stance. She waited patiently, watching his back and seeing Kyoya's face. From where she was, it was clear that he had said something to Tamaki that shocked him. It hadn't seemed possible that he could grow more tense, but he succeeded. Kyoya's expression never changed, even as he turned and walked away. Moments later, Tamaki sunk to his knees.