A/N – I would just like to make the point that this first chapter is written by a user under the name Queen Of The Ravenclaw, and we are both using the same first chapter but doing our own work from that.
Haruhi let out a yawn. She closed her textbook and stretched her arms above her head. The cross dressing scholarship student had been studying for a history test that would take place the day after tomorrow. She had been staying behind after the host club would finish in order to get some peace and quiet to study. Haruhi's father had been working late at the bar that he managed, so it was better than studying in her empty apartment. She packed up her things and made her way out of library.
The academy was uncharacteristically quite at this time of the evening. Most of the students had returned home two hours earlier. She did see the occasional student who was studying late like she was and would exchange small talk with them. But the halls were still too quiet for Haruhi's liking. During her time with the host club she had grown accustomed to their daily ruckus. She still enjoyed the lack of noise but no longer found the same level of comfort in it that she used to. Haruhi would occasionally look over her shoulder just to be sure that the twins or Tamaki weren't behind her, waiting for the right time to surprise her.
When she found that the main entrance was locked, Haruhi made her way to the back of the school to where to the students would take part in sports. It was getting dark; but not dark enough that there were any street lights on, and the air was cool and fresh. Haruhi stopped and took a deep breath. She smiled as the cool air invaded her senses and washed away her stress. The week had been especially tiring for Haruhi so far, as she was being requested to do more and more. She didn't mind of course because it meant that she was closer to paying off her debt, but the extra work was starting to take its toll on her.
Haruhi snapped out of her daze when she heard strange noise coming from her left, a small distance away. When she focused on it, she realized it was the sound of a ball. Her curiosity get the best of her, and Haruhi followed the sound. It lead her to one of the schools' basketball courts. She could see a figure running around the court, dribbling the ball and throwing it at the hoop. Haruhi concluded that whoever they were, they had some serious skills. As she got closer, Haruhi was surprised when she recognised the mystery player quite well.
"Kyoya sempai?" Haruhi said. Kyoya snapped his head round and was hit in the head with the ball he previously had complete control over. He cursed, and Haruhi ran over to him.
"Are you alright?" She asked, as she pushed his hand aside to check his head. He had a small red mark that looked like it would be gone before long, most likely by tomorrow. Haruhi breathed a sigh of relief, if there had been any serious damage she was certain he would add any charges to her already massive dept.
"Haruhi, what are you still doing here?" He asked. Forgetting about the injury her interruption had just caused him.
"I was studying for a test. My dad had to work late again so I thought it would be better than staying at home. Why are you here?" She answered. She finally had a chance to look at him. He had clearly gone home because he was out of his uniform. He was wearing baggy, black pants and black V-neck shirt. Haruhi thought it was the perfect ensemble for the shadow king. What surprised her was that he wasn't wearing his signature glasses.
"I put my contact lenses in when I play." Kyoya said, as if reading her mind.
"I had no idea you played." Haruhi said as she picked up the ball.
"It's not really something I advertise. If I did I would never have a chance to play in peace." He explained.
"Fair enough, why are you out here at this time anyway?" Haruhi asked, as she started spinning the ball on the tip on her finger. She saw a flash of surprise cross Kyoya's face. He gave her his signature smirk.
"What would I gain from telling you?" Kyoya asked, crossing his arms. Haruhi couldn't help but smile at his question.
"I could always tell Tamaki Senpai you were here. I'm sure he would love to join, he might even get the whole club to join." Haruhi responded with smirk of her own. The look on his face told her she had him.
"If you say a word I will raise you debt so high that you will paying it off until your grandchildren have grandchildren. Is that clear?" The shadow king asked as he leaned down to make direct eyes contact with the girl.
"Crystal." An unfazed Haruhi responded as she tossed the ball back to him. He caught it with ease.
"I had a... disagreement with my father." Kyoya answered as he aimed the ball for the hoop and made the shot.
"You had a fight?" Haruhi asked.
"No, we had a disagreement." Kyoya made clear. "Anyway, when we have a disagreement I sometimes sneak out and come here to blow off some steam." He said, and then turned to make another shot with ease.
"When I fight with my dad I walk to this store down the street and buy an ice cream. I sit on the sidewalk and eat it before heading home. It doesn't matter if it's pouring with rain, I'll still always go there. When I get back we always hug and apologize. How do you two make up?" Haruhi asked as she moved to stand next to Kyoya.
"We don't. We simply act like nothing happened." He answered without turning to look at her. "My father and I aren't like you and your father."
"So when you guys disagree, you come here and play basketball?" She asked, to be sure she understood.
"I ultimately come here whenever I'm upset. My father stopped letting me play when I started middle school because he said it would get in the way of my studies." He explained, this time turning to look at her. He tossed her the ball and she started spinning it on her finger again. Whilst watching her, Kyoya made a mental note to ask her to show him how to do that.
"What about your body guards?"
"The academy has a security team here around the clock even when there aren't supposed to be any students. So it's perfectly safe" Kyoya explained. Haruhi nodded her head as she understood his point.
"Want to play a little one on one?" Haruhi asked with a child-like smile.
"You play?" Kyoya asked with a sceptical expression. There was nothing in her file about basketball.
"I was never on a team but I used to play with my friends, I'm not as good as you but I'd say I'm somewhat decent. What do you say? It'll be fun," she explained, her child-like smile still present. From his expression, Haruhi could see he was seriously thinking about her suggestion.
"Well I suppose there would be merit in it. After all, playing against someone else would improve my skills." That was all he said before snatching the ball out of her hands and dribbling it. Haruhi let a wide smile appear on her face. She placed her bag and blazer on a nearby bench and began to chase after Kyoya.
The two played for over an hour, taking the occasional break when they had to catch their breath. Kyoya found that Haruhi was more than decent. He even dared to think she was close to his equal. Emphasis on close. She was able to get the ball away from him and prevent him from getting it back for a few minutes at a time. Her size, which at first he thought would be leave her at a disadvantage, actually benefited her, as it made it hard for him to reach the ball when she dribbled. When she made a shot, Kyoya couldn't help but smile at her expression. He could see that she felt a particular level of pride having the upper hand. But being the competitive and egotistical young man he was, Kyoya never let her enjoy it for long.
As the two sat on the bench catching their breath, Haruhi couldn't help but feel like she had caught a glimpse of the real Kyoya. Not Kyoya Ootori the privileged son of a more than successful businessman and shadow king of the notorious Ouran host club, but Kyoya Ootori the high school student. Haruhi was used to seeing him so poised and professional, but on the court she saw something else. He was still composed but in a different way. His movements were calculated and they all seemed to serve a purpose. She even dared to think he looked graceful. She could see his competitive spirit go into overdrive when she made a shot. The look in his eye was fierce and determined. Haruhi realized that when he had that look about him, he was giving her something he rarely gave anyone; his undivided attention. Haruhi found the experience to be utterly thrilling.
"That was fun." Haruhi managed to say before taking a large swig of water from one of the bottles Kyoya brought. She was too exhausted to wonder if he would add this to her dept.
"I have to say you did present a challenge. I'm surprised." Kyoya said before taking a drink himself. His hair was stinking to forehead due to the sweat but he still looked immaculate.
"Thanks." Next to Kyoya, Haruhi looked a mess. Her short, boyish hair was plastered to her forehead and she had sweat stains on her shirt.
The two sat in a comfortable silence as they rehydrated themselves. The street lights had come on and the air was cooler than it was before. When her body started to cool down, Haruhi began to feel how cold it was. Kyoya noticed her shivering and placed the grey hoodie he brought with him over her shoulders. When the scent of pine and freshly washed linen reached her nose, she closed her eyes and took it in. She couldn't help but think about how, although it looked like an average hoodie, it probably cost more than her father would make in ten life times.
"You have my number, right?" Haruhi asked after some time. Kyoya simply nodded.
"Then next time you and your dad have a...disagreement, call me and we can play again." She said, without a trace of hesitation.
"You're sure? I mean my father and I have a lot of disagreements." Kyoya warned her.
"I'm sure, that is unless you enjoy playing alone too much." Haruhi asked, her voice lacking its previous confidence. Kyoya was known for enjoying his solitude.
"I think it would be good. I mean I'd be able to improve my skills and I have to admit, you're pretty good company." Kyoya replied with his host club smile he used on their clients. Although Haruhi knew it was far from a real smile, she was still glad to see it.
"Great. It'll be our little secret." The same child-like smile grazed her features, just as it did when she first suggested they play together.
The two stayed on the bench for a little longer, talking about what was planned for the host club the next week. Eventually Haruhi said she had to get home before it got too dark.
"I'll see you tomorrow Sempai." Haruhi said as she collected her belongings and handed him back his hoodie. "Good night."
"Good night Haruhi." Kyoya called after her, as he collected his own belongings and headed in the opposite direction.
As she walked, Haruhi began to compile a mental list that she hoped she would continue to add to as time went on.
Things Haruhi didn't know about Kyoya sempai
He likes to play basketball when he is upset
X X X
Haruhi had never been to Kyoya's house before. It was just what she had expected; a gigantic, luxurious mansion that was big enough to house everyone in her apartment building and everyone they knew, plus their pets. What really surprised Haruhi was the size of Kyoya's room; it was bigger than her whole apartment.
He had a king size bed with navy covers, and next to it was a cabinet where a lamp rested. There was a well organised desk next to the right, and in the centre of the room was a black leather sofa with a coffee table made of glass placed in front. There were two doors on Haruhi's left. Kyoya said that was his closet and bathroom. The room was simple but elegant.
The bookcase was the only thing that didn't look pristine. The books were stacked vertically in order to fit more on the shelves, there was an array of genres, everything from business to medieval fiction, if a book had been written about it, you could find it in that bookcase. Apart from the chaotic bookcase, there was nothing in the room that could tell a visitor about the personality of its occupant. Well, any visitor that wasn't Haruhi. As she looked around, Haruhi thought that the room was a perfect representation of Kyoya's personality. It was practical and well organised, nothing out of place, everything was the way it was supposed to be. Just how Kyoya liked things to be.
Over the last two months Haruhi felt like she was closer to getting to know the real Kyoya. He would call or text her two to three times a week to play basketball. They had even got to the point where he would tell her what the disagreements with his father were about. Sometimes they were about his grades, which were never good enough in the eyes of Yoshio Ootori. Sometimes they were about his involvement with the host club. Sometimes they began as lectures about how he was still a long way from proving himself worthy of being the Ootori heir and ended with Kyoya saying something that was often taken the wrong way. It wasn't that Kyoya didn't think about what he said, it was that his father would misinterpreted his meaning and was too stubborn to apologise when he eventually realised what Kyoya meant. Haruhi had to admit that she enjoyed having the privilege of being the one to hear all this.
It was Saturday when Kyoya invited her over to tutor her in science. Haruhi discovered that she enjoyed spending time with him without the rest of the club. She found Kyoya to be an interesting conversationalist and he could actually be funny when he wanted to be. There were times when he would threaten to raise her dept but Haruhi had figured out how to tell if he was bluffing or not, so she was able to relax more in his presence. She couldn't read him as well as she could the others, but she was getting close. She was disappointed that she had yet to learn anything new to add to her list.
"So what is it you're struggling with?" Kyoya asked her as he handed her a cup of tea. There were sitting around the glass coffee table.
"Writing these equations, I get the numbers mixed up and the answer never makes sense." Haruhi explained as she sipped her tea. Kyoya nodded his head as he looked at the page in textbook that she had brought.
"I think I know where you're going wrong. Let me show you." Kyoya said as he picked up a pencil and attempted to explain how to solve the equation in a way she would understand.
They spent the next hour and a half studying. Kyoya explained the equation in a way that Haruhi found much easier to understand than how the teacher first explained it. He helped her to make notes to summarize the previous chapters they had covered in class. They were making such good time that Haruhi was even able to make a start on an assignment that wasn't due until the week after next. It turned out that Kyoya was the perfect study partner, he was patient and took care to make the material clear. Once they had accomplished all the work they set out to do, Kyoya asked if Haruhi would like some lunch, when she had accepted (after being reassured that he would not be adding anything to her dept), Kyoya went to order something from the kitchen.
"Try not to break anything." He said with a smirk before leaving the room. Haruhi stuck her tongue out at him but he had already closed the door.
Haruhi stood up and stretched her arms above her head. She put her hands on her hips and looked around the room. She wasn't normally a nosey person, but Haruhi wasn't willing to let the opportunity to find out more about the shadow king slide. She started at the bookcase, Haruhi always thought that if you wanted to know someone, you should see what kind of books they read. Books often told you more about a person then the actual person did. When she didn't find anything that surprised her she moved on to the closet.
Kyoya's' closet consisted sixty percent of expensive looking suits and forty percent casual but still expensive looking) pedestrian clothes. There was an old looking pair of converse but still nothing out of the ordinary. Just when Haruhi was about to give up in her search for answers she spotted the bedside cabinet. Haruhi smiled.
She knelt down in front of the cabinet and slowly opened it. Inside was a pile of thick books. Haruhi took the top one and read the title. 'Astrology: Secrets of the stars', the spine was broken and the cover looked worn, indicating that this book had been read a number of times. Haruhi flicked it open to a random page and landed on a page that was about the Aquarius sign, her sign. She noticed that the page had highlighted passages and notes written in the margin.
"The Aquarius is creative and charming. They are future oriented and once they have set themselves a goal that will not themselves be distracted." Haruhi read aloud. The passage was highlighted in blue and had an arrow pointing to a note in the margin. 'Shows this in her commitment to her studies and desire to follow in mother's footsteps.'
Haruhi started at the page in shock. She knew he had read her file, so it didn't surprise her that Kyoya would know her star sign. What surprised her was that he thought about her when he read this page enough to make notes about how her personality fit the sign. He even used her favourite colour to highlight it. There were other annotations on the page, all about how Haruhi fit the sign, even examples of times she displayed 'Aquarius behaviour'. It didn't look like he wrote about anyone else.
Haruhi was so preoccupied with her discovery, that she didn't hear the door open. She didn't hear the two plates being placed on the table and she didn't hear the footsteps coming from behind. She only looked up from the book when she felt someone breathe in her ear. She gasped, put her hand to her ear and turned to see Kyoya staring down at her with his arms crossed. She couldn't read his expression.
"What are you doing?" He asked, not taking his eyes off the book in her lap.
"Oh... well I um... I didn't break anything." Haruhi assured him as she held her hands up.
"That's not what I asked you, Haruhi." Kyoya said through gritted teeth. Haruhi gulped.
"I was being nosy and I found these. I'm sorry, I had no idea you liked astrology." Haruhi admitted.
Kyoya stayed quiet and continued to stare at her. He was like an animal trying to decide whether or not he should attack the prey that stood before him. Eventually his expression softened and he knelt down next her and picked up the book. He sighed before making eye contact with Haruhi.
"When I was ten, my sister made a comment about our compatibility as siblings. Fuyumi is a Virgo, which is very compatible with a Scorpio. I must admit when she told me about it I was curious so I started asking her more about astrology. She bought me my first book on the subject and I finished it in one night. It was this one actually." Kyoya explained with a faint smile. Haruhi couldn't help but smile at the thought of a young Kyoya curled up in bed with a book.
"My father would never have accepted his children studying such superstitions, so it became our little secret. Talking about our horoscopes and looking over the books together is one of the things I miss the most about her living here." Kyoya confessed, still looking at Haruhi as he said it. She smiled.
"That's pretty wonderful, having such a strong connection with her must be wonderful. I always wanted siblings." Haruhi said with a soft. She remembered her father talking about how he and her mother were planning on having more children when they found a bigger place to live, but it wasn't meant to be.
"It's not all that great. My sister is the only one I actually like, I tolerate my brothers at parties and family dinners but that's about it." Kyoya told her, there were times when he wished it was just him and Fuyumi and it wasn't just because it would mean there would no competition for the position of Ootori heir.
"Tell me about it." Haruhi said suddenly, pulling Kyoya out of his thoughts.
"About what?" He asked.
"Astrology, tell me about it." Haruhi clarified with a bright smile. Kyoya just smiled back at her.
The two sat at the coffee table, eating their lunch and pouring over Kyoya's books. He showed her the pages about the other hosts signs. He showed her the notes he made about examples when they showed 'sign behaviour'. As an example, he showed her the page on pieces, which was Honey's sign, and pointed out the note he made about Honey not liking to be woken up next to 'moody' on the list of traits the sign possessed.
"See nothing to do with blood type." Kyoya told her, reminding her of the time the others were afraid of waking Honey up after spilling tea on his bunny rabbit. Haruhi laughed at the memory.
The two continued to pour over the books until one of the maids informed then that Haruhi's father had called and was concerned because she had not returned home. Haruhi checked her watch and saw that an hour had passed since the time she told her father she would be home. She thanked the maid and began packing up her textbooks and notes. Kyoya asked the maid to call for the driver to take Haruhi home.
As they drove towards Haruhi's neighbourhood, Kyoya noticed the difference between his and Haruhi's neighbourhoods. Tall, proud mansions with manicured gardens were replaced with apartment buildings that were covered with graffiti. Although he knew nothing too bad had ever happened where Haruhi lived, a part of him still worried for her safety. When they pulled up in front of Haruhi's building and the driver opened the door, Haruhi turned to face Kyoya.
"What did you say your sign was again? She asked.
"Scorpio, why?" Kyoya replied.
"Just asking. See you on Monday Kyoya Sempai." Haruhi waved with a smile as she stepped out the car.
Kyoya waited until she was in her apartment before telling the driver to return home. As the car turned around Kyoya smiled to himself. He wondered if he should be concerned about how far he was letting Haruhi into his world. She already knew two things about him that his best friend didn't even know. Kyoya was very worried, but he wasn't going to let it show.
Meanwhile Haruhi was sitting at her desk. She apologised to her father about being late, since she was with Kyoya her father quickly forgave her tardiness. It would have been a completely different story if she had been with Tamaki. Haruhi sat at her desk and dug through her bag to find her notes so she could go over them again. She was surprised to find an extra book in her bag. It was the astrology book she had picked up when she found Kyoya's stash, the one his sister gave him. At first she thought she grabbed it herself by mistake, but then she noticed a piece of paper that had slipped from in between the pages. She immediately recognised the handwriting.
'Keep it as long as you want, when you're finished I'll let you read the rest. Be careful with this one, it's my favourite.' it read.
"He really is the shadow king." Haruhi thought to herself. She carefully placed the book down and turned on her laptop. She typed in the key words and clicked on one of the sites that came up. She smiled at what it said.
'Scorpio and Aquarius have character traits which are not traditionally compatible, but that just makes their relationship all the more interesting.' The page read.
"Interesting is definitely the right word." Haruhi thought as she pulled out a notebook and opened it up to a certain page. She added another point to the list she had started.
Things Haruhi didn't know about Kyoya sempai
He likes to play basketball when he is upset
He is interested in astrology
X X X
Since finding out about Kyoya's interest in astrology, he and Haruhi had been spending more time together, just the two of them. Haruhi found that she enjoyed spending time with Kyoya without the rest of the club. She enjoyed their weekly games of one on one on the schools' basketball court. She enjoyed seeing the smile on his face when he made a shot, she liked the determination in his eyes as he planned his next move to get the ball from her and she liked seeing him act like a regular high school student.
The two would also talk about their horoscopes. Haruhi loved to see the passion in his eyes, it still amazed her that someone as practical as Kyoya was interested in such superstitions. Haruhi had finished the first book Kyoya had put into her bag and was currently in the middle of another one. This one was about the history of astrology and the scholars who first developed the study. She had kept her promise and not breathed a word about it to the other hosts. Haruhi would never say it out loud but she was quite happy to be one of the few people who saw this side of Kyoya. Of course she would never admit it.
It was a Friday and the host club was closed. They had started closing an hour early on Fridays in order to efficiently organise for the following week. At first Tamaki objected, stating they would be denying their princesses the exceptional hosting they deserved. Then Kyoya pointed out that if they had the extra time they could improve their clients experience all together. Eventually the host club king saw his point and capitulated. The hosts were sitting around the table and discussing the next cos-play idea.
"So we're agreed on the Black Butler theme then?" Kyoya asked, not looking up from his laptop. The hosts nodded their heads in agreement.
"So just to clarify, we're doing Renaissance on Tuesday and Black Butler on Thursday?" Haruhi asked as she wrote down the plan for next week.
"That's right, now all we have to do is decide on who is going to play what character from Black Butler." Tamaki said with an excited smile on his princely face.
"Haruhi should dress like Lizzy." Hikaru suggested with a mischievous grin as he put his arm around the cross dressing host.
"Yeah, I bet she'd look cute with a blonde wig." Kaoru agreed as he put his arm around Haruhis' other shoulder.
"WILL YOU STOP HARASSING MY LITTLE GIRL?" Tamaki yelled as he pulled Haruhi out of her chair and away from the twins.
"Oh come on boss you, can't tell us that you don't want to see her in a cute blonde wig." The twins said simultaneously, flashing their signature 'little devils' smiles. Tamaki's expression changed from annoyance to intrigue.
"Well now that you mention it, I have always thought that..." Tamaki was interrupted by a high pitched squeal.
Kyoya stopped typing, Honey stopped chewing his cake and the twins stopped grinning like Cheshire cats. The hosts all turned their attention to the where the sound was coming from. A little girl with black hair tied in pigtails and circular classes came running into the music room. Her light pink dress flowing behind her.
"UNCLE KYOYA!" She cried happily before running straight for the shadow king. To the surprise of rest of the club, the shadow king got out of his seat and knelt down with his arms open, ready for the little girl to run into.
As soon as the little girl collided with Kyoya, he picked her up with ease and hugged her tight. His fellow club members were astonished, their jaws (with the exception of Mori, despite being equally shocked) hit the floor. They had never taken the shadow king to be someone who liked children. They were even more shocked when they saw the mystery child kiss him on the cheek.
"What are you doing here Asuna?" Kyoya asked with a smile.
"She wanted to see her favourite uncle of course." A soft, feminine voice said. The hosts turned their attention towards the door. A beautiful young women with coloured raven hair wearing a simple blue dress walked into the room.
"Who is that?" Haruhi asked, she was in awe at the strangers' beauty.
"That's Fuyumi, Kyoya's older sister." Mori replied.
"The little girl must be her daughter." Karou said.
"Never seen her before." Hikaru added.
"She sure is cute." Honey observed, with a wide smile as he went back to eating his cake.
The host club watched the trio. Kyoya continued to hold the little girl close as she snuggled into his chest. Haruhi noticed that Kyoya was smiling, not his host club smile, but the smile he had when he talked about astrology or when he beat her at one of their games. He was genially happy.
"Haruhi, I don't believe you and Fuyumi have meet." Kyoya said suddenly, snapping Haruhi out of her thoughts. Haruhi smiled and walked over to the ebony haired trio.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Haruhi said politely as she stuck her hand out for Fuyumi to shake. Fuyumi surprised her by pulling Haruhi into a strong hug instead.
"The pleasure is all mine. Kyoya has told me so much about you." Fuyumi said as she released Haruhi. Her hug were almost as strong as Tamaki's. When Haruhi realised what she had just said she looked at her with wide eyes.
"He has?" She said in disbelief.
"He has?" The twins and Honey said simultaneously, they were just as surprised.
"Of course he has, it's only natural that a mother would talk about their daughter with their favourite sister. Right Kyoya?" Tamaki explained with a dramatic wave of his hand.
"For starters, please stop referring to me as Haruhi's mother. Second of all, Fuyumi is my only sister." Kyoya said as he shook his head.
"Anyway, yes he does. I have to say I'm happy to hear that a girl has finally caught his attention." Fuyumi said with a bright smile as she patted Kyoya's head. He swiped her hand away but his expression revealed that he didn't actually mind.
"Wait, you know Haruhi is a girl?" Honey asked.
"Yes, I caught him looking at her file. There was her old picture when she had long hair. So I made him tell me about her." Fuyumi explained.
"He told us about the vase and how she has to pretend to be a boy." Asuna added on in a sweet, innocent voice that made Haruhi's heart almost burst with affection.
"You know about that to?" Haruhi asked. She wondered just how much Kyoya had told them. Asuna nodded.
"Uncle Kyoya tells me everything. He calls me his "confident"." She said proudly.
"That's confidant, sweetheart." Kyoya corrected her.
"That too." Asuna giggled.
"Anyway, back to my previous question, what are you doing here?" Kyoya asked.
"Makato and I have to go out of town for the weekend. Asuna practically begged me
to ask you to take her for the weekend." Fuyumi explained.
"Mommy said she'll pick me up Sunday evening and I won't get in the way of your work." Asuna assured Kyoya as she looked up at him with big, bright eyes.
"Is it okay?" Fuyumi asked. Kyoya looked down at the little girl in his arms and smiled before looking back at his sister.
"I take it her bags are already at the mansion?" Kyoya knew his sister well enough to know that Asuna had probably already moved in before they even arrived at the academy.
"That would be correct. I knew I could count on you, that's why you are my favourite little brother." Fuyumi cried happily as she hugged Kyoya and Asuna.
"You're welcome, and I'm your only little brother." Kyoya signed as he pushed Fuyumi away.
"Well you're still my favourite." Fuyumi turned her attention to the little girl in Kyoya's arms. "I'll see you on Sunday, make sure you behave and don't distract Uncle Kyoya okay. I love you so much." Fuyumi said with a motherly smile as she kissed Asuna on the cheek.
"I love you to mommy. I promise to behave." Asuna smiled as she kissed her mothers' cheek.
"It was nice to see you all again, and it was a pleasure to meet you, Haruhi." Fuyumi waved before leaving the room. Before closing the door she turned to her brother and daughter and blew a kiss in their direction. When the door was closed, Kyoya smiled at Asuna before turning to face his fellow hosts. The warm loving expression he used of his niece was replaced with an icy glare.
"Alright, since we still have some work to do I'll make this quick." He turned to Tamaki and the twins. "You three will keep your distance, my niece if very impressionable and I will not risk her being corrupted by your antics."
"MOTHER, HOW COULD YOU BE SO MEAN?" Tamaki screamed as he retreated to a corner to grow mushrooms.
"Yeah, we're not that bad and besides..." Hikaru said.
"We love kids." Kaoru continued.
"I don't care, keep your distance." Kyoya said sternly as the light reflected off his glasses, effectively silencing the twins' objections.
"Would you like some cake Asuna-Chan?" Honey asked as he held up a delicious looking slice of chocolate cake with a cherry on top. Asuna looked at the cake with wide eyes before looking to her uncle.
"Just don't spoil your dinner." Kyoya said softly as he placed her gently on the floor before she took the plate from Honey and went to join him and Mori at a table.
The club continued to work on the following weeks' activities. Every once in a while Haruhi would notice Kyoya would glance in Asuna's direction. Somehow Asuna had found her way onto Haruhi's lap. Haruhi didn't mind the slightest, she loved children. She stopped paying attention to what the others were talking about and started talking to Asuna about random things. It turned out that they had similar taste in books and movies. Haruhi discovered that although Asuna was very young (she had just turned eight a month ago) she was very smart and opinionated. She clearly idolized her uncle, the way she talked about him made it seem like he put the moon in the sky. Haruhi couldn't help but feel a little jealous over how close they were.
Kyoya looked up from his laptop. Asuna seemed to have taken a liking to Haruhi. He wasn't sure why, but he liked that the two of them got along. Haruhi had come to mean a great deal to Kyoya, and Asuna was one of the most important people in his life. Suddenly, a giggle that Kyoya knew all too well filled the room. Asuna was giggling and smiling at something Haruhi had said. Kyoya couldn't help but smile, Asunas' cheerful disposition always made him do that.
When they had finished discussing the following week, the hosts collected their things and left, delighted to finally start their weekend. They waved goodbye to Asuna who waved back. Asuna jumped down from Haruhis' lap and ran over to Kyoya.
"Can we go to the park on the way home?" She asked sweetly.
"If you like." Kyoya replied as he slung his bag over his shoulder.
"Can Haruhi come?" Asuna asked again in a sickly sweet voice. Kyoya looked at Asuna, then back at Haruhi, who said nothing.
"Would you like to join us Haruhi?" Kyoya asked. He was surprised to find himself hoping she would. Asuna turned to face Haruhi.
"Please Haruhi, come with us." Asuna said with a sickly sweet voice. Haruhi concluded this must be the voice she used when she wanted something. She could see why, that voice was impossible to say no to.
"If that's okay." Haruhi smiled. Asuna clapped her hands and grabbed Haruhi's hand before pulling her out the door, with Kyoya close behind them.
As the trio made their way to the park, Asuna wouldn't stop talking and smiling. The way Kyoya looked at Asuna made Haruhi's heart melt. When they arrived at the park, Asuna ran straight for the slide. Kyoya tried in vain to tell her to be careful, but his request fell on deaf ears. He gestured towards a nearby bench for him and Haruhi to sit. It was bright day with only a few solitary clouds in the sky.
"She's pretty cute." Haruhi said as she watched Asuna play.
"Have you noticed her sickly sweet voice yet?" Kyoya asked, not taking his eyes off his niece.
"Yeah, it's pretty hard to say no to." Haruhi said with a smile.
"That voice has been the bane of my life ever since she started talking." Kyoya confessed with a smile.
"You two are pretty close and you're very protective of her." Haruhi observed.
"I am. I was nine when she was born. I remember when Fuyumi when into labour. I was called out of class and taken straight to the hospital. I sat in that waiting room for what seemed like years rather than hours. It was the first time I just sat without my phone or laptop. When the nurse came out to tell us it was a girl, I pushed right past her and when I saw her, I froze." Kyoya revealed without taking his eyes off the little girl in question.
"She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. A thick mob of black hair that matched mine and adorable chubby cheeks. When she looked up at me as I held her, I swore I would never let anything happen to her. I tell her everything, she really is my confidant. Ever since she learnt to write, she's written 'to my favourite uncle' on birthday and Christmas cards. She doesn't write it on any of the cards she writes to my older brothers. I finally beat them at something." Kyoya continued as he turned his attention to Haruhi who just stared at him dumbfounded by his passionate confession. Kyoya smirked at her.
"Don't worry she doesn't know about astrology or basketball, so that stays between the two of us." Kyoya told her. Haruhi blushed and looked away from him.
"It doesn't matter to me if she does know." Haruhi mumbled.
"Oh really, then why do you seem jealous?" Kyoya asked as he moved closer to her.
"I AM NOT JEALOUS." Haruhi yelled. She quickly stopped herself and looked to see that she had attracted the attention of the other people in the park. She quickly looked away and stared at her feet.
"She's your niece, you're supposed to be close." Haruhi mumbled. Before Kyoya could say anything else, Asuna called him over to push her on the swings.
"I'm just saying, my relationship with Asuna is special and important to me, but so is my relationship with you." Kyoya said softly as he pushed his glasses up and headed over to his cheerful niece. Haruhi just stared at him.
"What does that mean?" Haruhi whispered.
The three of them stayed at the park until it started to get dark. When Kyoya offered to have a driver pick them up and take Haruhi home, she politely refused, saying she wanted to stop at the super market on the way home. Knowing there was no point trying to argue with her, Kyoya didn't push it. Before they parted ways Asuna huged Haruhi tight.
"Will you come hangout with us tomorrow?" She asked, once again using her sickly sweet voice. Haruhi couldn't help but laugh.
"Maybe Kyoya can bring you over to my house, would you like that?" Haruhi asked as she knelt down to Asunas' level and hugged her properly.
"Sounds good. I'll bring her around about lunch time if that's alright?" Kyoya said.
"Okay, well I'll see you both tomorrow." Haruhi waved goodbye.
Later that night, after dinner, a movie, and a quick game of chess which Kyoya won (he wasn't the type to just let his niece win just because he loved her), Asuna was tucked into bed in her room at the Ootori mansion. She was wearing pink fluffy pyjamas and her long raven hair was down and she wasn't wearing her glasses. Kyoya was focused on the small bookcase that contained some of Asuna's favourite books that she liked him to read to her when she stayed over.
"Uncle Kyoya, can I ask you a question?" Asuna said, as Kyoya came to sit next to her on the bed.
"You just did." Kyoya replied as he opened the book to where they left off.
"Do you like Haruhi?" She asked, ignoring her uncle's comment. Kyoya stared at her in shock.
"Of course I do, she's my friend." Kyoya replied, he had an idea of what she was getting at but he was hoping he was wrong.
"I mean do you like her in a way that is more than just a friend." Asuna continued. Her uncle was the smartest person she knew, but right now she couldn't help but think about how stupid he was being. She knew he knew what she was talking about and it bugged her that he was acting this way. Kyoya signed and pushed his glasses up. Asuna smiled, she knew she had him.
"I mean the way you talk to her is similar to the way you talk to me and mommy. It's not like the way you talk to the girls you meet at parties and stuff. You use your nice voice." Asuna said with a bright smile.
"It doesn't matter if I do, Tamaki likes her. Although he doesn't know it, the feelings are there." Kyoya confessed.
Asuna looked at her uncle. She had never seen him like this, he looked so broken, like he had already lost a battle that hadn't even taken place yet. She thought back to their time in the park. Kyoya seemed so at ease in Haruhi's presence, Asuna had only seen him that relaxed around herself and her mother.
"Has Haruhi said she likes him?" She asked.
"No, he seems to annoy her more than anything." Kyoya explained.
"Then how do you know you don't have a chance?" Asuna asked with a smile. Kyoya just kissed her forehead.
"Now where did we leave off?" He asked, turning his attention to the book in his hand. Asuna signed, clearly it was time to change the subject.
"Ron and Harry have just found out that Hermione had been petrified." Asuna replied as Kyoya put his arm around her and pulled her close. Before he started reading he asked her a question.
"Hold on, what do you mean by a "nice voice"? Are you saying I have a mean voice?"
"I just mean you don't act fake around her that's all. Now start reading." Asuna replied. Question time was over, it was story time now.
Meanwhile, Haruhi was just finishing her homework and getting ready for bed. Before she switched the light off she thought about her time with Kyoya and Asuna. She had fun and was surprised to find herself looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow. However, she was annoyed with herself that she let her emotions get the better of her and yelled in the middle of the park about not being jealous. Haruhi thought back to when Kyoya said his relationship with her was just as important as his relationship with Asuna. She was still unsure about what he really meant.
"He's so confusing." Haruhi mumbled as she pulled out a familiar notebook.
Things Haruhi didn't know about Kyoya-sempai
He likes to play basketball when he is upset
He is interested in astrology
He has an adorable niece who he loves very much