Haruhi was nothing if not tenacious, and she always prided herself on that very fact; if her tenacity failed her at a critical time such as this, where her entire apartment complex had to be closed for two weeks for fumigation, then she would not be living up to the full potential of her name.
She normally didn't resort to phone calls asking for help from others. Her pride got in the way, and pride wouldn't lead her to such drastic measures. She was in a bind, and desperate times called for drastic measures.
The Fujiokas weren't a numerous folk, nor were they necessarily tight knit. Dad's family were scattered all around the northernmost coast of Japan, and that would mean relocating far out of the way; she couldn't realistically miss two weeks of school. Being a scholarship student meant Haruhi's grades were watched with the level of intensity that felt smothering but motivating.
And right now, Haruhi was in a desperate mood. Her anxiety addled brain instantly thought of Tamaki. She never let the fog of emotions get the best of her, but something snapped in her brain that made her do this.
When Tamaki answered the phone on the first ring, every single one of Haruhi's few regrets flashed before her eyes; it was times like this, in moments of clarity, that she would beat herself up for ever making this decision, in a panic no less. Nothing good ever came from panic.
"Oh my god, Haruhi! It's you! I've never been so happy to hear your stunning voice," Tamaki babbled in that enchanting, garish way he did just about everything.
"We talked on the phone two days ago," Haruhi deadpanned, and Tamaki laughed with such passion Haruhi was tempted to shush him.
"Yet here I am, glad to hear your voice. What's up, buttercup?" Tamaki learned that phrase from the Hitachiins and had used it obsessively ever since; Haruhi thought it was cute but Kyoya had to bribe him to stop saying it as much as he did.
"I've got a big favor to ask-" Before she could even ask, Tamaki screeched a resounding yes.
"But Tamaki! You didn't even let me finish…"
"Ah yes, I should've done that. Go on."
"As I was trying to say, my dad and I need a place to stay for two weeks. I was hoping we could stay at your mansion? If you have room of course." Haruhi forced herself to swallow her pride doing this, and yet, a nagging part of her felt overwhelmed guilty embarrassment.
"Haruhi, why are you so humble? You know I'd do anything for you." Haruhi's heart skipped a beat at his serious tone, "Come over as soon as you can,"
She rang the doorbell of Tamaki's manor. Haruhi didn't mind having to wait with bated breath for him, because she expected to make a scene even while walking to open the door. His antics were a calming presence, always anticipated: it would've made anyone else predictable but Tamaki added his own eccentric flair so things evened out in the end.
Haruhi couldn't help but marvel at his manor, which was more like a sprawling mansion atop a farmfield worth of space rambling around her even at the doorway. The roof, walls and windows were decorated in such a way that it somehow combined French sophistication with Japanese efficiency and minimalism. It was an stark contrast, Haruhi noticed, but it worked. However, there was gold trimming to edges of the building, melding wonderfully with the cream of the walls and the white of the windows.
"The trim must've been Tamaki's idea," Haruhi laughed as she thought to herself. It was just like Tamaki to add splash of flashiness everyone would notice and comment upon while noticing the already astonishing residence.
Rich people lived in such a way that every last expense seemed ornate. Haruhi's heart skipped a beat, realizing the wealth gap between her and the Suoh's. This house was definitely large enough that every resident of her apartment complex could live in comfortably with enough space left over for amenities. Tamaki wouldn't even notice their habitation if Haruhi had brought everyone. Haruhi loved her privacy but she stood here, alone with nothing but her luggage and her father admiring everything as if the Fujiokas weren't from Earth, wondering if she could just compartmentalize everything into one corner so she could simultaneously spread out.
She wheezed, and it wasn't because of the flowers from the the immaculate landscaping. She should've been paying attention to the color coordinated florals, weeded and pruned to pristine perfection. In any other situation, that would've taken Haruhi's breath away had she given herself the space. She was too damn nervous to think, panic arising in her chest like a hot air balloon. Her future was literally in Tamaki's hands at this very moment, and he couldn't even answer the doorbell!
If Tamaki didn't answer the door in three minutes, Haruhi was going to lose her mind. Without warning, the door slammed open. Out burst Tamaki in a haze of sparkles and confetti, to which Dad found amusing and Haruhi found a strange mix of endearing and annoying, as Tamaki was wont to do.
"Welcome to my humble abode!" Dad choked back a laugh at Tamaki's emphasis on the word humble.
"This place is gorgeous. I can't believe what I'm seeing." Haruhi's awe made Tamaki melt, and he wrapped his arm around her waist to lead her in a tour of the most important parts of the space.
I could get used to this kind of pampering…