Opposite Attracting
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters that belonged to the anime series Ouran High School Host Club
Tamaki Suou was the last thing cautious Haruhi Fujioka needed. Her perfectly organize, perfectly predictable life was just fine without the handsome single dad and his rambunctious little children. Why? Tamaki and Haruhi is exact opposites, but you know what you say about opposite attracting...
Author's note: The story is not base on the Ouran High School Host Club time line. Pairings: common couple pairings but mainly on Tamaki and Haruhi. This is my first fan fiction. Enjoy! Completely OC. and is similar with my old fanfic the neighbor
Chapter 1: The meeting
Haruhi Fujioka bent retrieve her Saturday morning news paper from the bushes in front of her house. She muttered beneath her breath at the notoriously poor aim of her new paper carrier. During the past few weeks, she found her papers in the bushes, in the flower beds, in the fountain, on the roof, everywhere but on the front porch where they should have been.
A fat golden puppy dashed past her, stubby tail wagging, ear flapping. She thought she recognized the pup as belonging to a little boy next door. Glancing at her neighbor's yard, she noticed that the gate to the chain-link enclosed front lawn had been left open, proving an avenue for the puppy's dash for adventure. She shook her head and thought children shouldn't have pets if they weren't going to watch out for them.
Hearing the distant sound of the car engines growing closer, she tossed the newspaper onto her front stoop and hurried after the animal. "Here, boy. Come here Boy"
Haruhi didn't particularly like dogs, but she shouldn't simply stand and watch this little fellow be flattened by a heedless driver. "Come here boy, or girl, whatever you are."
She caught the dog's attention. She Knelt and held out her hands. "Come puppy, I'll take you home."
A moment later she was assaulted by six pound of wiggling fur and lapping tongue. Jerking her face out of range, she snatched the puppy into her arm and stood. She tucked it firmly beneath her arm and headed down the sidewalk toward the house next door.
Haruhi had never formally met her neighbors since she is new to the neighborhood, though she had once ask the little boy to please not take a shortcut through her flower beds on his way to his friend's house down the block. And there been a time she had retrieve his baseball from her fountain and return it to him over the fence. She didn't lecture him, but she had ask him to be more careful in the future, the ball could have as easily gone through one of her windows.
She pressed a finger to the doorbell of the big house, that was so much like her own and the others in the neighborhood. She had moved to the neighborhood for more than three week.
Haruhi had been very busy with work lately, so she didn't paid much attention to her neighbors, except on the two occasions when she spoken to the little boy. She didn't even know what his parents looked like. There seemed a constant stream of people going in and out of the house, so she didn't even bother to try to identify them.
She waited curiously as the door swung slowly open. The little boy she encounters before, a stocky, raven haired lad of seven or eight years stared up at her with wide purple eyes. And then he turned and dash away.
"Dad!" he yelled. "Dad, it's her! The mean lady from next door and she got peg!"
Stunned by the boy's reaction, Haruhi close her mouth with snap. What the...??
"Hello?" she called out when the dog wriggled harder to get down. Should she set it on its feet and leave, closing the gate behind her? Or should she wait here?
The dog wiggled and yipped. The boy was till yelling inside, and she heard a deep voice say "Settle down, Shiro"
"But, Dad, she got Peg"
Haruhi shook her head. This is getting her nowhere. A large den opened off the foyer, much like her own floor plan. Stopping inside the front door, Haruhi could see a man sitting cross legged on the carpet floor. In her first glance, she notes his disheveled blond hair, light skin, incredibly broad shoulders and ruggedly handsome and mature face. His concentration was focused entirely on his hand, which seemed to be tangled in the blond hair of the little girl who sat with her back turned to him.
"Shiro, take the dog outside," the man said, glaring at the book as though grimly determine to understand it. "And Eve, you're going to have to be still or I'll never get this done."
"But you're pulling my hair, Daddy," the child said
"You're the one who wanted me to... Oh!"
Maybe because of the dog's barking that make the man looks up. His surprisingly black eyes locked with Haruhi's, and he went very still, a look of curiosity on his face. And then he smile, and even Haruhi's long guarded heart jerked in response to his beauty.
"Well, hello," he said, socking his head in a matter that remind her a bit of the puppy, "Do you, but any chance, know how to french braid?"
"I, uh..." completely off guard and she answered, "Yes, I do, but..."
"Then would you mind showing me how? She wants to wear it to a birthday party, and this book doesn't make any sense to me. I don't think it's written for a single dad."
Haruhi hadn't come over for a hairstyling lesson. Nor had she realize her neighbor was a single father.
"Your Puppy got out of your yard and into street," she explained, if he even knew why she was there. "I thought I should bring it back before it was run over."
"That was very thoughtful of you," he said, "was I suppose to put this up in a ponytail or anything first? The book doesn't say to, but..." he shrugged
"No," Haruhi answered, feeling a bit like Alice in wonderland. "Mr... err..?
"Tamaki," he supplied, "Tamaki Suou, call me Tamaki"
He stuck out his right hand. She places the puppy in it. He was force to scramble to keep from dropping the dog.
"I am Haruhi Fujioka" she said "your new neighbor"
"Nice to meet you"
Then He turned to his son, who seemed to be trying to hide behind a chair. "Shiro, take this dog outside. And make sure that gate's shut from now on, you hear? You want peg to hit by a car?"
"No, Sir" the boy muttered
Tamaki planted his hand on his hip and smile. "So you're the mean old lady next door. Gotta admit, you aren't exactly what I was expecting."
She bristled, "I am not a mean old lady," she declared. She was only twenty four, after all.
He took a leisurely visual stroll from top of her neatly bushed, chestnut brown hair to her sensibly shod feet, not missing an inch of her slender figure along the way. She realizes that she had just been studied and cataloged.
"No" he said, musingly. I can see that you aren't an old lady."
She was appalled to feel her cheeks warm with a blush. She hadn't blush in years.
The little girl still sits in the floor impatiently. "Daddy, my hair"
"Oh yeah, would you mind?" Tamaki said.
She would be a mean old lady if she refuses to assist him. Her Saturday schedule had already been disrupted, so few minutes won't make any difference. She kneels on the floor and pick up the comb lying beside the useless instruction book.
"What is your name?" She asked the little girl.
"Evenki, but everyone calls me Eve. I was five almost six. What is your name?"
"Haruhi Fujioka"
"What does everyone call you?" Eve looking curiously over her shoulder. "So you have a nickname?"
"No, just Haruhi"
"Oh" Eve didn't seem to entirely approve of Haruhi's answer
"Are you watching?" She asked, remembering that he had asked her to teach him how to make the braid.
Tamaki nodded. "I'm watching," he said, though his eyes were on her face, not on her hand.
Haruhi turn her attention to the task she is taken on, nimbly gathering strand of hair and carefully explaining what she was doing. "You divide it into three sections like this. Then you start to braid, pick up another strand of hair from each side and..."
"Say, you don't have kids, do you, Mrs. Fujioka?" Eve said, turning her head to peer over her shoulder.
"No, I never been married," Haruhi response "you have to be still if you your hair braided," she add
"Yes, ma'am," Eve replied with a nod.
Haruhi sighed and began again "now, you divide the top section of hair into three equal strand and-"
"Dad, the gate's broken. It won't stay close, you'll have to fix it or Peg will get out again" said Shiro
"Darn, I will be right back" said Tamaki
"But Daddy, I'll be late to the birthday party." Eve said.
"You won't be late, Eve," he promises. "Ms. Fujioka is doing your hair, so don't worry about it sweetie."
"We'll be late," the child muttered as her father hurried out. "We're always late."
After spend just five minutes in this household, Haruhi wasn't all surprise. If she ever seen a place in need of organization, this was it. She quickly finishes Eve's hair, leaving the braid hanging down her back.
"Do you and your brother live full time with your father?" Haruhi asked. She immediately regretted the personal question; remind herself that it was none of her business.
Eve didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes," she said with a nod. "Our mommy die in a car crash and she went to heaven. Now daddy takes care of us all the time. But not when he's at work. Our grandma picks us up after school and takes us to her house. We get to have a snack and watch TV until Daddy gets through working and picks us up. Sometimes he has meetings and stuff and he has to stay late, so grandma cooks dinner for us."
"I'm in kindergarten" Eve went on. "My teacher is Ms. Benio, I love her, and she makes me laugh all the time. Shiro is in third grade. He is eight, his favorite food is egg."
Haruhi backed toward the door, wondering how quickly she could make her escape. She hadn't imagined ask one simple question would unleash this artless flow of information.
"We had a mansion when daddy me and Shiro lived with mommy, but the mansion is too big for all of us, so we got this big house. You want to see my room? I got a full set of dolls."
"Not right now," Haruhi answer bit desperately. "I really should be-"
"Do you live all by yourself, Ms. Fu...j- err..?" The child had obviously forgotten her last name.
"Call me Haruhi, and yes I live alone."
"Don't you get scare? I get scared sometimes at night. Daddy lets me sleep in his room when it's thunders, because I really hate thunder. It was thundering the night my mommy went to heaven," Eve said pensively.
Haruhi had never felt more awkward, should she express her sympathy for the child's loss or would that be inappropriate with a little girl so young? So she decides to answer her question instead.
"No, I don't get scare at night," she said. Not anymore, anyway. She could have added. Not since she carefully put together an orderly, controlled life for herself, a safe environment, a comfortably routine, and a steady and dependable income. Her life most especially her past wasn't open discussion, even with this talkative little girl.
Tamaki went back into the room, rubbing his hand together in satisfaction. "All done, see Eve I told you it wouldn't take long and you looks great." he said.
Eve preened and patted her braid. "I know. I can see it in the mirror in the couch, and thank you Haruhi," she said.
"You're welcome, err Eve." Haruhi inwardly cringed at the silly nickname. "I hope you have a nice time at your party."
Eve smile brightly. "I will. Tami's mom always gives out cool party favors"
Her father groaned. "Materialistic brat. Go put on your shoes, and we'll be there in ten minutes."
Eve sighed as she left the room. "We'll be late," she predicted. "We're always late."
"We won't be late." Tamaki turned to Haruhi "would you like a cup of coffee or something?"
She was inching toward the door again. "No, thank you."
He moved after her. "Do you like the neighborhood?'
"Yes, of course," Haruhi murmured.
"You are pretty young to buy a house, weren't you?"
"I am twenty four." Haruhi kept her voice a bit cool. A subtle indication that she didn't particularly like answering personal questions.
"Then I am older than you for a year. I just have my twenty fifth birthdays a couple of months ago."
"Congratulations," Haruhi murmured, stepping outside.
Her mild sarcasm didn't seem to faze him or to discourage him from his openly curious, "where did you live before you move here?"
"My family moved around a lot." she descended the porch steps, intending to end the conversation there.
Tamaki follow her, leaving the front door gaping behind him. "Do you work out of your home? I've notice that you don't leave often."
She frowns, telling herself she really should put him firmly in his place, plus she hates stalker. Then again, she had no desire to antagonize her neighbors. She answer, "Yes, I work out of my home. I am an assistance lawyer, and an undergraduate lawyer."
"That is really nice, I am the president of the Suou company." he said
'The Suou Company?' Haruhi though. 'Wait the minute; is it the biggest company in the whole country? Oh well having a rich bastard neighbor will make everything worse'
"Wow, impressive" she murmured
He grins deepened. "Thanks"
They reached the gate. Tamaki opened it for her. Haruhi stepped through, expecting him to stay behind. Instead, he follower her again
"You really don't have to walk me home," she said.
"Nice morning, isn't it? Going to be a beautiful day." Tamaki said.
She hadn't really notice before, but he was right. It was a lovely late September, morning the blue clear sky and the air was especially refreshing after a very hot summer. "Yes, it is a nice morning."
"You aren't going to spend it inside with you spreadsheets and software, are you?"
"I work from ten until noon most Saturdays. I reserve Saturday afternoon for shopping and errands."
Tamaki slanted her wart look. "You aren't one of those organize type, are you? Every minute planned. Every hour accounted for?"
"Well, I am."
He shook his head. "Could be a problem."
"Why is that?"
"I'm just the opposite type. And you know what they say about opposites attracting..."
The attraction was most definitely there on her part at least. This man was trouble if she had ever seen it. They reach the front porch. She scoped up her newspaper and tucks it beneath her arm. "It was nice meeting you Mr. Suou."
"Yeah, thanks for helping Eve." he didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave, though her hand is already in the doorknob. "You sure I can't talk you into having a cup of coffee or something with me?"
"Thank you, but I still have worked to do. And you have to take your daughter to the birthday party"
Tamaki frowned and glance at his watch. "Oh yea. right. She supposes to be there now, I think."
"Then you better hurry"
"I guess you're right" he was already loping toward his own home, saving Haruhi's response.
She shook her head as she entered her house and closed the front door behind her. Little Eve is right. They were going to be late for the party. Tamaki Suou was most definitely trouble, she though. However, she had become very good at avoiding that short of risk.
Author's note: Next chapter Kyouya will be up, but who should he be pairing with?? Please support my story!