AN: This story and "Gummy Bears" are are entries in a competition between Shaded Truths and Persephone Rosamunde. Please read both and vote for your favorite by reviewing. We will not reveal who wrote each story until after the competition is over. The winner will be the story with the most votes as of Monday, October 8th 2012, at 5pm.
Prompt: Travel to Planet Gummy Bear.
Gummy bear
It was a normal afternoon at the elite Ouran Academy. Classes had just let out and Haruhi Fujioka was walking at a brisk pace through the hallways, trying to reach the third music room. The Host Club had cancelled activities for the day for a reason unknown to Haruhi, but had requested that she came to the third music room anyway. In order to prevent an increase in the remaining debt she owed courtesy of a Shadow King who was evasive when she questioned him.
She reached the doors to the music room where some of the host club's regular patrons were moping.
"The cancelled activities for the day," one girl said.
"I know!" another despaired. "I do hope that nothing bad happened to one of them."
It was then that they noticed Haruhi standing behind them.
"Oh, Haruhi," the one who was despairing addressed with a dreamy look in her eyes. "Did the club decide to open after all?"
"No, sorry ladies," Haruhi said in her host demeanor.
"Was one of you hurt? Is that why you're closed? So you all can tend to them?" The girls asked her all at once before the 'moeness' of that scenario came to them and they started squealing with hearts in their eyes.
Haruhi slowly backed away from the crowd of rabid fan girls as she put her hands in front of herself as a way to keep them back. She didn't make it far before she had an arm thrown over her shoulder and another around her waist as she was crushed against a pair of identical bodies belonging to the Hitachiin Twins.
"Haruhi," Hikaru and Kaoru chorused.
"Here you are," Hikaru, the twin on her left said.
"Why don't you go in?" Kaoru asked.
"I'm sure these lovely princesses don't bite," they said together.
"We were asking Haruhi about why you were closed. Is it true that one of you got hurt and the rest of you are taking the day off to take care of them?" One of the girls asked.
The twins had no chance to answer because out of nowhere, they heard a loud, cackling, belonging to a female that echoed through the halls. Someway, somehow the floor a few feet away opened up and they could hear machinery activating as a platform carrying the Host Club's self-proclaimed manager, Renge.
"What is she doing here?" Haruhi asked. "And does that platform really follow us everywhere?"
"I can see it now!" Renge exclaimed with a wistful look on her face. "Most likely the Host Club President, Tamaki must have fallen ill and was ill prepared to perform for the club today. So, in their devotion, the other members, under the direction of their Vice-President, the magnificent Kyouya, have taken the day off and are banding together to make their king comfortable and help him through his illness so he can come back to his faithful clients as soon as possible."
Renge had stars in her eyes and hearts flying in the air around her as she explained her theory.
"Beat it, Otaku," The twins deadpanned.
"You don't have to be so mean about it!" Renge screeched as her platform lowered itself back into the ground and her with it.
"Though, you know, Hikaru, we do take care of each other if needed," Kaoru said.
Oh, brother, Haruhi thought as the twins released her.
Hikaru immediately brought his hands up to cup Kaoru's face and they touched foreheads.
"Of course, Kaoru," Hikaru said, softly, "But you know that no one can take care of you like I do."
The girls that were still around eyed them with hitched breaths.
"It's sinful how well you know me, Hikaru," Kaoru said.
"When we get home, we can be even more sinful," Hikaru assured.
The girls all blushed as the images swarmed their minds. They all started to squeal again with more fervor than before and the hearts were not only in their eyes, but all around their bodies. Haruhi just rolled her eyes and grabbed each twin by an ear.
"Come on you two, before they go comatose from your act," Haruhi said as she dragged them by the crowd and to the door before letting them go to open it. What's wrong with those girls?
Only when they got inside did the horde of fan girls leave. Haruhi couldn't take two steps further before she was sandwiched in between the pranksters.
"You're so cute when you get assertive Haruhi," Hikaru said.
"If you guys wouldn't have put on your act we wouldn't have been stuck out there for as long as we were," Haruhi grumbled still smashed between their bodies.
"We're sorry, Haruhi," Kaoru apologized in an exaggerated tone as he nuzzled her cheek. "Can you please forgive us?"
"Whatever, can you let me go?"
"Haruhi! You two shady twins release my darling daughter immediately," Tamaki Suoh, the Host Club President cried indignantly as he saw what was happening.
"No way!" The twins replied.
Haruhi struggled but to no avail as the twins and Tamaki were still bickering. She looked around and noticed that the club room had some strange decorations. There were black curtains drawn over all the windows, leaving the fixtures in the room as the only lighting. Also in the corner where Mori and Hunni were normally entertained guests was filled with what looked to be giant gummy bears. There were gummy bears On the arms of the couches, on the table in between them, and on the floor around it all. She also noticed that there were speakers in another corner and a stack of what could only be 'commoner board games' as Tamaki called them. She pinched one of each twins' hands and they relinquished her. She made some space in between them.
"Haruhi," Tamaki said as he came upon her with the look of a doting father. "Daddy's so proud of how you handled those two perverts."
"Perverts?" The twins parroted.
"Tamaki-Senpai., you're not my father. Now can you tell me why we're here? I thought club was cancelled."
Instead of answering, Tamaki had curled up in a corner that mysteriously turned dark and miserable.
"I thought that would be obvious, Haruhi," The Host Club's V-P, Kyouya Ootori stated as he walked into the room, with his signature black notebook opened.
"Not to me, Kyouya-Sempai," Haruhi replied.
Kyouya adjusted his glasses with his fingers and simply smiled that smile of his.
"Haru-chan!" A voice called.
Haruhi had no time to react as she was tackled by a flying, blonde teen. Mitskuni Haninozuka latched onto her by the waist and looked up into her eyes with swirling pink flowers that seemed indicative to the air around his head.
"Are you ready for some fun, Haru-chan?" the diminutive third year.
"Fun?" Haruhi asked as the final member, Takashi Morinozuka, entered the room carrying a huge box.
"Have you watched the news lately, Haruhi?" Kyouya asked innocently as he walked over to scare Tamaki out of his emo corner.
"No…" Haruhi replied slowly. "Why?"
She could have sworn that she saw them all exchange glances.
"Oh, no reason," Kyouya answered as he jotted down something in his notebook.
"We just thought that we could all use a break, we have exams coming and we thought we should just take a day to unwind," Hunni explained still latched onto Haruhi who had her arm around him.
"Yeah," Mori said, voicing his agreement.
"I don't know guys," Haruhi said. "I have chores to do and my Dad will need me to make him dinner. He had to work late last night and didn't get home until right as I was walking out the door."
Hunni smiled at her and Mori ran his hand through her hair in a quick ruffle while the corners of his mouth quirked upward. Hikaru and Kaoru grinned at her as Kyouya walked up to her and pulled out his phone. He pressed a few buttons then as he turned to show her the screen, Tamaki flew out of his corner and knelt in front of Haruhi.
"Haruhi, your devotion to your father and your admirable sense of responsibility always shake me to my core," he praised while she deadpanned. "You're the best daughter a man could ever have."
"Sempai… while that is very nice to say, you don't need to get all dramatic about it,"
"Yeah, boss," Kaoru said as he and Hikaru wrapped their arms around both Haruhi and Hunni.
"Haruhi doesn't like being praised because she's just awesome like that," Hikaru said.
Tamaki paled at the affectionate display and turned to Kyouya.
"Momma! Those devil twins are trying to seduce my Haruhi again! Help!"
Kyouya adjusted his glasses.
"Well, if we are through with the idiotic speeches, Haruhi look at this," he said as he held his phone in front of her face.
The phone's screen was black before a video call popped up. Haruhi sighed as she saw her dad's face appear on the screen.
"Oh, Haruhi," Ranka said jovially. "Kyouya and I talked this morning and I agree with the idea of a fun day for you all. I will do the chores today because I have the night off, and don't worry about dinner I got sushi. Now go and hang out with those handsome friends you have. You deserve a day off before the rush of studying for your exams. Have lots of fun for me and I'll see you when you get home."
The screen went black again and Haruhi sighed in surrender.
Back at Haruhi's apartment, Ranka just hung up his phone and smiled. He stood up and walked over to the window and looked at the sky.
She may be very independent, Ranka thought as he watched the sun disappear. But she can still slip up now and again. She's lucky to have found a group of such wonderful friends that she can count on. Even if she doesn't know she can.
Ranka sighed wistfully before he went and sat down at the table and began to eat his sushi.
After the call ended, the twins let her go and Hunni smiled at her and gave her some room.
"Well, it looks like I don't have a choice," she said to their pleasure. "I guess I should just enjoy myself. Mori-Sempai, what's in the box?"
"Cake," he replied.
"I shouldn't be surprised," she said with a laugh which resulted in him ruffling her hair again.
"We didn't have a lot so I decided to go and grab some from a bakery nearby," Hunni explained. "Takashi came with me so I would have company."
Mori nodded for verification.
"Also," Haruhi added as she looked over at the giant gummy bears. "What is with the gummy bears?"
"Those?" Hunni replied. "Last weekend I went to this giant sweet shop and there was this section called Planet Gummy Bear. I thought those were really cute so I got some. I was gonna save them for club meeting, but I thought that I would share them with you guys instead."
Hikaru and Kaoru decided to sandwich Hunni after that statement.
"Hunni-Sempai, you're so thoughtful!" They exclaimed with tears in their eyes.
Haruhi was going to deadpan at first but instead a small smile graced her face at the sight.
"Hika-chan and Kao-chan are very affectionate today," Hunni said as he let them hug him.
"What do you want to do first, Haruhi?" Tamaki asked looking like an eager puppy.
"I don't particularly care, Tamaki-Sempai, why don't you pick," she replied.
"Alright, everyone sit, sit!" Tamaki cheered as he ran over to the stack of board games.
Haruhi rolled her eyes at his obvious ecstatic mood. And her hand was taken by Hunni while the twins each put their hands on her back and pushed her toward the couches.
"Here, Haru-chan!" Hunni exclaimed as he sat on one end. "You can sit next to me."
Haruhi obliged and sat in the middle of the couch right next to Hunni. Kaoru dragged Hikaru to the couch across the table in front of them and they sat down across from Hunni and Haruhi. Mori walked around the couch that Haruhi and Hunni were on and sat down next to Haruhi while he put the box of cake on the table. Kyouya sat next to Kaoru on the other couch and picked up one of the gummy bears.
"I never knew that they made gummy bears this big, Hunni-Sempai," Kyouya told him.
"Me either," Hunni replied. "So when I saw them I really wanted to get them."
Then he picked up one that was one the arm of the couch.
"Aren't they cute, Kyou-chan?" Hunni asked as he bit the ear off of the one he was holding.
"I suppose," Kyouya admitted with a small smile as he set the one he was holding back.
Anymore conversation was halted as Tamaki came bounding back with a board game in his hand.
"How about this one?" he asked as he set the box onto the table.
"Clue?" Hikaru asked.
"I haven't played that since I was younger," Haruhi said.
"Can you teach us, Haruhi?" Kaoru asked.
"Sure guys," Haruhi replied.
They spent a good amount of time playing the game. Hikaru and Kaoru had to share a piece because there were only six. They were able to catch on pretty quickly and it wasn't too surprising to see the Kyouya won every game.
During the games Tamaki had music playing that added to the friendly atmosphere of the room. They spent a time playing other games such as charades. Kaoru, Mori, and Haruhi were on one team and Hikaru, Hunni, and Tamaki were on the other with Kyouya as a referee. That game ended in a draw. During the set up for one of the games, Kyouya walked over to the draped window and leaned against the wall. He watched as Haruhi tried to explain the rules to the game and smiled. He locked eyes with Mori and Hunni and a message passed between them.
Kyouya was surprised when Ranka called him this morning and told him that Haruhi had left in a rush. She didn't have time to watch the weather. He stood against the wall where he could hear the pattering of rain against the window. Then there was a small boom that signaled thunder that was blocked out thanks to the drapes and the music that was playing. Once Kyouya got off the phone with Ranka Tamaki had come in and complained about how worried he would be about his 'precious daughter' after school with the thunderstorm that was supposed to come in right after class. Kyouya told him that Haruhi didn't know and Tamaki had his expected fit. He called an emergency meeting with the others minus Haruhi and he gave them one of his convoluted plans. They would make a 'fun day' after class and cancel club for the day. The reason for deception was because they knew Haruhi and they knew she wouldn't want to appear vulnerable in any sense, even when knowing a storm is coming.
He watched as the twins hung all over her to get a reaction out of Tamaki.
"Unhand her you doppelgangers!" Tamaki screeched as he grabbed onto her shoulders in an attempt to pull her away.
"Back off, boss!" The twins said and in the slight tug of war Kaoru's arms kept rubbing along her sides and making her laugh.
"Guys, quit it!" she tried to say while being unwittingly tickled. She looked at Hunni who was giggling at their antics and Mori who had one of his genuine smiles on his face.
"Mori-Sempai, help me please," Haruhi begged as the tickling was getting worse.
Mori stood and walked over. He hooked an arm under each of hers and successfully lifted her out of the twins' and Tamaki's grasp.
"Thank you, Sempai," she said when he set her down and she put her hands on her knees and tried to get her breath back.
"You're welcome," he said as he pat her on the back.
"Come sit and have some cake, Haru-chan," Hunni requested, holding up a plate with a cake with strawberries on it.
Haruhi took the plate and resumed her seat in between her seniors as they watched the twins call Tamaki a pervert and sent him back to his corner.
"Mommy," Tamaki said to Kyouya from his corner as Kyouya walked back to the couches. "Do you think I'm a pervert?"
Kyouya sighed and adjusted his glasses.
"Will you just get over here you idiot, don't let what they say get to you."
And like that, Tamaki leaped from the corner and glomped Kyouya.
"Your so right, Mommy dearest, I shouldn't let what those fools say get to me, what kind of father would I be to our dear Haruhi?"
Kyouya sighed while Haruhi rolled her eyes at being called his daughter again.
"She's not your daughter, boss," the twins synchronized.
"And she wouldn't want to be the daughter of a pervert anyway," Kaoru stated matter of factly.
Tamaki let go of Kyouya and went back to his corner where he balled up with mushrooms growing on his head.
All of them, minus the twins, sweat dropped.
"Come out, Sempai," Haruhi said.
In a flash, Tamaki was back in his seat in his kingly pose.
"Your right, Haruhi," Tamaki said. "Now let's keep going. This, Apples to Apples sounded like an intriguing game."
They went on with their games, all the while, Haruhi remained blissfully unaware of the source of her fear outside.
When they had left, Haruhi noticed it was wet out and figured that it had rained. Once she got home she found a note from her father saying that he had gone out with some work friends. She heated up some leftovers and sat down to watch the television as she ate. When the TV came on it was on the news and the anchor was discussing damage caused by the thunderstorm earlier that day. Haruhi paused at that.
Thunderstorm? I knew it rained, but I never heard… her thoughts were interrupted when the image of the black drapes and the memories of the music being played rushed to her.
She set her food on her lap as a smile graced her lips.
Those guys… Her thoughts drifted to all they did that day and her heart warmed at the thought that they did all of that just so she wouldn't have to go home and curl up under the table. She looked over at the Planet Gummy Bear, gummy bear that Hunni had given her and her smile widened.
The next morning, Haruhi went on to class like normal, however, once the twins arrived, she did something that she knew would take them by surprise.
She stood up and before they had a chance to say good morning she wrapped an arm around each of their torsos and brought them close. The Hitachiins both went wide-eyed at the affectionate display that was out of character for the cross dressing female.
"You guys are sweet," she said quietly. "Thank you."
Slowly, their mouths turned into beaming smiles before they dropped their bags and wrapped their arms around her.
"Aww," they chorused. "You're so cute."
Haruhi let out a small laugh at that.
After that she went through classes like normal and then during lunch time she ran into Hunni and Mori in the hallway that was thankfully empty.
"Hi, Haru-chan," Hunni greeted,
Instead of replying, Haruhi walked toward them and wrapped her arms around the shorter boy's neck while pressing her cheek into his hair. Like with the twins Hunni went wide-eyed while Mori's eyes widened slightly at her actions. She let go of Hunni and stepped to the side before wrapping her arms around his torso and pressing her cheek to his chest. Mori's eyes got wider while Hunni stared dumbly.
"You guys are the best," Haruhi said. "Thank you for yesterday."
At the explanation Mori smiled and placed his hands on her back and the back of her head. Hunni smiled and grew teary eyed before attaching himself to them with a cry of 'Haru-chan'.
She didn't see anyone else until after school. She walked into the third music room where Kyouya was typing away on his laptop.
"Kyouya-Sempai," she called as she walked over to him.
He looked up at her approaching figure.
"What is it, Haru-" he began to ask but was cutoff as she lightly wrapped her arms around his neck.
Even the Shadow King was surprised at her boldness as his eyes went wide.
"You should've known I'd figure out what you guys did yesterday," she stated.
Kyouya let out a breath as he smiled and maneuvered one arm around hers to adjust his glasses.
"While the affection is a nice surprise, couldn't you have waited until the club started? We would have made a killing."
Haruhi laughed as she let him go before smiling at him.
"Not a chance."
After club, Haruhi had hung back and waited as the others left, each smiling at her as they walked by. Soon only Tamaki was left so she walked up to him.
"Tamaki-Sempai," She addressed.
Tamaki looked over and was about to say something when she wrapped her arms around his torso. He froze and looked down at her as his face grew redder.
"H-Haruhi, what are you-" he was cut off as she reached up and planted a chaste kiss to his cheek.
"I figured that distracting me was your idea, so I thought I'd say thank you," Haruhi explained as she let him go.
"Y-Y-You're welcome," he stuttered as she went and grabbed her bag.
He watched as she moved to the door, she turned back before leaving to face him.
"See you tomorrow, Sempai," She said with a smile before heading out of the room.
Tamaki stood there for another moment before putting his hand to the cheek she kissed. Slowly a smile came onto his face and then he straightened himself out before leaving the room, shutting it behind him.
AN: Don't forget to review for your favorite of the two stories!