Author: DreamCager

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Ha, yeah right! Like I could ever be the great Bisco Hatori, or run BONES. Yeah, even I'm not that delusional...

Problems: This may be a bit OOC. shrugs It is fanfiction.

Notes: Any kind of comment is welcome. Don't worry, you won't hurt my feelings.

The Broken Path

Chapter 1

A Complicated Mosaic

"Now it's sunny with a high of seventy-five

Since you took my heavy heart and made it light..."

Relient K, High of '75

Kaoru loved his brother. Hikaru was his twin--they had been born together and before that they had been one. Their bond was so great that they had defied anyone else from getting close to them. Together, under some unspoken pact, they had built a shell around themselves, a shell that hardened with each confused or frustrated look they received from those who just didn't understand.

Then Haruhi had come into their lives...

A melancholy feeling fell across Kaoru that day, something that had happened often this last year at Ouran Academy. The days just seemed to float by, quick and hazy, like an ever-present dream. Sometimes, despite how fast the days went, it felt like the world was standing still and no matter what, this was all that life would ever be. Day in, day out. The monotony of it all was agonizing and pleasant all at once.

All a part of growing up, I supposed... thought the Host Club President as he allowed his eyes to travel the full extent of the music room.

Besides the gnawing anxiety that always hid along the fringes of his subconscious, he felt at peace today. Kaoru could go for days gliding on the same emotions without too much fretting but the fact was there was a big problem looming before him that he just could not seem to overcome.

He refused to think about it. Instead, he surveyed the area and dwelt on the present.

Across the room nearest the doorway was Utomi Reiji, Vice President of the Host Club and resident cool type. He chatted casually with a few of their customers while scribbling notes down onto his notepad. Large gold bracelets glinted off his wrists, banging against his thin forearms and moving with each graceful stroke of his hands. Their theme that day was ancient Egypt therefore jewelry and makeup adorned every member of the club that day, as well as Egyptian-style clothing and sandals. Reiji especially look the part with his long, black hair and darkly tanned skin. Only his eyes, which were a very light brown and hidden behind his sharp glasses, kept all who looked at him from feeling like they were in the wrong epoch.

Reiji was a very lucky find indeed for the Host Club. Being the second scholarship student to arrive at Ouran it was amazing that he had even taken the time to be in the Host Club for, unlike Haruhi, he had not been drafted into it through debt. Instead, he had joined on his own. It was plain from the very beginning that he worshiped Kyouya. The older boy had found the commoner's praise patronizing at first and repaid it with scorn until only a few weeks before last year's graduation. Reiji had been verbally abused by some other freshmen about his lineage and Kyouya had only been trying to protect the Host Club's image when he stood up for the boy. Reiji, on the other hand, had not seen it that way.

That was the day he had first called Kyouya 'Onii-chan'. That was the day Kyouya announced he would be leaving the position of Vice President open only to Utomi Reiji.

A sudden crash and a screech brought Kaoru's eyes to a far corner of the music room. A girl was standing up from her seat, her face flushed, while Kasanoda scrambled to pick up the broken teacup he had, apparently, knocked over. His face was a darker shade than even hers and his once-perfectly straight black wig was now in complete disarray. The other girls who were sharing the table exchanged glances and whispered amongst themselves, giggling all the while.

"G-g-gomen, h-hime-san," stuttered the red head as he tried to clean up his. "I-I-I'll fix this. Don't worry."

Kasanoda Ritsu had been a very interesting addition to their little family. In fact, when he had volunteered to join the Host Club the year before there had been quite a bit of skepticism from both the Hitachiin brothers. When Kasanoda explained to them, face dark as a rose, that he planned to watch over Haruhi as Morinozuka Takashi once had they both agreed that a new wild type would be welcome, even if it was someone who still had a crush on Haruhi.

"You're so clumsy, Ritsu-kun," giggled the standing girl.

Kasanoda, pulling a strand of black hair out of his eyes, looked up at her and muttered another apology. All the girls around him erupted into shouts of 'kawaii!' making him turn even darker. Kaoru almost laughed at the sight. Their wild type was much different than the last. Where Mori was stoic and seemingly unemotional Kasanoda was open and passionate. He was also constantly clumsy. Mori had only been awkward when he was worried about Honey.

Finally, Kaoru's gaze moved away from the bashful host to the youngest of their group, Takaouji Shiro. He was at the piano, the only host not draped in ancient Egyptian vogue and playing something from Chopin--not really helping to compliment their theme for the day. Kaoru grinned.

Never was one to really keep to the rules, thought the senior.

Though still only a Junior High student, Shiro had gained permission to join as a full member at the High School Host Club. He had never much liked the rigorous training the Classical Music Club imposed on him but he never said he would give up the piano. In fact, that was his best selling point. Mostly the girls who designated him liked the calming aura he seemed to exude while he played the piano. He still retained a slight lolita quality about him and the contradiction it held against his serious posture at the piano attracted all types of girls.

"Kaoru! Wake up!"

Kaoru started as he heard his brother call his name and a hand was waved furiously in front of his face. His twin laughed and the girls around them both giggled. Kaoru forced a blush and blinked sheepishly, playing the part up. Both of them looked positively cat-like in their costumes, their makeup adding even more angle to their shapely faces.

"You looked so funny, Kaoru-kun!"

"Do you always smile like that when you daydream?"

"You'll have to forgive him, ladies," Hikaru chuckled unrepentantly. "Kaoru is never completely all there. Sometimes, when we're at home, he'll be staring off at nothing for hours with the same silly look on his face."

"Hikaru, how could you!" cried Kaoru catching on without missing a beat. "You're so unfair! Always telling things you know I'm embarrassed about."

Kaoru turned away from the group, striking his most dejected pose. He could hear the girls behind him all whisper in regret for their giggles and also their light gasps when Hikaru reached his arms around the younger twin, pulling Kaoru's bare back to his chest. Hikaru had his lips near Kaoru's ear where he whispered none too softly his apology, adding that he was only jealous that Kaoru's attention had been averted, even just for a moment, away from himself.

Great job, Hikaru, Kaoru silently praised his twin when he heard the girls absolutely swooning over their act.

Sincere as he was about being proud of their performance Kaoru was also thankful for the view he was at last allowed of the final member of their group. Haruhi's table was the only one situated behind that of the Hitachiins'. They had a difficult time finding an appropriate Egyptian cosplay to match her that didn't show off her womanly features. They had eventually decided on a girl costume but one that didn't allow any girls to see something unexpected. Though still having not graduated from an A-cup Haruhi was still a girl with parts to match. Kaoru, however, would not have her any other way.

That was his problem.

Kaoru flopped down lazily onto one of the chairs situated around the piano. Shiro had continued to play even after Reiji had announced the end of club activities and began to usher the girls out the door. Seeking a respite from the busy day, Kaoru found himself closing his eyes and relaxing into the soothing lullaby the child played. Despite his lack of experiencing any actual rigorous activity he felt physically tired.

Maybe I'm not getting enough iron or something, he thought and felt a wave of irritation at his own comment.

Opening his eyes Kaoru spied Haruhi at the door, waving away a few of her last customers and asking them to come again some day. All his irritation seemed to drain away at the sight of her smiling face and he couldn't help smiling himself.

Thank you for your smile, Haruhi. I love to see you happy.

Kaoru quickly averted his eyes when she turned around, pretending to stare out the window and trying to look bored. He heard a door close and turned back to the room. Haruhi had apparently gone into the other room to change because Kasanoda was standing with his back against the dressing room door, a scowl on his face that dared anyone to try and get past him. Since he had joined the club he had taken that position at the door whenever Haruhi entered. He was her ever-faithful watchdog. Kaoru was sure she was too dense to even notice the boy's over-attentiveness.

That was just one aspect about Haruhi that Kaoru seemed to have the hardest time deciding his feelings over. Her lack of awareness of those with feelings for her could be both a blessing and a pain. It was agonizing for Hitachiin Kaoru that she so easily missed the love he had for her as a woman. Or, that is, it had been, and only for a very brief instant.

Love was a very taxing emotion to tackle when it came to the Hitachiin brothers. Their closed emotional boundaries had been so thickly constructed over the years of their childhood that neither of them had ever thought of one day falling in love with a woman and wanting to spend their lives with her. They believed themselves to be only loved by one another for the rest of their lives, to mature together, live together and grow old together. It was their secret wish never to leave one another or have the other leave them. It was a promise they had made to one another so long ago they didn't even remember if it was real or not.

I fell in love with her without realizing it, mused Kaoru letting his head fall back against the couch's frame. It's best she never knows...

He stared at the crystal chandelier above him. It was unlit but the crystal still reflected the light coming in from the windows. He could see dust particles flying through the reflected sunbeams. The room fell quiet for a moment before Shiro shuffled through his music and once again started to play.

Hikaru sat down beside him and Kaoru smiled. He had an idea.

To be continued...

Author's Notes: Meh. This turned out to be mostly just another introduction chapter. More introduction to plot and slightly more in-depth with characters. sigh I really don't like how this is going. Here's to hoping it gets better. Really, my favorite part of this chapter was the last paragraph. It makes me smile every time I read it.

No real deep angsting yet but I hope you can sense a real battle about to ensue. evil grin... but, you know, this makes me think I probably should actually call this a HikaruxKaoruxHaruhi fic, even though it is not really HikaruxKaoru. It just sounds like is a lot of the time because I have a hard time myself trying to separate the twins. Let's see if I can pull this off.

Did you enjoy the idea of an Egyptian cosplay? Personally, I think Honey would have been cute to see dressed up as a Pharaoh or something. Too bad he's already graduated. I like having Kasanoda as my wild type. He's a fun character.

Did you like how I began and ended the chapter with basically the same feel to it? It's essay writing come back to haunt me. shivers College is not good for my psyche.

Erm, anyway, reviews would be lovely. I'll try to have the next chapter up by or before next week. laughs Yeah, right. Here's to hoping...