Chapter 2: Concern

The next day…

After eating her breakfast, Haruhi looked up at the clock. She widens her eyes. It's now 7 AM! She has to buy beer for Koji and deliver them to his house by 7.30 AM. If she doesn't, she'll face the 'consequences'. And she hates that guy for being lazy to go to the supermarket and buy his own beer. What a slacker.

"Bye dad! I gotta go to work now!" Haruhi quickly got up and grab her suitcase.

"But I thought your work starts at 9 AM." Ryoji said as he watches his daughter grab her cup of coffee and gulped it down quickly.

"Well…the earlier the better." Haruhi replied as she puts down the cup and walks towards the door. But before she could leave, her father spoke up as he got up, making her froze.

"Haruhi, please. This isn't like you. You have been leaving the home at 7 a.m. everyday for a week now." Ryoji said hesitantly as he walks over to Haruhi and gently placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Tell me, what's going on?"

Haruhi cringed. She tries to come up with an answer, but she couldn't. And if she tells her father that Koji has been abusing her, she will have a terrible fate. She looks down and sighed.

"Nothing's wrong, dad." Haruhi said.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Haruhi now sounds impatient. She needs to leave the home and head to the supermarket now!

"Is there really nothing wrong?"

"Yes!"

"Haruhi, did something happen last night at Tamaki's mansion? Just tell-"

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU! THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME AND THERE'S NOTHING BAD HAPPENED LAST NIGHT!!!" Haruhi screeched as she turned to her father. Ryoji just looked at her stunned.

"Ha-Haruhi?"

"Everything's fine, dad! Now I have to go! Goodbye!" Haruhi then leaves her apartment and slams the door after she steps out.

Ryoji remained silent, still looking stunned and shocked by the outburst. What made Haruhi do that to him? Her daughter had ever yell angrily at him before in her life. Finally, he shook his head sadly as he puts his hands into his pockets. Something is wrong with his daughter. But she wouldn't tell him what.

He sighed heavily as he walks back to his room.

Haruhi furrowed her eyes as she walks down the streets while carrying her suitcase in her right hand and a grocery bag of beer bottles in her left hand. Stupid Ryoji, can't he leave her alone and do what she had to do? But then, she lowered her head in defeat. Inside her heart, she was also feeling sad. She couldn't believe she yelled at her father like that. And it was heartbreaking for her. Ryoji may be an idiotic father, but still, it was him who took care of her after her mother's death. And that is why she still loves him and still led a happy life with him despite his stupidity and his job in an okama bar.

But she had no choice. She can't let her father waste her time, or worse, make her confess the truth about Koji.

However, she wasn't watching where she's going while thinking all that and she accidentally bumps into a man.

"OOF!!!" Haruhi groaned. She frowns and looks up. "Watch where you're going! I almost drop my-" She trails off when she finds out that the man she bumps into was Tamaki.

"Oh Haruhi!" Tamaki said and he scratches the back of his head apologetically. "I'm so sorry. I was looking at my watch to see what's the time and that's why I accidentally bump into you, not watching where I'm going."

"It's okay. Actually, I wasn't watching where I'm going too. Sorry." Haruhi smiled.

"No problem." Tamaki nods his head. He then notices the grocery bag Haruhi was holding and managed to see that inside the bag were beer bottles. "Why did you buy beer bottles?"

"What?" Haruhi looks down at her grocery bag. 'Oh no! He found out!'

"I thought you told me your father quit alcoholism years ago? So why is he asking you to buy beer again?" Tamaki asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh no! They're not for my father!" Haruhi shook her head. She tries to think of an answer. "I…I bought them…because…it's for my boss!"

"Um, your boss?" Tamaki asked, getting even more confused.

"Yes! My boss! You know, it's my boss's day! And me and the other lawyers must buy something for him!" Haruhi grins nervously. 'Way a go, Haruhi. That's probably the most stupidest answer you ever think of in your entire life!'

"Ummm…are you alright?" Tamaki asked.

"What's the time?!" Haruhi asked frantically. Tamaki looks at his watch.

"7.20 a.m." Tamaki replied.

"7.20?! Gotta go!" Haruhi panicked. Tamaki then watched Haruhi sprints off.

'Wow, never thought Haruhi is such a fast runner.' Tamaki thought. His thoughts broke when he heard his cell phone ringing. He takes it out from his pocket and answers it. "Hello?"

"Hello? Is that you Tamaki?" Ryoji asked.

Tamaki gulped. Why did Haruhi's father called him all of the sudden? "Um…yes. It's me. What is it?"

"Listen, can we have a talk?"

"Why…sure…no problem. How about I meet you at the local café around…" Tamaki looks at his watch. "11 a.m. Is that okay?"

"Sure. No problem. Bye." Ryoji then hangs up.

Tamaki sighed heavily as he puts away his cell phone. He could still remember the day when he and the other members of the Host Club visit Haruhi's apartment. It was the same day he and Ryoji first met each other and their rivalry over Haruhi began. And every time they met each other, Ryoji would constantly pick on him, much to his amusement. And that's why he's not looking forward to having this unexpected conservation with Haruhi's father.

'Oh well, better continue my way to work now.' Tamaki then continues his way to work.

Haruhi sighed as she walked up to the door of Koji's apartment. However, before she could set her fingers on the doorknob, Koji swung open the door, grabs Haruhi by the collar, drags her inside and closes the door with a slam. He roughly pins Haruhi to the wall.

"You got my beer right?!" Koji scowled.

"Yes! I do! Take it!" Haruhi pleaded desperately. She holds up the bag and Koji snatches it from her with his other hand. He looks down at the beer bottles and frowns deeply.

"God damn it! I want Carlsberg! Not Heineken!"

"Sorry! But that's all they only had Heineken! Not Carlsberg! It's all they had!"

"Lyin' bitch!" Koji then punches Haruhi's shoulder, making her cry in pain. "God damn it! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Please! I'm not lying! It's true!" Tears well up in Haruhi's eyes.

"You know the price for your stupidity, right?" Koji asked diabolically.

"No…not again…"

Haruhi could only sob once in horror as Koji pulls his fist back.

And then came the pain.

END OF CHAPTER