Author's note: The weather this morning is horrible; it's exactly how I left it last night, Wet and dark. Oh well, this is no time to rant about how much it's ruining my hair. I re-read chapter two and spotted a couple of mistakes. See if you can spot the corrections I made! Please enjoy!

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THREE

There are a lot of responses to a proposal, if you are in love, you'd say,

"Yes, I'd love to marry you! I can't wait to have kids and start a family! Oh no, I need to get a dress now… Mom will be so pleased, and dad… You know, he might be a little surprised, but it's alright! Ah, my friend has this fabulous wedding planner—"

Or probably just a simple,

"Yes!"

If you just feel like he is not the one, you'd most likely say,

"I'm sorry; it's not going to work out."

Or, if you feel nervous about saying no,

"I'll think about it."

Of all the responses out there, there was only one thing that I could say to Kyouya-senpai and his humungous ring,

"Eh?"

He looked at me, but I couldn't remember when he shuffled and sat next to me.

"Will you marry me?" he rephrased, and raised the ring higher, it was now at the tip of my nose, which made it harder to think.

"Eh?"

"What are you saying, Kyouya-san?" asked dad coldly. Finally, my father has decided to speak for my behalf. Kyouya-senpai lowered his hands and placed the ring in my palm. For some strange reason, I couldn't move, and my body felt devoid of emotion. All I could think about was, "Eh? Eh?" I couldn't even turn to see what my father's expression looked like.

"My father has been in favor of your daughter for a long time, Ranka-san, and he plans on me wedding her," said Kyouya-senpai, his voice low again.

"This is not a matter of who your father wants to you wed. This is a matter of why you think I'd let my daughter get married to someone she does not love!" I heard my father say firmly.

Kyouya looked taken aback, but he cleared his throat.

"I heard that Haruhi has no money to enter college—"

"She can sign up for a scholarship."

"Haruhi works in a drugstore…"

"It is a perfectly noble job."

"She needs a better life, and I can give her that and more easily!"

"I am perfectly aware that money flows freely in your side."

There was a stony silence after they exchanged blows back and forth. I have never heard dad so agitated and Kyouya shaking with anger.

"I believe the one that has to decide is Haruhi herself," he said quietly, and he turned back to me. My body still felt frozen, but I forced myself to get back to earth.

"Eh," I muttered and cleared my throat, "I'll think about it." No.

He closed his eyes and sighed, but I could feel that he wasn't giving up yet.

"If you do decide to say yes, the date of the wedding will be a month after your graduation," he said, adjusting his glasses on the tip of his nose, "I need your answer soon, Haruhi."

I had so many things that I wanted to tell him, but nothing came out of my mouth as I nodded and he stood up gracefully.

"I do apologize again for intruding, Ranka-san. Good night," he said and swopped out of the door.

I turned to my dad who looked like he was about to cry, and I made to hug him, but I realized something was in my hand.

"The ring…" I gasped, and jumped from my seat to go out the door.

As I ran out to search for him, calling his name, I found that there was nowhere around; just the shadows whispering my name.

--

The next morning, I could hear the rain splattering on the window, and I curled up into a tight little ball under the blankets and sighed heavily.

I did not sleep soundly last night, and I was up thinking about him, but not in a good way. Last night as he proposed, I was frozen in shock, I was shocked because of all the people, why did his father chose me? Sure, I was intelligent, this I cannot deny. But my beauty is nothing compared to other rich ladies, my status in the community is something that is not worth looking at twice. He said that his father wanted 'A girl with such undeniable spunk and strength that can handle obstacles thrown into our businesses'.

Spunk? Strength? I do not have these qualities. I was always the weak little girl who stood up to bullies for other people's sake. If they bullied me, it did not matter as much as other people's sake did. I was never up for a business, because I cannot stand people who spend their time working in vain and spending their money on useless things. The money that they flash around in wads to shove into the faces of the poor… Instead of just donating things to those in need, they prance around in their shiny little shoes and designer duds, as if the world really cares.

But why, after all these, did his father want me to marry his son? What bothers me the most is that after Kyouya-senpai proposed to me, I still said, "I'll think about it." Even if I could have said 'no' as easily as I thought.

So where is that undeniable spunk and strength now?

--

"You are not going to your little party?" asked dad that night. I sat on the floor, still in my shorts and over-sized shirt. I buried my head in my knees and mumbled something incoherent, that even I myself couldn't understand.

"What?" ask my dad absentmindedly as I raised my head again, my face pink.

"It's a ball, dad, and I don't feel like going anymore," I said heavily, as if I wanted to go to the party in the first place. Dad sighed and took out the fancy pink dress from the closet and examined it.

"It's such a waste to let this gown rot in here," he said, gently caressing the fabric. I buried my face again.

"You can have it, if it fits you," I said, my voice muffled. I could almost hear my dad whimpering, torn between getting the beautiful Vera Wang dress and forcing her un-relenting daughter to go to the ball.

"Sweetie," said dad, he knelt beside me but I did not raise my head. He placed a rough manicured hand on the small of my back. "Last night, when Kyouya-san proposed—"

"Dad, I don't want to talk about it. At least not yet," I groaned into my knees. He sighed.

"Is that why you won't go to the ball-thing?" he asked.

"What other reason is there?" I said curtly.

"Ah, but if you don't go, they will charge you for the dress, remember?" reminded dad. I pouted and finally pulled my head up, my feet open like a ragdoll's.

"Dad."

"Yes?"

"You want me to marry him," I muttered. Dad looked at me incredulously.

"I—"

"You said it yourself, 'Haruhi, you will be married by a rich man who will treat you like a queen!'" I said, perfectly imitating his voice. Dad narrowed his eyes.

"That was perfectly rhetorical, merely the hopes of a father to his daughter," he said defiantly, waving a hand to tuck his long hair under his ear.

"Do you?"

"What?"

"Want me to marry him…"

He smiled at me and took my hand into his.

"I'll be honest, the first thing that I thought when he proposed to you out of the blue was, 'YES!', but then I felt like he was buying you from me… As if he bribed you to marry him so that he could shower you with riches and pleasure… All fathers want the best for their daughters, but I want you to marry someone you love." he said slowly.

I nodded and finally gave him a smile back that he was probably waiting for.

"Well, I guess I have a party to crash," I said, taking the dress from his hands. Dad grinned at me, and shoved me into his 'secret' dressing room.

"I believe it's time you learned how to be a girl," he said. I gulped. Oh no.

--

I was going to hail a cab, really. But to my surprise, as I stepped out of our apartment feeling awkward in heels, a black car pulled up in front of me. I raised an eyebrow at if for a second, feeling embarrassed as a kid gaped at it nearby.

"Um, hello?" I asked, knocking gently on the window. It rolled down, and there, sat like a golden prince was Tamaki Suou with an annoyingly bright smile on his face.

I stepped back as he bounded out of the car and jumped at me like a cat.

"Tamaki-senpai… Can't… Breathe…" I said, trying to pull him off, but his hug was too fierce.

"Haruhi… You look beautiful," he muttered in my hair, breathing into it more like. "You look like a flower blooming into spring… Your smell… So exquisite…"

I blushed and finally shoved him off.

"It's nice to see you again, Tamaki-senpai," I said, feeling happier than I usually intend to be. Despite my annoyance, it was nice seeing him again.

"Oh, my daughter, you grew your hair long! And you are wearing the dress we bought for you!" he exclaimed happily, his eyes bursting with tears of joy.

This is Tamaki Suou, I've known him as long as I've know everyone in the host club. Other than I, people say that he is denser than the rest. He is the heir of many industries and businesses. Somehow, despite his past being bleak and sad, he manages to smile and see the goodness in every speck of dust in his life. This is what makes him Tamaki Suou.

Sometimes, it gets pretty annoying for us to try to handle his joy, but I guess it is bearable in some way.

"Ah yes, it's beautiful, but it really is not me—"

"Oh, how Hikaru and Kaoru wanted to dress you, is absurd! As if I would let them touch the virgin skin of my daughter! Absurd!" he repeated, and he looked outraged as he raised his fists in the air.

I laughed nervously and shifted my feet.

"Tamaki-senpai, what are you doing here?" I asked. He looked at me, his fists still in the air.

"I'm taking you to the ball! Kyouya wanted to make sure you get there, or else he might ask you to pay for that dress, he said," said Tamaki-senpai, grinning, his hands stretched in invitation.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"I could get a cab, you know. I don't need to ride your car," I muttered. He looked at me, his blue eyes smothering as if usually did.

His pain reflected in his voice,

"Please, Haruhi? You might get kidnapped in a cab… Or worse, he might try to take advantage of—"

"Alright, okay, I'll go with you," I said with a heavy sigh.

He smiled at me and pulled me into the black car, I didn't bother to resist.

--

Author's note: Aww, I feel so happy! Almost giddy, really! I can't believe that while I sat writing this chapter, four amazing reviews came. It really is nice that you guys put an effort to review and comment on my work! Thank you, everyone! You made my day! Keep on reviewing!!

Miharu Nakashima: lol I believe random moments inspired that description! I was looking for something huge in my house that can be a rock, and I was sitting next to a bag of jumbo marshmallows. :D