A/N: Ok, so sue me. I had this chapter done awhile ago. Rather, it's been done since around the time I first started to publish this story. I just didn't want to post all four chapters at once, thus leaving my readers with next to nothing to read. (Is that so wrong?) But, as of this chapter, you will have to wait awhile since beyond this chapter has yet to be wrote at all. I do have an idea on where I'm going with the next chapter. Also, as many times as I may or may not remember to do this (or, I will make this a permanent statement henceforth), I am extremely lucky to have mcangel1976 be my beta reader, mostly to ensure that the POV has been correct. Now, I hope that these last two chapters will keep everyone happy, in case I don't end up posting next week. The next two weeks following may or may not be a bit hectic. Just keep this as a head's up for all of the stories I am working on. Have a great weekend everyone!

Chapter Four: Overriding Feelings

"Because. I decided that was a better course." Hiro replied to Haruhi's earlier question about him borrowing the notebook, then inviting the girl out for dinner. Right now, however, he had dragged her into a mini mall to look for a different dress to wear, aside from the yellow monstrosity known as the female's uniform.

"Hiro! Why am I going dress shopping again before we are expected at your place? I am already wearing a dress." Haruhi asked her companion.

"Yes, it is a dress. But, it is a uniform dress. You need something a bit more elegant for this meal due to the restaurant's policy." Hiro responded, just as he found a lavender gown with spaghetti straps. He forced that one onto the female in the change room. He was fighting hard to keep a blush down. He had liked Haruhi while he had attended school with her. However, he had never confessed to the girl. The only way he thought he would express it, was to invite her to do things with him. Often times, he would ask as a 'friend'. The year apart really did a number on him. He may still have to borrow people's notes who ranked just a tad bit higher than him, he started to do a lot of his own work too. He gained the courage to be something worthy for Haruhi, regardless of her lineage. After all, he had fallen head over heels for her.

His parents had no qualms with the girl either. They loved her dearly already. They even told her that she could call them mom and dad or auntie and uncle. Whichever she wanted. Now, how could he tell the girl that he actually loved her? How much it had pained him when other guys asked her out? He didn't know if she would accept one of them someday. Could he tell her that he was jealous when those guys who had the guts to confess to her?

Hiro shook his head mentally. He over rode the thought of immediately confessing. He would tell her later. He promised himself.

Meanwhile, a few feet away in the change room, Haruhi was having similar thoughts. She remembered the first time when Hiro asked to borrow her notes. The first time he begged her to come watch a date of his brother's. She would never admit it to the guy, but she had loved all that time spent with him.

When she met his parents for the first time, she was nervous. But, she eventually grew accustomed to the parents. They told her to call them mom and dad, or auntie and uncle. They didn't care, so she went with the latter.

Haruhi would be forever grateful for how much they helped her a few months ago. They had been the ones to get her into the hospital in order to do that assignment a few months back.

Haruhi finished trying on the lavendar colored dress, and was in love with it. It hugged every one of her curves too. She was about to take off the tag to the dress, but a fleeting glance at the price point nearly gave Haruhi a heart attack. She wished there was a cheaper dress, but she figured that the other dresses in the store were either the same price or higher.

In a limo that only held the Ootori patriarch and his youngest son, the duo were on their way to the restaurant. Kyoya was lost to his own thoughts as well. He was wondering what type of blackmail Haruhi had on Hiro Shido. And, why did the way the two talk seem so formal?

Kyoya also wondered what was with the intensive heat wave when she was angry? There were just so many things that he wanted to know. The main question that he had was just who on earth was Haruhi Fujioka? Kyoya didn't have much time to look into that file, but he made a mental note to get to the bottom of things and quickly right as soon as he was able to go home.

Everyone seemed to arrive at the restaurant at the same time, which was a coincidence, really. Though, it was also a blessing that everyone could meet there. No one spoke a word walking into the building. In fact, no one even spoke until they had reached a private room. The first person to speak was Hiro's mother.

"Haruhi, dear, it certainly is a pleasant surprise to see you once again. Since you are well, I assume things have been going pretty good for you dear? And, there's something different about your appearance tonight than what I recall. Did you do something different? Anyways, I heard from Hiro here that the two of you ran into each other earlier today. I am grateful for that!" The Shido matriarch started, but then continued the rest in a mumble. "He has been concentrating too much lately on his studies. Not that I'm too concerned since that is better than not doing them at all."

"Auntie, it really has been awhile. Yes, I have been doing well. My father and I recently moved to Tokyo. I am presently attending Ouran on a scholarship. An academic one, at that. But, Hiro was correct. We ran into each other in school today." Haruhi gave one of her classic fake smiles, but then muttered something about along the lines of 'damn rich observant people.'

The clearing of a throat brought the two back into reality that it wasn't just the two of them at the dinner table. Haruhi spoke up once again.

"Ah, sorry about, Ootori-sama. I should have introduced myself earlier. Haruhi Fujioka." Haruhi stood up and bowed to the Ootori partriarch.

The Ootori patriarch looked a bit surprised. No one ever apologized, then went right into a very brief introduction. The Fujioka name was off too. There was only one family that he knew of with that name. It couldn't be, right? This girl really couldn't be the one he gave up nearly 15 years ago. She had different hair color, different eye color. But, there was the unnerving fact that she was smart.

"Pleasure to meet you, Fujioka-san. Would you be related to Kotoko-san, by any chance?" Yoshio probed. If she admitted that the woman was her mother, he would have everything confirmed.

"Ootori-sama, Kotoko Fujioka was a mother to me, but she was not my biological mother. If that is what you are trying to get at. I have known for years that I did not seem like the parents around me. I tried to pass them off as traits from my grandparents or even great-grandparents in the Fujioka family.

However, I found none of my current traits in any of them. I found a certain set of papers, which only confirmed that I was not Kotoko's flesh and blood, even if I am going to become a lawyer like her. So, I am going to try my best to find my biological family within a deadline that I have set." Haruhi sneered.

Yoshio was stunned. She really was his daughter after all. Smart and cunning. But, what about her over all appearance right now?

To the right of Haruhi, Hiro only sighed. "Haruhi, I know you wanted me to keep quiet about that certain topic about earlier -" The boy was silenced by a glare from Haruhi.

"Haruhi, you really should stop those glares. They are bound to stick one of these days." The elder Shido patriarch joked. At that point, the wig on Haruhi started to itch like crazy. Haruhi just had to bid her time to go to the washroom to scratch it.

"If it shuts him up, I will continue to send him glares. Sorry, Uncle." Haruhi replied. "But, if you will excuse me for a moment, I will be right back."

Haruhi got up from the table. She did not realize that she was being followed by her aunt. From there, Haruhi took of the short brown wig and really scratched her head. She only stopped when she heard a gasp behind her.

"A-Auntie! When did you get here? Crap!" Haruhi quickly tugged the wig back on, not really caring about the itching that had come back.

"Actually, I followed you from the table. You weren't acting like you normally do. And, I can tell now why you seem different. You have the same shade of hair as all of them. You have their traits too. Why didn't I see those signs earlier? But, never mind those. Take off your wig. You shouldn't be covering it up." The woman reprimanded, though the young girl had sighed and removed the wig once again.

Haruhi was confused. "Auntie, what do you mean about noticing the signs earlier?"

"I will tell you the story when we get back to our place tonight. I'll call Ryoji at work to let him know you'll be at my place tonight. Is that acceptable?" Mrs. Shido asked. Haruhi nodded. The two returned to the table. Haruhi had kept the wig off, though her natural eye color was still hidden behind the contact lenses.

The look on everyone's faces were different. To the two Ootoris, the patriarch had surprise written all over it while the younger looked a bit shocked. The girl really had the same shade as he did. So, is this to say that today was a bit shocking to her as well? Kyoya thought to himself.

"Kyoya, if you are wondering today was a bit shocking, it was. After all, it's not everyday that you get to see another person having the identical shade of hair as your own. Regardless of whether I have been covering mine up most of my life." Haruhi answered his inner thought.

Haruhi wanted to retort something else to the other raven haired male, but it was at that time that Haruhi's phone started to ring. It was an annoying ringtone, which matched a friend back in Kyoto. "Excuse me. I must take this." Haruhi said as she walked towards the front of the restaurant to take the phone call. Haruhi answered the phone on the third ring, when she was outside.

"Spill. You are interrupting a pretty decent meal right now, Avery." Haruhi snapped.

"Jeesh. I just wanted to let you know that I got a hit on an adoption site." Avery whined.

"Avery, that assignment has been done for months. Why were you still looking?" Haruhi sighed.

"I wasn't looking. Everything must have finally clicked. Fine, you caught me lying. I was still searching. I was curious. You are 100% adopted. If this stuff would have came while you were still living in Kyoto, I would have sent you to Tokyo. Your mother is deceased, but your biological father is still alive. He is in the medical industry." Avery had decided to look into some of the family, but she wasn't going to divulge in the name just yet.

"Avery, just because I think of school as a game, quit trying to tease me and just give me my biological family's name." Haruhi was getting slightly moody.

"Again, with the mood swings and the impatience. Fine. The name that came up was Ootori. Happy?" Avery grumbled into the phone.

"Y-You aren't kidding me, right?" Haruhi asked in disbelief.

"I am only stating facts. Why?" Avery inquired.

"So, you are saying that some of my biological family is currently dining with me tonight?" Haruhi deduced.

"If you are doing that, then yes. Anyways, I got to go finish my homework. You sure are lucky not to have to deal with this stuff anymore." Avery said.

"That's where you are wrong. I am still learning the same curriculum as you. I just chose to learn ahead, and therefore have things done earlier. But, thank you for this information. Talk to you again soon." Haruhi responded. She wondered if she should tell the people inside the good news now, or if she should shock them a bit more by revealing her eye color now. After carefully debating, she would do both. She returned back to her seat a few minutes later.

"Sorry about that. My friend from Kyoto called. The two of us worked on a project together. The same project in which I found out that I was adopted. She, apparently, is as bad as I am when I am really trying to capture information on assignments. She gave me some good information about you, Ootori-sama. Or, should I say father to you?" Haruhi questioned the patriarch before she found a case for her contacts. Now, her emerald eyes were shining back at him.

"Haruhi, just what are you doing?" Hiro asked.

"Exactly what it looks like Hiro. I knew things weren't right for me. But, I'll ignore that for now. The one thing that is bothering me right now is why did you, Yoshio Ootori, send me into adoption?" Haruhi asked again.

"You really are like your mother. You have her eyes. She had an awfully sharp tongue too. But, 15 years ago, our society did not accept families that had more than four children. When we had a set of twins, we had to pick one of you to be adopted out, and one to keep. In the end, we decided that you would be best to go to the Fujioka's. They were in the list of candidates. However, your mother had something to do with that. She only told me during her dying breaths that she had met them prior to them being appointed as your official guardians." Yoshio stated.

Another couple decided to walk in at that moment. They were the siblings to the two families that had joined together. They were just about to go sit at a different table to enjoy their meal, when a certain person caught their eyes. It can't be, can it? They both thought. The boy crept around a few pillars until he was directly behind the girl. Just as he was about to pounce his attack, the girl spoke.

"Shido-san, you should know better by now. Come on out from behind the pillar."

Just after that, the girl pounced on her brother.

"Kyoyaaaaaaa! Sister sure isn't fun. She's too much like you in knowing when people want to pounce." Fuyumi whined.

"Not at all, Fuyumi-neechan. Shido-san just likes to play a cat and mouse game, where he wants to be the cat. However, unfortunately for him, the current cat is already ahead of him. Speaking of being ahead, Hiro, you should be able to borrow that book earlier for two weeks. I want it back at the end of that time." Haruhi finished up what she wanted to say.

"Haruhi, don't you need that green book that I gave you for your studies?" Shido-san asked.

"I don't need it for three weeks. I'm half the school year ahead already, thanks to the curriculum being the same as the one in Kyoto." Haruhi smirked.

"And, how did you manage to get that far ahead?" Shido-san asked.