A/N: Here's the next chapter as I mentioned in my last author's note. Standard disclaimers apply.
Chapter 4: After the Confrontation
Haruhi just stayed silent even after Kumiko left her.
"I know that but it still doesn't make it easier to accept." She whispered brokenly before deciding to leave.
She started walking but realized that she had to pass through the corridor where the others were before she would be able to leave the premises.
Straightening her back, she continued walking and tried ignoring the hosts from stopping her from leaving.
"Where do you think you're going Haruhi?" Hikaru asked while gripping her arm.
"Let go of me Hikaru. I'm clearly not wanted here. You saw how Kurosaki-san reacted when she saw me. I don't want to cause any trouble." She told him trying to remove his grip on her.
"That's nonsense Haruhi. You're our friend and I'm sure that you're also Megumi-chan's friend. You deserve to be here." Kaoru pointed out.
'I'm more than her friend Kaoru. If only you knew the truth.' She thought sadly.
"Where did you get this?" Hikaru questioned, looking at her swollen cheek.
"It's nothing." She said trying harder to free herself from him.
The other hosts seeing this went to the trio and tried asking her what happened.
"If she wants to leave, let her. She clearly doesn't want to be here." Kumiko spoke up, looking at Haruhi in distaste.
"What is your problem with Haruhi, Kumiko-sama?" Hikaru asked after a moment.
"She hasn't done anything to you to cause this much animosity towards her." Kaoru added.
Kumiko just looked at the twins for a few minutes before answering.
"I don't have to explain myself to any of you but if you must know, I find the presence of a commoner within our midst distasteful."
The hosts kept quiet when they heard that.
"I'm thinking about talking to your parents about this disgracefulness. To think that sons of some of the most powerful and influential families are stooping down to the level of a lowly commoner and befriending her. I'm sure that they would be disappointed." She continued.
"Haruhi is not just some lowly commoner!" Tamaki exclaimed in a moment of courage.
"Technically, she is Tamaki." Kyouya pointed out while raising his glasses.
"Kyouya! She's our friend. How can you say that?!" The host club king ranted.
This caused the hosts to argue with each other while Yuuichi, Akito, Kumiko and Haruhi were just watching from the sidelines.
They were still arguing and didn't notice when a nurse arrived and was talking with Yuuichi.
Yuuichi readily went to Megumi's room when he heard that she was awake, Akito hot on his heels.
Haruhi was thinking of following but one look from Kumiko halted her steps.
"Don't even think about it brat." The older lady hissed at her softly before continuing on her way to Megumi's room.
The hosts, realizing that the others were walking towards what they know to be Megumi's room, followed and dragged a reluctant Haruhi with them.
Once inside, they saw Yuuichi asking Megumi how she was feeling.
"I'm fine Yuuichi. Still a bit dizzy but I'm fine." Megumi told him honestly giving him a small smile.
"That's normal since you hit your head. I'm still going to run some tests just to be sure." He told her.
"That's fine Yuuichi. Thank you." She said before looking around the room.
Megumi was scanning their faces when she saw Haruhi's swollen cheek.
"Who slapped you Fujioka-san?" She asked in a no nonsense tone.
"No one Kurosaki-san." Haruhi told her.
"Don't lie to me Fujioka-san. Your swollen cheek is proof enough and don't tell me that you hurt yourself by bumping or hitting something. Besides, you're a bad liar." Megumi pointed out.
Haruhi stayed quiet but kept on stealing glances at Kumiko.
It was subtle enough that only those observant were able to see it.
Megumi then looked at her grandmother and narrowed her eyes at her.
"I wish to speak with my grandmother and Fujioka-san alone." She then said after a few minutes.
The others nodded and left with Tamaki and the twins readily going to the door trying to eavesdrop.
"Grandma why did you do it?" Megumi asked calmly while Kumiko just looked at her.
"I had to remind her of her place." Her grandmother stated simply.
"I see." Was her granddaughter's reply.
The three of them were silent for a while before Megumi broke it.
"I was at fault Grandma. If anyone is to be blamed, it's me. I initiated contact. She didn't know I was to start at Ouran. Much less as her classmate."
"No matter. She knows her place. Don't you brat?" Kumiko spoke up, looking at Haruhi for confirmation.
Haruhi just nodded and kept her head bowed.
"You still didn't have to slap her Grandma!" The younger girl pointed out.
"I was within my rights to do what I did. She was being disrespectful." Her grandmother reasoned out.
"I was just…" Haruhi began but was interrupted.
"We're not talking to you so shut your mouth brat. I don't want to hear your voice." Kumiko stated.
"Grandma!" Megumi exclaimed.
Kumiko narrowed her eyes at her granddaughter at this.
"You're going to defend this commoner, Megumi? You're going against me for this…for this brat?" She pointed a finger at Haruhi.
"Grandma you know that I'm not going against you but Haruhi is…" Megumi started but Kumiko cut her off.
"Don't you dare Megumi. I have raised you and took you away from that place. After all that they've done to you, how can you just forget? They are nothing to you. I am all that you have dear child. Not your useless father or your worthless sister. No one else." Kumiko told her harshly but in a soft voice.
Megumi was crying while Haruhi was clenching her fists against her sides.
Seeing that Haruhi was about to speak, Kumiko turned to her abruptly.
"Enough of your nonsense brat. You have upset my granddaughter. Leave."
Haruhi, after glancing at her younger sister one last time, left the room in barely controlled anger but not before hearing their grandmother comforting Megumi.
The twins and Tamaki scrambled to get out of the way before Haruhi opened the door but they ended up falling face first and seeing that Haruhi was frowning at them.
"You were eavesdropping?" She said in a scary tone that had the trio backing away from her.
They tried to tell her that they weren't but she didn't believe one word of it.
She was glaring at them when she spoke up.
"How much did you hear?" She asked.
"We weren't able to hear much. All we heard were some shouting and then crying." Hikaru said after the three kept pushing at each other.
Haruhi winced at this and nodded before walking away.
They were about to stop her but Kyouya shook his head.
"What was that about Kyouya?" Tamaki asked his friend after Haruhi left.
"She needs her space. Clearly that much was obvious." The bespectacled teen pointed out.
"You all saw how Kumiko-sama treated her." Akito added after a while.
"It's quite curious how Kumiko-sama reacted to her though." Kaoru stated with his head tilted to the side.
"That would be because she hates her." A new voice told them monotonously.
All of them turned to see who spoke up and were surprised to see the famous violinist standing before them.
A/N: Dun dun dun. What would happen next? I'm sure you're quite curious. Stay tuned to find out.
