Chapter 6- "H-hikaru?"
Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran Highschool Host Club.
~x~
"Haruhi, there are a few things that Takashi and I must tell you." Honey confessed, twiddling his thumbs.
"And what would it be?" Haruhi asked, folding her arms and raising her eyebrow. She leant back against the headboard of the bed.
"Haruhi, do you remember what school you go to?" Mori asked. He scratched the back of his head, before locking eyes with the girl.
"Yes, it's Ouran Academy. How is this relevant?"
"Well…" the giant mumbled.
"Spit it out, Takashi."
"Haruhi… what Takashi is trying to say is… Well…"
"Mitsukini. Just tell me."
"Okay… Uh. You're actually a boy." the small boy blurted, hiding his face, "Well, at Ouran…"
"Wait, what? I'm a boy?! Since… since when?"
"Well, since the start of your first year. When you started, you accidentally broke an extremely valuable vase. With your background, you didn't have enough money to pay it back." answered Takashi.
"Okay… Does Kyoya have anything to do about this?"
"Eh, Haru-chan, how did you know?"
"I didn't. It just felt like it. Kyoya… Well, I have this strange feeling about him. From the looks of it, is he second in command?"
"Ah." Takashi said, with a nod of his head.
"And Tamaki, is he the boss or in other words, the 'King'? He seems very over-dramatic."
Mitsukini widened his eyes. "Did you remember that?"
"No. It just seemed like it was. And the twins, I'm guessing that they're a brotherly love act?"
Mitsukini nodded. "You're observant, Haru-chan."
"Oh please. Why else would Kyoya get twins for the club?"
Takashi chuckled. "Good point."
"Continuing on, is there anything else that you two have to tell me?"
"Ah. Well Kyoya decided to put you on a debt when you broke the vase. He said that you would participate in the Host Club as a boy and work off your debt by bringing in customers."
"Okay… " Big pause. "Does anyone know that I'm a girl?"
"No. Except for the other host members, Takashi and I. This boy in your year, Ritsu Kasanoda and our brothers also know. My brother is Yasuchika and Takashi's is Satoshi."
"Kasanoda…" Haruhi paused, "Does… he have red hair? And a… scary looking face? And I never knew you two had brothers."
Takashi nodded. "Despite his looks, he is a very nice person."
"Well Haru-chan, you may have forgotten about them. You have met them before. Oh, and Haruhi?"
"Hm?"
"Did you know that Hikaru and Kaoru are in your class?"
Haruhi blanked. "No, but thanks for telling me. It will be okay. Kaoru will be there and after what you two did to Hikaru, I don't think he'll be talking to me anytime soon."
"Haruhi, be careful. You don't know what Hikaru's like." Takashi warned.
"Mm-hmm." Mitsukini nodded, "And… well he likes you, Haru-chan."
"Wait, what? Hikaru likes me? After what he did? He has some guts…"
"Haru-chan, if Hikaru ever harms you or approaches you, don't be afraid to call us. Takashi and I will be over there as soon as we can."
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind."
"Oh, and Haruhi?"
"Yes, Takashi?"
"Be mindful around Tamaki. He has feelings for you but he doesn't know it himself. Be careful around him."
"Okay…" Haruhi muttered, rolling her eyes.
~x~
The sunlight glared through the little window, the shadows of the rustling blinds dancing on the floorboards. The slight breeze made the blinds dance, making the shadows twist and turn even more.
Haruhi sat awake, holding her legs and placing her head onto her knees. I'm a boy… she thought. Who knew? She mentally laughed. She swung her legs off the edge of the bed and prodded her sleeping dad in the face. It was time to leave, as she was feeling quite better. She still felt a bit light headed, but she was sure that it would disappear when she got home. And besides, it had been a day now. She didn't want to overstay her welcome.
"Dad?" Haruhi asked, gently tapping her father's red cheeks.
"Hm?" He sleepily opened one eye.
"It's time to go. I'm ready now."
Ranka shot off the chair, bouncing around the room beaming his big merry grin. He threw open the door, grabbed Haruhi and bounced out of the room. The walk in the hall was silent, except for the squeaking of their shoes.
The reception desk lady was nice and greeted them with a smile. She quickly filled out the forms to let Haruhi go. Ranka and Haruhi bounded out of the big Hospital doors and breathed in the fresh air that greeted their faces.
Ranka called a taxi and soon they were on their way home. The ride home was silent between the two, but the driver didn't think so. He was warbling along to a catchy little tune playing on the radio, humming and whistling to the parts he didn't know - which was most of it. Many twists and turns later, they arrived at the apartment block car park. Ranka generously paid the man, grabbed Haruhi's hand and dragged her up the steps to the second floor. Haruhi sighed at her dad's energetic behaviour, her school bag swaying violently.
The sky was slowly darkening as Ranka opened their apartment door. Light thunder droned in the background, and Haruhi stiffened slightly. She brushed it off. She wouldn't let bad weather dampen her spirits. Ranka opened the little door and soon collapsed on the couch, sinking into the plush cushions. Haruhi grabbed a massive blanket, which lay folded on the coffee table, and neatly tucked it around her father. She watched him for a few minutes as he drifted off to sleep, and ruffled his hair before leaving to her own room.
She gently closed the door behind her, and sauntered around her room inspecting it. Something caught her eye - it was a gigantic white teddy bear almost as big as herself, which sat in the corner of the room near the wardrobe. She sat down in front of it, folding her slender legs and starting poking it. Her finger was instantly buried in the scruffy fur and she laughed, and then began to play with it by moving the arms up and down. A small pink card fell out, and landed in front of her feet. She picked it up, opened it and smiled.
It read:
Haruhi, we hope you like this gift! All of us bought this for you. Well, Honey and Mori actually went out and bought it from the commoner store, but we hope you love it!
Love from,
Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, Honey, Mori and Kyoya.
P.S - Kyoya wanted nothing to do with this, but we wrote his name down anyway!
Boom. Heavy thunder drummed, and a jolt of lightning illuminated the increasingly dark sky as well as briefly illuminating Haruhi's room. Another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. Cold sweat began to form on her forehead and upper lip and her hands shook. Drum rolls of thunder, came one after the other and Haruhi steadily became shakier.
She grabbed the teddy, and wrapped its arms around her small frame. She tried to bury her face into its fur, but it still wasn't working. She rocked back and forth, afraid to open her eyes. She hummed to herself, but it didn't work either.
Her phone rang a loud cheerful tune in the otherwise silent room. She hurriedly rushed over, grabbed it and dived for her bed. Wrapping herself in the quilt, she buried down and answered her phone.
"H-hello…?
Silence.
"Haruhi." Pause. "Are you alright?"
"No. I'm not, T-takashi, there's a thunderstorm… I must have forgotten I was afraid of them… How silly of m- EEP!" Thunder boomed, and sharp bolts of lightening flashed across the inky sky.
"Haruhi, please calm down. Take deep breaths. It's alright. I'm here."
She rested the phone in her lap and took deep breathes. Boom! She squealed and started panicking again. She shakily picked up the phone.
"It-it's not working… I can still hear it."
"Haruhi, I'm going to tell you do something. It may or may not help."
"Okay." She said with a nod of her head.
"Use your other hand to block your other ear."
Haruhi did as told. "Mm-hm."
"Now, just listen to me, okay?"
"Mm-hmm."
The thunderstorm passed after about less than an hour. Haruhi had spent all that time listening to Takashi ramble on about his classmates, family, school and kendo. But Haruhi didn't mind - besides she was at peace when talking to him.
"Takashi?"
There was a pause, and Haruhi swore she could hear the faint rustling of a bed sheet. "Hm?"
"Thank you." she beamed, "Thank you so much."
"N-no problem, Haruhi."
"I think it's time for me to go now. But again, thank you. I don't know how I would have coped without talking to you - well, listening actually."
Silence.
"Taka-?"
"Uh, no problem Haruhi! I-I have to leave. See you." The line went dead, and three beeps sounded in Haruhi's ear.
Haruhi peeked out from under her haven, and sighed. The thunderstorm passed, and she was glad.
That was sweet of Takashi. I'll have to properly thank him next time I see him, she thought. She heaved herself up, and sat at the edge of her bed with her feet plonked on the carpet.
Her phone chimed again, and she happily picked it up expecting it to be Mitsukini, as he was her dearest friend. She pressed answer, without looking at the caller ID and beamed down into the phone.
"Mitsukini?"
Silence. "No Haruhi. It's… It's me."
Her eyes widened, and she grew pale. "H-Hikaru…?"
This chapter has been edited, and reposted.