Chapter 7
Kiriame says farewell to the Kaoru and Hikaru. Her gaze lingering on Hikaru for just a second.
Yeah, I'm sure I would've rather used the phone...
...Right?
Sigh.
She chose to just ignore the tumbled up emotions inside.
'Wonder if Rei's back.' she muttered uncaringly.
I'm home, If you cared... She thought about saying.
She climbed up the grand stairs to her tall ornate, bedroom door, the chandeliers glistening off the gold slivers in the grain of the wood. She touched the door, so warm, wood seems.
She opened the door.
.
Gasp.
Her room was wrecked!
Her manga and book collection on the floor, her bed sheets pulled away. Her furniture was toppled, and papers were askew like leaves on the ground during autumn, except not of the slightest bit pretty. The mess didn't fit the once lavishly furnished room.
Kiriame picked up some papers half-heartedly, choking down the pain surging up her throat.
She walked over to inspect her wardrobe. Everything was out of its hangers, piled in a mangled tangled mess on the floor.
Then she found her modified uniform.
She'd known it has been a mistake wearing the official uniform for today. Her specially made uniform was lying in tatters, torn and shredded viciously, as if set upon by a pack of wolves who had found flesh. But that wasn't the worst yet to come. Underneath the depressing horde, she uncovered her box. It wasn't a box but "the" box. It was all blue, decorated with rainbow colored drawings she did when she was younger. But inside, were her most prized possessions.
She sat down weakly, removing the lid.
Silence.
a soft sniffing broke the silence.
...Sniff, ...sniff.
....Why... Why? ...
She broke into a heart wrenching sob.
Her valued photos, photos of her childhood, with her mother and father, ... and her brother, too.
All smiling happily. They were little pieces of their short happiness captured, and now they were ruined.
They were torn apart.
Their family, torn apart.
...
"ARHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A sudden rage filled her.
Rei.
REI.
He did this.
She stood up in a flaming fury, her aura turning the atmosphere humid and dark. Fires licked the floor and consumed the ceiling. They enveloped her, consumed her, blinded her.
A fire of wounded rage.
Her face was contorted, pooled tears blurring her vision and streaking down her face like hot, fresh open wounds.
WHY? WHY?WHY?WHYYYYY?
This was the only word she was thinking, though so many emotions coursed through it like hot surge of elecricity through her veins.
She blew out of her room like a thundering storm, papers and bits of her room swirling around her like debris circling helplessly around a twister; she slammed the door behind her so hard it's crystal glass knob shattered.
Glass particles flew in a deadly but beautiful silvery rain. They lodged themselves into her hands and face, making her body drip with fired blood. Her tears mixed with it, making her seem like she was crying red tears.
She continued to storm, everything a blur as if it was the last moment of living.
All dizzy.
Images flashed in her mind, the memories that those pictures held flooded back.
Back when they were happy,
back when they were together,
back in the clouds,
where no one could have touched them.
But now,
torn apart...
torn apart...
torn apart...
... Their family,
... torn apart.
Kaoru and Hikaru were home finally.
'Oka-san!' The called flatly in unison as they stepped out of the dark limo.
'She's not here.' A maid greeting them said.
Go figure, she's never home this early.
Kaoru prattled as he got out slowly.
'Aww. I want to tell oka-san about our trip! But it is three days away, ne? I think it is. Huh, Hikaru?'
'Yea, yea. I don't know yet. Can you hurry it up a bit?'
Hikaru finally started to climb out of the limo once Kaoru was out of the way.
Something slid off the side of his leg as he moved.
It ruffled to the floor of the limo.
'What's this?'
Hikaru picked up something.
A blue composition book.
'Hey, I think Kiriame left this.'
He opened the cover.
...
Host Club Plans...
, Wednesday, Reversal Day ...
, sunday, leave for Okinawa...
...'Get everyone ready! Sat...
...
Themes:...
, Animals...
, France...
...
This sure was Kiriame's.
'I better go return this.' Hikaru said softly.
'What?' Kaoru spun around.
'Kiriame left her notebook...'
Kaoru gave Hikaru a calculating side glance.
Then he looked away and closed his eyes.
'You better head off then.'
Hikaru was off without a word or a glance.
...
Pant. Pant.
Hikaru pulled out his cellphone to check the time.
4:34 pm
Made it here in 11 minutes. Kiriame's house is not that far away.
He smiled to himself in pride. He ran all the way here.
Hikaru clutched the book tightly.
The gate was ajar. He slightly pushed it open with a creak.
'Hello?' Hikaru called out with his face drawn.
He walked to the front door.
Ding- DONG
Ding-DONG
'Hrm.'
Knock-knock-knock
He grabbed the handle and twisted it.
Click - creeeaaak.
The door was open.
He peered inside.
'Hello? Hellllloooo? Kiriame?'
He started walking through the entry hall. He climbed up the grand staircase across from the door.
tok tok tok
climbing
tok tok tok
climbing
tok tok -
He saw something just above the stairs.
A body. In a yellow Ouran dress.
A tangle of earth dark silk covered her face.
Her eyelids covered her piercing eyes.
Her mischeivous coral lips shaping her mouth in a lifeless arch.
Kiriame.
'K-Kiriam-me...?' Hikaru stuttered in disbelief and dread.
He slowly brushed her dark hair away. Her face was covered with streaks of dry blood.
Her hands were splotched, too.
Her eyes looked swollen and little cuts on the side of her face, neck and hands were red and puffy, too.
'Kiri-ame?"
No answer.
Not even the slightest whoosh of air to indicate that she was sleeping.
Tears welled down his face. A million thoughts rush in his head in a blur.
...why?
An invisible dagger pierced the inner shell of his heart.
It aches,
it aches so badly.
The dagger disinigrates and turns into a cold silver snake,
constricting his heart now that it pierced through,
squeezing,
squeezing,
squeezing,
until his heart might burst,
but it doesn't,
it just keeps getting tighter and tighter
tighter
but his heart won't burst
and let it all out.
It's like a bird trapped in a cage.
No matter how much it struggles around,
It can never get free
and just keeps getting more and more hurt,
hurt,
hurt,
it hurts so badly.
Tears pour down.
Hikaru lays his head on Kiriame's chest, sobbing in the pain.
pain...
pain...
pain...
pain...
...
...... lub dub
Something surrounds Hikaru's heart suddenly.
The silver snake melts into a caressing veil,
a veil of hope.
He looks at Kiriame.
She is stirring.
'K-Kiriame?'
'...Hi...Karu."
Kiriame's vision is blurry. She can see a face though. A familiar face.
There was a flame of orange hair, and those wild, wild, yellow eyes.
Some of his features begin to appear.
He is smiling.
Hikaru.
'Hikaru?' Kiriame gets up.
'Ow!'
Needles dig deep into the skin of her hands, and her face feels stiff and sore.
She feels groggy and unwashed, her hair a storm of tangles and her body covered in crusty streams of blood.
'Uhgg.'
She looks up and sees Hikaru again, smiling that ever so uplifting smile.
'Kiriame!' He sounds so full of joy.
'What happened?'
'You tell me.'
His expressioned sraightened out.
'We need to call a doctor.'
His voice was serious, a flame ignited in his eyes.
'Yeah sure...' Kiriame felt dizzy again and rested her head against Hikaru's chest.
Hikaru looked down and smiled.
Ahh so warm...
She drifted off to another sleep, blissful in Hikaru's arms, too tired to notice anything.
Thursday, after school in the Hospital.
The host club visited Kiriame in the hospital, surrounding her with the usual get well gifts.
'Oh, gosh, are you okay Kiriame?' Haruhi rushes over to her the moment she's through the door.
Everyone else follows.
'Kiriame!' Tamaki points and announces.
'What have you done to yourself?' He bellows like a king.
But eyeing her over, you can see his eyes soften in worry.
'Kiriame looks at everyone's faces, brows furrowed for even Kyouya.
Kiriame rolled her eyes.
'It's nothing.'
Hikaru's face hardens.
He speaks. 'It isn't nothing. You have to tell us. Why were you bleeding back there what happened to you?'
She hesitated.
Should I tell them the whole story?
Will they then go cause trouble with... Rei?
She flinched as he thought about him.
She remembers cleary now, what he did.
But the fire was already put out, and she doesn't have the energy or will to start another one.
But there were some cinders left though.
She looks up, remembering her caring friends.
She smiles.
'I was just in a rush when i slammed the door so hard it broke the glass knob.'
They stared at her in disbelief.
She continues to convince them.
'They just had to take all the glass out.'
Silence.
One last attempt...
She suddenly narrows her eyes and a sly smile thins her lips.
Punching her hand in the air she shouts,
'DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE STRENGTH OF A MORINOZUKA!'
The host club softens their calculating, worried faces and starts to laugh.
Kiriame is glad.
She didn't want to involve her overprotective friends in her issues; it would only take their happiness away,
and she knows,
she would never want to take away happiness away from anyone,
anything,
or any,
family.
Friday.
Haruhi, Hikaru, and Kaoru are sitting in class 1a after lunch. After this class, is the host club.
Hikaru repeatedly looks over Kiriame, now covered in tiny bandages.
She looks fine but, she seems, heavy. She has gone back to wearing her ouran dress.
Huh, and the uniform we designed for her looked so good, too.
What a way to thank someone!
Hikaru thinks with a disappointed frown.
Haruhi notices and gives him worried smile to ease him.
His heart goes a-flutter.
...
'Host club is open now!'
Kiriame announces,
'Note, this opening is a special one, the last one before vacation starts!'
'Awwwwwwwwwww...' The crowd of girls cry.
'And as much as I know you would like to take them with you -'
'KYAAAAAAAAAAA!' Screams erupt at the thought.
'We will do our best to make this last opening a fantastic one! Double-time for what you payed for!"
'!' The girls cheer.
Kiriame opens the door. Inside is decorated a cafe France theme.
All the girls rush in a flurry of yellow dresses.
And of course the club looked dashing in their berets and French clothing.
She looked down on herself, wearing a beret and a pinstripe shirt dress with a black leather belt. Also, high leather boots to top it off.
She was glad she hadn't give way to the French maid outfit Kaoru and Hikaru presented her.
When she was too tough to beat down (Morinodzuka power!) they went to go bug Haruhi instead.
But it looks like they didn't get to her either.
She thinks content on her usual place on the piano bench.
She feels her gaze linger on Hikaru.
He is smiling, She thinks dreamily.
It feels like a thousand little happy beans are jumping around inside her stomach. They travel up to her heart, and it makes it start to pang.
Her chest seizes, it feels like her heart wants to jump out, wants to hop over Hikaru….
Wants to be near him,
Hikaru,
Hikaru.
She feels pain yet joy,
sad yet happy,
and confused yet content.
She closes her eyes for a moment, too many conflicting feelings go on for the moment that she feels nothing at all, or if she is feeling something then she cannot describe it.
She suddenly snaps her eyes open.
Whoa, drifted off for moment there….
Her gaze unconsciously drifts back to Hikaru again.
Hikaru turns his head, catching her stare he raises his eyebrows and quickly looks away blushing.
Realizing what just happened, she turns to look at Kaoru….
Hwwwmp!
She takes a sudden intake of air as she sees Kaoru looking directly at her, with cold eyes that hold a flame. Icy and burning at once…
so familiar,
so shocking,
it was like seeing what you fear the most and having it right in front of you.
She suddenly panicked, just a sudden glimpse of Kaoru's needled, expression triggered something inside of her, melting all the defenses her heart has, all the courage, all the shields that protect the heart from controlling its fears, all gone.
Vanished,
Wiped away.
Images flash through her head, flashes of Kaoru's cold stare, flashes of Rei's cold stare….
Kaoru,
Rei,
Kaoru,
Rei.
It's just like….. the look…. Rei gives me…..
A look of hate. Questions run through her head.
Does… Kaoru hate me? Why? Why does he hate me? Have I done something wrong?
Why? WHY?
"WHAT AM I DOING THAT MAKES EVERYONE HATE ME?" She exclaims out, her hand clutching her heart and tears dripping out of her eyes.
Everyone is silent, their eyebrows pulled up in question, all glaring at Kiriame.
But her expression stays locked on Kaoru.
*Silence*
"…. Me? Are you talking to me?" Kaoru questions.
"Yea…. No….. I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE!" With that she runs out of the room, a sparkling trail of confused tears trailing behind.
*silence*
"….. Kaoru." Hikaru turns his gaze to his brother.
Kaoru turns his head.
Hikaru gives him a cold calculating glare. "Did you do something to hurt her?"
Kaoru furrows his eyebrow, "What are you talking about? What do I have to do with this? Hik-"
"Kaoru, don't ever hurt…. Kiriame." Hikaru's eyes freezes over.
Kaoru stares in disbelief. What happened to his brother? Why was he acting this way? Does he really think he did something? Is he actually against him?
IS HE ACTUALLY CHOOSING HER OVER HIM?
He grits his teeth.
"IF YOU LOVE HER SO MUCH WHY DON'T YOU GO AFTER HER THEN?" Kaoru screamed out, his eyes starting to fill.
Hikaru looked dumbfounded, and the whole of the host club and the guests had gone silent.
"W-What….? What the hell are you talking about, Kaoru?" Hikaru stammered, confused.
Love?
What about love?
Kaoru said…. I love….her?
Her… Kiri….-ame?
Do I?
Do I…..love her?
"I knew the day would come…. And…. I was prepared to accept it…. But maybe…. Maybe I haven't prepared enough." Kaoru sniffed.
Hikaru was stupefied. He didn't know what to say or do. There were so many things swimming around in his head.
….
"W-what? W-what? Kaoru…. Stop…. Stop it Kaoru….!" Hikaru went to go embrace his brother.
"What are you blabbering about? Stop crying Kaoru…."
Kaoru felt a guilty relief. Deep down he was rejoicing in this; his brother was still his. Kaoru almost smiled.
He looked up.
Kaoru silently gasps.
His brother's face was smiling, but faraway. Suddenly he wasn't so comforted anymore.
But there was something else in that face that bothered him….
There was something…. There was pain behind those eyes.
Hikaru's soul was confused and torn. It was too much for him to handle. Too many people and too many conflicting feelings.
A cold hand of guilt slaps Kaoru, giving him a dreading, numb feeling.
What's this? What happening? Why do I feel so…. Sad? He thinks.
But he says nothing more.