~~~*~~~
6 months later:
Over the last six months, Kyouya and Ranka have talked every day in person, spending at least an hour everyday sitting with her. Ranka leaves them alone and he just holds her hand, wishing her up and awake. Occasionally he tells her about things going on in the world outside of the walls of the hospital, whenever he pays attention to the outside world. The ventilator was cleared to be removed without fear last week, but her breaths are still just as even.
"Kyouya-kun, wake up." Ranka shakes the shoulder of the young man with his head asleep on the side of the bed, but he doesn't even flinch. He was reminded of how he was shortly after what happened, how he fell asleep constantly by her side. Ranka could read before that Kyouya had feelings for his little girl, but over the last couple months they have matured with the thought that he could have lost her that instant three and a half years ago and not even know it. Ranka could tell that Kyouya not only loved Haruhi, but he learned something from this as well. Although Ranka could tell the young administrator was tired, but that he was also making an effort to talk to the nurses and eventually knew them by name, becoming more social in a way. Ranka leaves Kyouya in the room to rest after spying a shadow under his eyes as he holds Haruhi's hand
"The reunion is scheduled for a couple days from now and I've put my weight behind Tamaki for the first time for these events." Kyouya and Ranka are talking while sipping coffee in Haruhi's room with the sunset coming in from the window, making the room glow. "I am sure they will all come. I've told them I have important news. Do you want to come along to explain?"
"No, I think that if I am there they will be uneasy and feel like leaving before listening. You had said that the reunions in the past only brought up bad memories both if she was mentioned, and if her name was avoided." Ranka shakes his head, taking another drink of his coffee. "I would be, what would you call it? An elephant in the room?" Both of them chuckle at the expression.
"Alright, I'll go and try to break it as evenly as I can on my own. It will be a big shock as it was for me." He takes off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Who am I kidding? It still is a shock, but it is more pleasant than it could have been, but I will answer as much as I can before telling them exactly where she is. That will at least save some of your breath."
"I thank you for that Kyouya; I'm not getting much younger, so I'll save my breath when I can."
"You are still young enough Ranka."
"After these three and a half years with an untold future of my daughter looming ahead, it certainly feels like I should be as old as a mountain by now."
They sit there for a while with the steady beeping in the background before Kyouya sighs. "I don't condone drinking with something heavy on your mind, but I sure could use something stiffer than this cup of coffee. Want to go with me? Going into bars alone would be asking for trouble."
Ranka almost refuses because of legality but remembers that Kyouya is, indeed, of age to go. "I know the perfect bar." Half an hour later, they arrive at Ranka's work and sit at the bar. They both get a pint of the house beer, Kyouya ordering another since he drank his quicker. After rolling his sleeves to his elbows, loosening his tie, and unbuttoning a couple shirt buttons, he relaxes on the stool. "You still look uptight."
"Pardon me?"
"It's a casual uptight though. Here, I'll fix it." Ranka shakes his hand through Kyouya's hair while he sits in shock. He then grabs the sides of the boy's shirt before Kyouya stops him.
"What are you doing?"
"Untucking your shirt. If you look around, most of the patrons here are 'untucked', so to speak, and since this is my work, go with what I say." Kyouya untucks his own shirt. "No one talks to a tightwad."
"I didn't think I was here to talk to anyone else but you."
"You have to talk to other people your age. They don't have to be at your level, but if you keep talking over your head, you'll end up being pulled along."
"I'm fine how I am Ranka, but I appreciate your advice."
Ranka pushes it. "You know, if you don't talk to people your own age and stature, then however are you going to get yourself a girlfriend?"
Kyouya sets his glasses down next to his beer and pinches himself between the eyes. "I've never really been a guy who would go out and get a girl. Father has set up marriage meetings, but I never really got into it, finding minute flaws in all of them that blew up in my head." None of them could be next to Haruhi and stand their ground. Kyouya takes a bigger gulp of the beer before resting his forearms on the edge of the bar, long taught not to put his elbows on a table. His shoulders slump a bit before looking at Ranka. "This is your workplace, so what do you recommend for me by way of courage?"
"What can you spend?" Are those glasses for show? It looks like he has no problem focusing, Ranka wonders while looking into the darks of Kyouya's If he didn't wear those glasses, he would appear more handsome and would have been snatched up a while ago.
"Ranka, I have enough money to frivolously buy this bar in a spare bank account."
"That's got to be a lot considering the owner cares more for this old place than he does the kids who quit speaking to him. But don't worry, with that amount I can make you mind ever so clear..."
Kyouya groggily opens his eyes, head pounding as he groans. "Wow, even when drunk and hungover you still seem put together." Ranka is sitting at the little table at Kyouya's place, surprised at how small it was for a person of his wealth. "You slept like the dead you know. Drunk on top of it, it has been two days of you passed out on the couch, not even lifting a finger." Kyouya tries sitting up, propping himself up part of the way. "I worried about alcohol poisoning, but other than sleeping, you were fine: didn't even puke."
"Oh god. My head feels like it has hit by a train." The words sit there for a moment before Kyouya pales and collapses back onto the couch. "That was terrible," he groans.
"It's only terrible if you let it Kyouya-kun," Ranka chuckles. "Three years ago I would have been hurt by the offhand comment, but without a bit of levity, where's life?"
It's quite a time before Kyouya speaks again. "Damn it. What the hell did you have me drink last night? Or whenever it was."
"Everclear. 100% alcohol."
Kyouya shuts his eyes, trying to remember. Probably the stuff that looked like water. "That stuff was liquid fire."
"You looked tough enough. You didn't tie your tie around your head like a couple other drunk men did. That was one heck of a party."
"I don't remember it."
"Yeah, it lasted until past closing time."
"How did you get me to drink this much? Aren't you supposed to be more responsible?"
"First off, I was curious. Second, you pretty much have money to burn. And third: you would pretty much do anything on a dare." Looking at the older man, the younger of the two inwardly cringes at Ranka's smile. "If someone says they doubt you, you push to prove them wrong."
"I think I can see how the night went now," Kyouya says, exhausted even from being up for half an hour. He slowly drinks water Ranka carries over to the couch, unabashed by having not more than enough dishes for two in the house, and even less food. Both can tell the headache will linger a while since it was a lot of alcohol.
"By the way, they can sort of pick another pattern starting to form in the brain scans between active and not. The doctors are starting to think that some sort of sleep-awake schedule is appearing. Or has been over the last few months."
"This is good, right?"
"In most ways. It did this for a week after a year, copying the day schedule, so they wanted me there talking to her when the awake cycle was present, as if she could hear me."
"So it could be false hope?"
"A few months is more than a week, but I'm not raising my hopes too much. I don't want to crash like last time. If she wakes up, she'll wake up, but if she needs this to get better, then I'll let her have it." Ranka lowers his voice to the point that Kyouya isn't sure if he is meant to hear the man mutter, "so long as she wakes up." All of a sudden Kyouya remembers talking to Haruhi about her mother slipping into a coma-like state at the end of her life with cancer and feels his heart ache for Ranka. His wife, now his daughter...Haruhi, you had better get better. Your father is a joyful person, bubbling with personality even after his wife passing because he had you, so without you...just get better. "Well, you may feel like a train wreck, but I'm assuming you haven't gone over how to break the news to the other boys yet. Though I won't be there for the reveal, do you need my help in any way?"
"If I am beat unconscious before they get all the information, please put me in the same room as her at least." Kyouya gingerly rests his arm over his eyes to block out the light. "If no one else from my family shows up, then at least I can force you to be there."
"They wouldn't bea-" he tried denying before Tamaki's personality jumps into his mind. The image of the blond halfer shaking him to unconsciousness is too realistic to deny anything. "Will do, but if you aren't in the same room, I wouldn't be forced; talking again after all these years, I had missed the way you tend to hover over things." Kyouya doesn't even bother dismissing that point. "I'm being serious though Kyouya: whatever you think would help, I'll do what I can."
"Just don't be afraid to shove them aside. Though they have all seemed to have changed over the last three years without her, they might have a tendency to snap back to their previous selves."
"Like you did?"
"That's hardly fair. I didn't even think I changed at all."
"I have noticed that you have matured well in three years. You still are just as respectful, even when you look at her. I have noticed that you can hold your liquor better than you had on your eighteenth birthday party."
Kyouya sighs from the couch, moving as little as possible. "I had forgotten you were there as well. Ever since that escapade I have been trying to get my body more tolerant of alcohol in case I ever get that drunk again. Apparently that many hangovers and drunken nights have paid off if all I did was sleep. Two days though, that seems interesting, but I don't think I missed the reunion, right?"
"According to your wall calendar, and your desk calendar, and your phone reminder, it is this afternoon, so no, you haven't missed it."
"Damn. I'm going to need some strong coffee before facing that crowd. Even then I still may be extremely grouchy." Kyouya sits up, letting the room settle before heading to his room and changing clothes. After coming out and grabbing a coat, he faces Ranka, who has been just sitting there. "Come on, I'll treat you to coffee or something since there's nothing in the house to make any." After getting the strongest coffee money could buy for himself and something incomprehensible to himself for Ranka, Kyouya has just enough time to drop Ranka at the hospital before heading to the restaurant to meet the others. He has reserved their closed off room for the rest of the day at double the asking price so not to put them off not serving others there, anticipating that if he didn't, they would disturb the other customers. Kyouya seats himself in the chair furthest in being the first here and fifteen minutes early.
Tamaki arrives on time, not a minute away either way. He tries to make conversation with Kyouya in an effort to reach the reason he has called the meeting one 'not to skip even if it costs their lives'. Only a tad dramatic, but that kept the words from being overlooked as Honey and Mori show up together eight minutes later. "Good afternoon you two!" Tamaki pipes up after two minutes of blissful silence. "Kyouya isn't talking yet apparently, so I'm glad you guys are here."
"What's up with Kyo-chan? Why the veiled threat to attend?" 'Veiled' is a nice touch, but it's really en empty threat. But they don't know it. Kyouya keeps a silent vigil over his coffee.
"He never even told me what is going on in his mind either." They sit and go through catch-up chitchat for, as Kyouya counts, seven minutes more before the twins walk into the room. "You made it!" Tamaki nearly shouts in joy, making Kyouya's mind cringe at the sudden blast of noise. While Tamaki forces hugs on both Kaoru and Hikaru, Kyouya slips two Tylenol from his coat pocket Ranka put in his pocket and swallows them with coffee. Things settle down to where everyone is sitting at the table, looking at the raven-haired be-speckled man they haven't contacted for six months with expectant faces. "Well Kyouya, what's going on? You're in charge of this meeting, so take lead."
Signalling out the window, the waitress comes in and takes drink orders. After waiting until the drinks arrive and all is settled so there will be no interruptions, even telling the waitress quietly to hold off coming back for a while, Kyouya finally sits upright in his seat. "I want no one interrupting while I speak. I want your full attention. No one leaves the room until I have said what I needed to say. Got it?" Heads slowly nod one after another as they settle more comfortably in the chairs. "It's about Haruhi." Tamaki's smile turns fake, Honey's eyes widen as Mori stiffens, and a mixture of hurt and agitation glow in the twins' fierce feline eyes, guarded against all. The twins take a moment before abruptly standing to go to the door. "Sit."
"Why should we?" They retort in tandem.
"She isn't involved with us anymore," starts Hikaru.
"So we are leaving." Kaoru finishes for his brother.
"Good riddance." They say as they turn and put hands on the door.
"Guys-" Tamaki starts, sounding pained.
"You two will sit down, and you will hear me out. Do what you want with what I say, but sit down damn it." Kyouya watches them still as though they are hardening concrete statues. The Shadow King's aura has come out to play. Friends or not, those two are stepping on his temper, already short from the bouncing headache the Tylenol was put to fighting. The twins sit down back into the chairs and he continues. "We all remember when she left, and we all remember how she ignored our advances even after graduation. I stand here today to say that she was ready to let us back into her life, even conditionally."
Mori uses a pause while Kyouya drinks the rest of his coffee to echo, "'Was'?"
"So she has given up on us again, has she?" Hikaru chides in, given the chance.
"Figures she would have," Kaoru adds. They upturn their noses in unison.
Kyouya just sits quietly, not saying anything as they buzz with the twins. I thought I had asked for no interruptions. One break for coffee and they spin off. Should have known. Tamaki looks at the new temporary leader before his eyes grow wide in alarm. Wanting to quell the blond's thoughts beforehand, Kyouya opens his mouth, but is still beat. "Oh my god Kyouya, has something bad happened to her?"
That shuts everyone up in an instant. While they might not like her much by her actions, they certainly don't like that train of thought. "In a way, you are correct Tamaki," he starts slow, but hurries as his frienda are about to explode, "but hold on!" Kyouya's hand stops remarks. "Let me start from the beginning of it all as I had planned." The tension is still high, but no one speaks except for Kyouya "After the reunion six months ago, I ran into Haruhi's father at a hospital I owned and asked about her since we all promised not to snoop behind their backs. The worst I figured would happen was that he would decline, but then I found out about her." They all listen, though the twins are shifted away, he knows they are listening. "As her father can figure out, she was on the way to my place from getting a cake at some downtown bakery she had heard of to call us all together for reconciliation when there was an...accident." Kyouya removes his glasses to rub away imaginary dirt to avoid their eyes, feeling the pressure skyrocket around him. "Well, not really an accident actually. She was pushed on purpose into the train tracks with her cake as the train was going by." Gasps resonate around the table as they are all shocked by the words.
"Who would do such a thing Kyo-chan?" Honey finally asks.
"We don't know the reason, but the guy who did it is in jail and will be there for at least twenty-two more years or so. But do you guys realise it? She was ready to talk to us again, to be involved again. If she weren't pushed, then we all might have shared cake and moved on from that."
"She was coming back?" The twins ask incredulously.
"Yes, and her father still has the note she left on the table before leaving that day. I ask that you hold no ill will towards her now. Can you tell me that you honestly don't?" For some it is quicker than others, but they all eventually admit they don't anymore.
"But Kyo-chan, you said they you ran into him after the last reunion. That was six months ago now. Why haven't you said anything until now?"
"This isn't something you can really say over the phone or an e-mail Honey. And you all deserved to hear it at once." He picks up his coffee cup, sees that is empty, and sets it down again. "Now, let's go see Ranka."
"You're on speaking terms with him again?" Tamaki asks, clearly surprised. We all exit the closed room, leaving a bit tip on the table for the trouble. "I tried to call their house shortly after graduation, but as soon as he knew it was me, he yelled at me to never call again and slammed the phone, then unplugged the phone or something because I couldn't connect again."
We get into my car, and they are visibly surprised that I'm the one driving the black suburban. "Yeah, at that time he was angry with us because he put some of the blame on us because she wouldn't have left to get a cake if it weren't for her wanting to talk to us again. He's over that now." We drive to the hospital, me parking in my spot.
"Hey Kyo-chan, why are we at your hospital? Is Haruhi's father sick or something?" Honey's voice speaks up from the backseat.
"What? No. He and I just went drinking the other night and I woke up this morning-"
"So you've been hungover this whole time?" The twins ask together with a smile.
"Yes. Anyway, this is where Ranka is: with Haruhi."
"What?" Tamaki asks for all of them.
"What do you mean, 'what'?"
"Haruhi's grave is here at a hospital cemetery? Isn't that a little odd?"
"Who the hell said she was dead?"
"She's not?" They all happen to ask in unison, the volume of combined voices making his head wince.
"No, she's not. In fact, she's doing better than she was six months ago when I first saw her. She's in a coma, and has been since the train incident."
"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's get to her!" Tamaki shouts as he reaches for the handle. Kyouya grabs the blond's shirt collar and yanks him back.
"One: don't shout. Two: best behaviour; this is not only a hospital, but it is a hospital I work at and I know the people here. Three: this is my hospital, so what I say goes. It also means I can kick you out and declare you banned from the premises. Four: do not cause Ranka trouble in any way or overwhelm the staff. Handle these," Kyouya hits the child-lock system, "and I'll let you guys go." His dark aura has been building while speaking, and by the end it is nearly visible. They all silently nod, following the direction of the grouchy Shadow King as they are released. They stay behind him nearly in the line as try snake into the hospital, the only deviation bring the twins as they marched side by side. All of the nurses desks that they go by greet Kyouya warmly as he walks by, him responding in kind by name. Soon enough they reach Haruhi's room, Ranka already in his chair, expecting them. Though they are expecting to see her there, the image of Haruhi stops them suddenly, so Kyouya has to keep the line moving until they are all into the room.
"I understand why this wasn't said over the phone now." Tamaki finally sighs, the first one to take another step closer to the bed.
"Can we touch her?" The twins inquire towards Ranka together.
"Why would you need to?" She'll get tackled by the lot of them if I say yes, wouldn't she? Ranka imagines them throwing themselves at her.
"Because Tamaki-sempai," Hikaru starts.
"Has played hoaxes on us before." Kaoru finishes as they both throw half a glare to the blond who sunk to the ground at the accusations
"Not about Haru-chan though," Honey assures Ranka, Mori nodding along.
"We just want to know if this is real." The twins harmonize, stepping up to either side of the girl's head.
"Well, go ahead if it helps you, but I would have nothing to do with a prank this elaborate. You guys should know Kyouya wouldn't do that either." After that, each of the twins grace the sides of her face, their suspicions blown away in an instant. In sync, they brush a thumb over her cheek and tuck her hair behind her ears.
Looking at Tamaki with sneaky smiles, the twins ask "a kiss for Sleeping Beauty?" Before everyone can react to them, they perfectly lay a kiss on her lips as one.
Mori automatically moves to restrain Tamaki, adding a hand to cover his mouth while Kyouya walks up and give them a good slap upside the heads. While they rub the back of their heads, Kyouya apologizes to Ranka for the twins' actions, but the man thanks him for his own. "Tamaki, idle down. Remember the rules I put forth in the vehicle?" The halfer freezes and controls himself. The two blondes move up and get to hold her hands while Mori stands by Honey and just ruffles her hair. "Are you guys satisfied that it isn't a hoax now? Because if you are, let's get something to eat. Normal visiting hours are almost over anyways." They all leave and catch up and talk over a meal, and as they eat, it is firmly planted into Kyouya's head that Haruhi was the glue between them after all.