Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran high school host club.
Chapter 7: Missed calls
"Kyaaa! You know that room in ward five-"Two nurses sat behind their desk in the expansive white corridor.
"Eh? Which one?"
"The one with the youngest Ootori-sama's friend in it. And guess what I saw!"
"What? What?"
"Standing outside were five r~eeeeeeally cute bishies!"
"What? Really? How old were they?"
"Well there were two tall, fit guys who looked like uni students, one red head high schooler, a middle school cutie and an adooooorable little elementary school student" The first nurse said dreamily.
"No way~ Oh, but they must be friends of Ootori-sama too"
"You're right~ They're wa~y too out of your league" She teased.
"Ehhh shut up~" Pouted the second.
"Ahem. Don't you ladies have a job to do?" A tall, handsome man in his thirties said from behind them.
"Yes Sugimoto-san" They both said in harmony, looking at each other accusatively.
…
Standing in the long, white and brightly lit corridor were the host club members. They had been notified soon after half six, and had all rushed to the hospital to find that they had, to their bewilderment, wait outside the door, as per Kyoya's orders. They crowded around the door, all waiting for the doctor they had been advised to see- the only one who was allowed to let them in.
"Hika-chan, Kao-chan is going to be fine." Hunny said knowingly and reassuringly.
"But... If I hadn't have left Kaoru by himself, then this wouldn't have happened! My little brother wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed, dying... What am I to do? I feel so horrible. The guilt I feel... It's almost overwhelming…" There was silence for a while, until Mori cleared his throat, bringing all of their attention to him. When Mori spoke, you listened.
"Hikaru. You sound incredibly selfish. As if you're only worried about yourself, not about your brother. Right now, you should be thinking about what you can do for him, not about what you could have done before. Never regret what's happened. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience."
The group stood staring at him in awe for a few minutes, whilst he stood stock still, keeping his eyes focused on Hikaru's. . Eventually he shifted his eyes down and slightly to the side.
"Takashi, that was too harsh on Hika-chan." Hunny pouted.
"Hmm…" Mori faded back to the back of the group, still looking concerned yet defiant.
Soon after, they heard footsteps coming towards them. "Ahh you must be the 'cute bishies' that my nurses were talking about... My name is Dr. Sugimoto. I am Kyoya samas personal doctor."
The group turned away from Mori, and looked at the new arrival- recognition showing on some of their faces.
"Oi you. Why won't you let me in to see my brother?" Hikaru exclaimed, pushing his way towards the tall man.
"Now now" The doctor said, trying to calm the redhead by raising his hands up slightly, as if surrendering.
"Well? Why?" Hikaru demanded.
"Because Kyoya-sama gave me direct instructions to 'not open this door until now.'" The doctor replied matter-of-factly.
"Now? Why now?"
"Ahh. That's confidential information I'm afraid." He smiled thinly, as if talking to an irritatingly curious toddler. "You may go in now, however please refrain from any further disturbing actions, and remember to keep your voice down low. This is a hospital you know."
Eying up the doctor, Hikaru sheepishly knocked on the door, before reluctantly opening it. He entered the room slowly, eyes now trailing on the ground.
It was only when he heard the intake of breath from around him did his head shoot up, expecting the worst. Collectively their mouths dropped. In front of them was not a pale, lifeless looking boy hooked up to scary and complicated machines, but a shojo-manga-esque scene.
Kaoru lay in the white hospital gowns, covered in the white sterilized sheets, chest rising and falling slowly, whilst Kyoya perched upon a soft chair immediately next to the bed, sleeping with one elbow propped up against the armrest, his head in his palm, with his other hand resting on Kaoru's.
"Well this is bad… But not quite in the way I had imagined it..." Murmured Hikaru to no one in particular.
"I have many things to tell you Hitachiin-san, however before I start, may I ask that we move somewhere else, as Kyoya-sama has only just fallen asleep... And, although at risk of sounding rude... I do not wish to face the wrath of his infamous morning state…" He chuckled nervously, just short of sounding genuinely concerned.
"Hoho is that what you thought of me Sugimoto-sensei?" Kyoya asked rhetorically from his seat, eyes still closed. "There is no need to go out of you way for me, although Kaoru has only just gone back to sleep."
Kyoya then opened his eyes and glared the group standing in the doorway. They promptly moved to the corner of the room, so as to avoid touching the dark purple aura that was being emitted. He took his glasses from the bedside table, and stood up. Then, checking his watch, he walked towards the door. "Excuse me I have a call to make." He said simply, heading out and leaving no time for anyone to reply.
"Good luck to the fool" The doctor said under his breath.
"What do you mean?" Tamaki asked quietly, speaking for the first time since hearing about the situation.
"Ah… Well… At the time of Kaoru-san's… accident… Kyoya-sama was supposed to be in a meeting with his father. However, he hasn't even left Kaoru-san's side, and apparently nobody knew where he was until the call for the ambulance was logged..."
"Nobody knew where he was? Does… Does that mean that Kyoya and Kaoru have 'secret place'?" Tamaki whined dramatically. "Ooo~ mother! Have you been cheating on me~?"
"What's with your perverted mind- idiot." Haruhi said, causing the blond prince to curl up in the opposite corner of the room. An eeire silence fell as each host thought of the implications.
"So… it was his fault?" Hikaru said into the quiet.
"No, I never said that." Dr. Sugimoto said, frowning. Oh boy, this one's gonna be annoying. Ahh~ and I wanted to go out drinking tonight~
"But you deliberately emphasised 'accident' – why was that? And not even the best secret police in the world can tell us where Kyoya-sama was before said 'accident'? You think I'm going to believe that bull?"
Hikaru started pacing, mulling over his thoughts, obviously not wanting an answer. Suddenly he stopped, and pulled the doctor into him by his collar. "DID YOU THINK I WAS GOING TO BELIEVE THIS CRAP?"He pulled back his arm, getting ready to punch, but a strong arm held his elbow.
"LET GO, MORI SEMPAI. LET ME BEAT THIS BASTARD TO A PULP." Hikaru said slowly and angrily.
"No" Was the simple yet stern reply he got.
Hikaru sighed, then after a moment let his arm drop, knowing that there was no point in arguing any further without earning him some injuries.
"I'd like it if you could keep your voice down in the hospital" The frustrated doctor said whilst straightening his white lab coat, earning a death glare from the irritated redhead.
"Ne ne, Sugi-sensei~" Hunny said, as cheerfully as usual and seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room.
"Yes Haninozoka-sama?" The doctor replied, visibly backing up a few steps, painfully aware of the wrath that the little blond monster inflicts when angry. A year ago, he had been the private dentist for the Haninozuka and Morinozuka families. It had been him who had had to tell them about the boy's cavity. He had only barely escaped with a medium sized bunny-shaped scar on his chest, and that was because he had been chucked into safety last minute by Mori. Otherwise, he'd be dead.
"Where's Kao-chan?" Hunny giggled, happy to finally get his revenge.
Almost complete silence fell as Hikaru, Haruhi, Dr. Sugimoto and Mori turned to face the now empty bed. Mouths agape, all they could manage was collective silence, broken only by the light laughter from the smallest host, and the occasional whimper from Tamaki, who was still sobbing by himself.
"What… When..?" Haruhi uttered.
"I'm so fired. I am so fired." Dr. Sugimoto sighed. "Fired. Fired. Why can't you Ouran kids be… be normal?"
He slumped in the chair that Kyoya had been sitting in before. He turned towards the door, just as Hikaru reached it. "I'd tell you not to run in the corridors… but what do I care? I need some alcohol."
…
Kyoya was by himself, just outside of the hospital, perched on the side of the ornamental fountain.
"He's very angry."
"…"
"You do know that don't you."
"Yes. Yes, I know, Fuyumi-neesan."
"Very angry."
"I know."
"How could you stand him up like that? You embarrassed him. You embarrassed him, Kyoya-san."
"What could I do. That's how it is."
"Kyoya-san, you made Father angry. Surely you know that you will never have a chance like that again? He will never let you inherit the company now."
"…Don't you have a husband you should be irritating?" He snapped.
"Kyoya-san! Listen to m-" Kyoya ended the call. He didn't need her to tell him that he was a failure. He just needed to check his call log to be reminded. 13 missed calls from his driver, 7 from his sister, and a rare phone call from his father. He rubbed the heel of his palm on his forehead. Today has been one big headache after another He thought, sighing.
"Your sister?" Kaoru's voice came from nearby.
Kyoya smiled. Well… Almost everything… "Yes… And you managed to escape the pit of hell?" He teased.
About an hour ago, Kaoru had woken up in the bright white hospital room, to be told that he had fallen and hit his head. Had mild concussion. Nothing serious. Needed to stay for observation for a couple of days. Apparently, he had lost a bit of blood, but it was only because he had cut his head on something sharp on the way down, not because of the actual impact of the fall. But he couldn't take it all in. All he could think was: 'God, I really do not want to hear Hikaru's voice right now.' As it turned out, he had actually said it out loud, and so it came to be. Kyoya hatched up the 'escape plan' and now here they were, sat together in the twilight.
"…You…" Kaoru started, looking down.
"Hmm?"
"You said that you had a meeting today… You missed it?"
"When you fell… I knew that I couldn't leave you, even in the hands of the best doctors in our company."
"But you missed your meeting! Your one chance to beat your brothers... and you stayed with me?"
"Yes, well... I'd like to say that it was just me calculating what would gain me the biggest profits, but..."
"But?"
…
Hikaru burst out of the hospital doors after searching the whole building for his little brother. Suddenly, he caught sight of the famous Hitachiin bright red hair. He almost shouted out to his brother, but then noticed that he wasn't alone. Slowing down, he quietly made his way closer to the pair.
"But?" He heard his brother say.
"But, Kaoru Hitachiin… I do believe that I am quite infatuated with you."
A/N : *Creeper face* Tehe~
Btw, did you know that Fuyumi actually calls her brother Kyoya-san? Weird.
Once again, reviews are kindly appreciated! Much thanks to all my previous reviewers, who have inspired me to keep on going :3