Answered Reviews=
PhoenixShadow:
LOL sorry for the angst, haha. By the end of the story, there'll be sweet moments though of course! 3 Thank you for the AWESOME review! =D
darbimmergirl: Thank you!!!
avatar-chik: Yeah, I usually always write in first person since it's easier for me. =D I'm glad to know you enjoy this story!
xBakura's lovex: LOL! Aw man, I had sushi the day I was writing about it in this story! haha, and the whole wasabi thing Hika was doing came from me. Welll - I was going to make the sushi scene more 'pleasureable' and 'sexy' but I didn't want to make them too OOC. xD Maybe the epilogue (if I ever decide to make one) will have some... nice things. *evil laugh*
Whitemajic: LOL, wow.. Kaoru getting a tattoo down his arm? hahaha, I can't picture that at all~ But thank you for the encouragement! =D
AkatsukiSinx666: hehe, I try to be sneaky. But the whole sushi scene wasn't yaoi-ish at all (at least not to my standards). =P
Anonymous Reviewer: Thank you, thank you! I'm really glad you think I write them perfectly. =D

Echo my Love

*

*

Chapter Seven

( Hikaru Hitachiin's Point of View )

With my eyes closed tightly, I sunk my head deeper into the soft fabric of my pillow to block out that noise. I heard it again and I was able to pinpoint it as coughs. Flipping over onto my back, I blinked sleepily into the bright sunlight filtering through the curtains, dazedly deciding that it was past six in the morning. I rubbed my eyes with the heel of a palm before recognizing the source of my rude awakening.

Kaoru, sitting on the edge of the bed, was hunched over. His lips were parted very slightly, eyes half-lidded and strained while one hand was tightly clamping his side.

"Kaoru?", I whispered, my voice unnaturally deep due to tiredness. I cleared my throat and tried again, moving next to my brother. "Kaoru? What is it?"

Upon closer inspection, I noted how his normally peachy skin turned white as a sheet, and how small beads of sweat were dotting his forehead. All of these were obvious signs of distress.

"Kaoru!"

Panicking, I reached for his face, unintentionally smearing the cold perspiration onto his skin and my palm. He leaned into my touch unconsciously, his breathes coming in staggering huffs.

"I.. I don't feel so great Hika..", Kaoru mumbled as I wiped his temple with the corner of our blanket. I stared at him in worry, my head filled with questions of his vulnerable state. What was wrong with him? Was he sick? Was he dying?

"I think it might be.. food poisoning", Kaoru said in-between raspy coughs, as if knowing what I was thinking.

"Food poisoning?", I repeated numbly, one of my hands now rubbing his bare back while the other was supporting his face. He's violently hacking into a fist and I have to wait for him to finish before questioning further. "Kaoru?"

"There's nothing else to explain it", he reasoned, tugging my hand down from his cheek and grasping it weakly.

"But I ate some off from your dish and I'm... fine..", I finished lamely, and my eyes widened when I remembered feeding Kaoru last night. That would mean... it was partially my fault for forcing him to eat that food. I made absolutely sure that he finished his dish without leaving any crumbs.

Fear and guilt wallowed in the pit of my stomach, making me feel suddenly nauseous. My hand continued to stroke his back in circular motions, albeit more shakily than before.

Kaoru remained quiet and his eyes began to shut. I watched him sadly while my heart hammered with so many emotions. Regret, love, worry and dread were the most powerful ones that were hard to overlook.

A feeling of protectiveness washes over me and I gently push my twin back into bed, wrapping him with the thick comforter. "C'mon Kaoru, get some rest. I'll call a doctor right now, okay?"

He struggles against my hold, and I have to literally pin him down onto the mattress keep him still. "Hika, I'm really fine! Besides, the dance is only a few days away. We have to advertise it or else Kyouya will have a fit and -"

Honestly, school had slipped my mind; I was too caught up with my concern but when I heard Kaoru mention the dance, I snapped. Shaking his shoulders roughly, I flushed with anger, "Who gives a damn about Kyouya or the dance? Kaoru, worry about yourself! This is about you!"

Surprised by my outburst, he goes lack in my grip. His eyes carefully roam mine while murmuring, "Hikaru.."

I cover my eyes with a wavering hand, hoping to hide from his observant stare and somehow cool my temper in the process. "Fine... Whatever... I'll go and promote the dance... You just stay home and rest."

"Yeah.. I'll be there later."

I immediately face him, trying to start another contradiction but Kaoru pulls me down so that our faces are level. My breathing hitches as I check his face. He's smiling, and I know it's taking him alot of effort to keep that grin. He's driving happiness through his pain and I want to hit him for it.

Gently combing my bangs back with nimble fingers, he says softly, "I want to be there. It doesn't hurt much anymore. I want to go to school, Hikaru."

Knowing he was referring to what I said earlier about being selfless, I reluctantly let it go. His fingers slide down my face as I move to get off the bed. Walking over to our shared closet, I begin to get dressed for school, making sure my back was all he could see.

While I brushed the creases off of my uniform, I could feel his eyes glued on me. I closed my own eyes and expertly fixed the tie around my collar. When I stood in front of the life-sized mirror to check if the tie was crooked, I saw Kaoru's reflection. He was still laying on the same spot, the blanket covering up to his neck, exposing his pale face. It came as no shock that his gaze was still fixed on me.

Sighing heavily, I turned and met his stare defiantly. My tone was hard and challenging when I talked, "Make sure you get some sleep. Really, Kao.. I mean it!"

His easy smile came quick as a flash, snagging at my heartstrings. "Don't worry about me, Hikaru."

I wanted to (more than anything) shout at him for being so stupid; for actually thinking for a second that I wouldn't worry. We were twins, Kaoru knew that. So why would he disregard my caring for him? It pissed me off even more and only added to my frustration.

Not even trusting myself to speak, I walked out the room without looking back. I alerted a few maids down in the kitchen of my brother's condition and trusted them to call our family doctor for treatment. Soon after, I skipped breakfast and signaled the parked limousine outside of the mansion.

I felt a magnetic force try and pull me back to the room I left minutes before, to where Kaoru was sick and lonely, as if my heart wanted to return to his side. It was the worst experience I have ever felt in my life.

Slamming the door when I got in the car, I finally glanced behind me, searching out the bedroom window. The curtains were shut from when I pulled them close last night. There was no sign of him at all...

It made me uneasy to think this would be the first day at school without Kaoru.

*

During first period, Haruhi halted at the sight of Kaoru's empty desk. She asked me where he was, and I sighed through my words as I explained. Haruhi was worried, but it wasn't on the same level to how I felt. I had to refrain myself from calling Kaoru and checking up on him in class. Those maids would be fired if they didn't make sure Kaoru got the rest or checkup that he needed.

The hour was slow enough to convince me that time was going backwards. My irritation for my brother increased, but my usual energy died out. It was as if Kaoru was my charge to get through the days, and now that he's not here.... I was lifeless.

After the period finished, a glower was ever-present on my face. I stood beside Haruhi's table as the rest of the class filed out of the room. Haruhi said nothing to me as she cleaned her things, but kept shooting me apprehensive peeks out the corner of an eye.

I got tired of it after a while and turned to her with a frown. "Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Looking at me like that! I don't like it."

"I'm sorry", she said, hoisting the bag strap over a shoulder, "But worrying about Kaoru isn't the answer. He wouldn't like the way you're acting Hikaru. You said it yourself that he's coming later. We'll be able to see him again soon, right? So calm down."

She looked up at me, her face entirely composed without a sign of anguish, the exact opposite of how I looked and felt right now. I shook my head slowly, my eyes averting to the right. "It's not that easy."

"Huh?"

"..Forget it. I'm going to the clubroom. See you later."

*

Walking through the hallways made me go rigid with outrage. The stares were annoying, but the whispers quickly became fuel to my anger. Everywhere I went, girls were muttering to each other and I could hear them clear as day.

"I wonder where the other one is? Is that Hikaru? Or Kaoru?"

"Oh no, something must've happened!"

"Why is there only one Hitachiin at school today?"

"Do you think he got in trouble?"

After listening to a pair of girls gossip about Kaoru (though they had no idea which one of us was absent), I gritted my teeth and ignored them. Those girls, those comments, they were /nothing/. If Kaoru could be strong and grin through his pain, I can handle a few rumors.

Reaching the doors to the clubroom, I placed a palm against one, feeling the cool marble against my skin.

A broken sigh fled my throat, "Kaoru.."

Dropping my fingers down the plank, I then grasped the pair of golden handles. Pulling the twin doors open, I edged into the room gracefully. The fragrance of rose petals was very distinct; Kyouya must've ordered a new batch just recently.

My eyes scanned the room for the bouquets but froze when they landed on one of the couches.

I could only see the broad back of it, but a tuft of auburn hair was visible from one of the armrests.

Recognizing that hair color anywhere, I moved closer, peering over the furniture with bated breath.

Kaoru's face swam into view; clad in his Ouran uniform (except for his blazer, which was covering a nearby stool), he was laying on the cushions, lost in a sweet dream.

His expression, so calm and free of any stress, lifted a heavy weight off of my heart. I could feel myself breathe normally now and I managed a frail smile.

Kneeling beside his arm that was draped off the couch, I brushed the hair out of his eyes affectionately. My hand was quivering, so I had to hold it against his cheek to steady it. For a brief second, I correlated the touch of the marble door to Kaoru's soft complexion. There was absolutely no comparison.

Haruhi just doesn't understand...

Overwhelmed by a sudden gush of various emotions, I bent forward and buried my nose into his shoulder. Inhaling his scent that was purely /Kaoru/, I paused before slowly crawling onto the couch. Carefully and comfortably arranging my body against his, I melted into him with my head nesting between his neck and collar bone.

With the gentle rising of Kaoru's chest to comfort me, and no more anxiety to plague my mind, I drifted into an untroubled sleep.

-- End of Chapter Seven/Hikaru's POV

author's note: Another half-assed chapter, eheh. Mm... hmm.. SO. Sorry for the late update! I had midterm exams and all of that crap to take last week, which meant I had no time to write anything.
But anyway.. Two more chapters and this story will end! =D
In a way, I'm kinda sad that it's ending so quickly since I like writing it but... I don't want to keep dragging it on and on so it'll only have nine chapters. Maybe a epilogue if I can swing it. x3

By the way, does anyone read the Ouran manga? Oh my god, I'm so happy that Tama finally realized his feelings for Haru. =D I have this strange feeling that Hika's gonna end up heartbroken but... he has Kaoru, you know? Haha, TamaxHaru FTW!!~