Chapter Six:
Kyouya: "If you really must know....I-"
Haruhi walked away at that point. She didn't need to listen to all the nonsense and stupid "love" talk. What she really should have been doing was studying. Now....to find a way out..., Haruhi thought to herself. She looked around the room, seeing now that the furniture wasn't where it normally sat and that the only doors in the room were the ones leading to the next room. The room where the rest of the Host Club were sitting, playing their little game. I guess if that's the only way out..., Haruhi thought. Haruhi walked back to the double doors and slowly pushed one of the doors open. Just like the day she first opened the doors to the Host Club, a bright light shone out of the room, but this time there were no rose petals. Instead, leaves from a long row of sakura trees blew past her, and a road lay before her. At the far end of the road stood a gate. Between her and the gate stood a fountain. The water falling from the fountain cast a rainbow of colors on the road and onto the sakura leaves, floating in the wind. Haruhi silently held her breath at the beautiful scene.
The fountain poured gorgeous waves of color everywhere. A pure, crisp white. Flares of orange and blue. Deep, misty sprays of indigo. Soft splashes of an elegant lavender. Swirling drops of sakura pink. Natural sprinkles of a rose-colored red. Haruhi breathed in the air. The air was...happy, delightful to breath in. Haruhi walked down the steps and toward the fountain. As she did so, she caught a glimpse of someone sitting on the other side of the fountain. Haruhi slowed as she came up to the person, so as not to startle the unknown someone. Haruhi sat on the ledge, beside the water. She looked into the cool water, her fingers tracing its shiny surface. It was refreshing, even thought she had only her fingertips in the water. The colors swirled around her hand, slowly. It looked as if the water was caressing her hand. Haruhi sighed. She wished she could have sat there forever at the water's edge.
A soft chuckle was heard from the other side of the fountain. Haruhi looked up and saw the mysterious person stand and make their way over. The person stood tall in front of Haruhi, and she began to study the figure before her. Its face was hidden under a white mask, a single tear caught falling down one cheek. The mouth was oddly curved into a closed, half smile. The figure had slightly dark brown hair, long and wavy, flowing down its back. Haruhi made a mental note to address the figure as female, if spoken to. The woman was wearing a beautiful white gown. It looked as if she was in a masquerade sort of wedding outfit.
Finally, the woman broke the silence. "Oh Haruhi," the lady stretched out her hand and tucked a strand of Haruhi's hair behind the young girl's ear. "I only wish you didn't have so many troubles." Haruhi was confused, yet soothed at the same time. How did this woman know her name? What "troubles" was she talking about? Why would she even care about her problems, even if Haruhi didn't yet know what they were? But then...why was she being so kind? She made Haruhi feel like a small child again, being comforted, but sometimes not knowing what for. "Excuse me, miss. But who are you?" Haruhi asked politely. The woman sat down next to Haruhi. She hung her head slightly, not moving for a while. Then, she brought her hand up to the mask and removed it. She turned to Haruhi, showing the young girl her smiling face. Tears began to roll down Haruhi's cheeks. "Okaasan," she whispered, her eyes closed, lips parted with a smile. Haruhi felt her mother's warm embrace, wishing that she would never let go. "Ah, my little Haru-chan," Kotoko said softly, rocking Haruhi gently in her arms.
Haruhi felt warm, salty tears roll down her face. It had been a long while since the last time she had cried. It felt good to let out her grief, and she felt her tenseness and stress roll away with every teardrop that mingled with the water in the fountain. "Haru-chan," Kotoko said softly. "I have to tell you something." Haruhi closed her tired eyes as she felt her mother's warm hand rub her back. Haruhi listened to the soft beating of her mother's heart. She began to doze in the soft rocking motion of her mother's arms. "I want you to know that I love you for who you are, and that will never change." Haruhi smiled and silently tucked her mother's words deep inside her heart. "I love you too, Mom," she said softly. Haruhi fell asleep in her mother's arms, listening to the whispers of the wind, and feeling the warmth and happiness that Kotoko had always brought her when she hugged her little Haruhi.
"Haruhi," a voice said softly. "Haruhi!" it said, this time more urgently, and with a shake of her shoulder. Haruhi rolled over to see her father standing at her bedside. There was a look of concern on his face. "Haruhi, you were talking in your sleep again," Ranka said, then squinted his eyes as if just noticing something. "Are you crying?" Haruhi suddenly became aware of a single tear left on her cheek, the pillow under head slightly cold and wet. She used her finger to wipe away her tear and smiled a sleepy smile at her father. "I'm fine, otoosan. Don't worry about me." Haruhi closed her eyes and began to drift back into a deep sleep. Ranka sighed and grinned. Ever since Haruhi's mother was gone, he had always worried about her. Now, as each day passed and she grew older, Ranka knew that he didn't need to worry over her anymore. He bent down and kissed Haruhi on her forehead. "Oyasumi, Haruhi. Yoi yume o," he said to her sweetly, softly. He left her room, knowing that she would be able to deal with her own problems now, without his help. Ranka lifted his head up and sent a prayer up to Haruhi's mother. "Thank you, Kotoko. Thanks for helping her when I couldn't."
AN: A bit of a mushy, emotional chapter....bleah. Didn't come out how I'd like it to.
