Author's Note: So, I wrote three full chapters with the characters outside of school, which is what I wanted! Go me! But unfortunately, the weekend isn't long at all, so they have to get back to school, which means it'll be longer before the whole host club meets Shigure, Ayame, or Hatori. So for those of you who have been waiting for that to happen, I'm sorry. But I would like for it to happen some day, I just have to figure out how! I'm actually back to school in the story and real life! I've missed the school setting for the story's sake, and I've definitely missed everyone at school. Now that I've started school back, however, updates will be fewer and farther apart. I was aiming to get three more chapters before I had to move back, but obviously I didn't make that. I couldn't get motivated and had no inspiration, and I'm so sorry its been so long between updates! As the semester progresses I will have more homework to do, so finding time to write will be scarce. Not to mention spending time with my friends and getting to know the really cool new people I've met better. I'll still be writing, but not as much, and for good reasons, so please be patient and supportive during this time!
Someone commented my chapters are long… these chapters are relatively short compared to other stories I've written. I like to give ya'll something worth while reading since you have to wait for each chapter, especially since it can be a while before I finish the next chapter. What's 'long' are my author's notes. Eventually I'll run out of pointless things to mention and they won't be so long anymore! XD Alright, I'll shut up now. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or Fruits Basket, nor do I claim to. Any and all characters belong to Hatori Bisco and Natsuki Takaya respectively.
Chapter IX: Insight Among Friends
Haruhi had followed the directions Yuki had given her the previous day exactly. She found herself standing in front of a traditional Japanese style house, rather large in size by her standards. And the surrounding property was beautiful. She was far more impressed with this home than she was with the Hitachiin mansion, even though it was significantly smaller.
Tucking the paper with the directions written on it in her bag she walked up to the house. Reaching the front door, she knocked. She waited a few moments, but no one answered. She was about to knock again when she heard someone approach her from behind. Turning around she was greeted by the sight of Yuki.
"Fujioka-san!" Yuki gasped, a look of surprise on his face when he looked up from the small bowel of strawberries he was carrying and saw her.
"Good afternoon," Haruhi said with a smile. "We didn't discuss a time I should arrive, so I decided to drop by after I checked out some books from the library I needed for research. Sorry if I'm early."
"No, that's ok," Yuki said quickly. He glanced down at her clothes and looked all the more surprised, almost as if he didn't recognize her.
Haruhi glanced down at what she was wearing; she had on a white, floral print baby doll dress, which had thin spaghetti straps. Only underneath she was wearing a white tank top and a pair of khaki Capri pants, cut off just below the knee. "Ah, this," she said absentmindedly pulling at the hem of the dress, which only came to the middle of her thighs. "My dad picked it out for me. When I told him I was going to a friend's house from school, he insisted I wear it. Since you and Tohru-chan know I'm a girl, I figured it wouldn't hurt. Although, I put on the pants in addition," she explained. She glanced up at him. "Sorry, its weird, I know."
"No, not weird," he said. He laughed uneasily. "Its just, this is the first time I've seen you dressed this way. Looking like a girl that is."
Haruhi smiled. "True," she said. Pointing to the bowl she added, "What's that?"
"Ah, strawberries," Yuki replied, glancing down at the bowl. He looked at the dirt on his hands and clothes. "I went to my garden to tend it. Honda-san wanted to make strawberry shortcake, so I told her I'd bring her some back."
"You have a garden?" Haruhi asked. Yuki nodded his reply, reaching over to open the front door. She hadn't pegged him for the gardening sort "What do you grow in it?" she added.
"Various vegetables as well as strawberries, obviously," Yuki replied stepping inside once he'd opened the door. Removing his shoes he opened the second door and headed inside, motioning for Haruhi to follow. "Honda-san is in the kitchen. You can wait there with her if you'd like, I'm going to go change out of these dirty clothes." Handing her the bowl he added, "Will you take these in to Honda-san for me?"
Haruhi, having already removed her shoes and stepped inside, took the bowl from him. "Yes, these look delicious," she said with a smile.
Yuki returned the smile. "Thank you," he said. Pointing down the short hallway to a door he said, "The kitchen is just through there. I'll be down in a little bit."
Nodding, Haruhi headed into the kitchen. When she entered she saw Tohru busily washing dishes, which she assumed were left over from breakfast. "Hello, Tohru-chan!" she greeted warmly.
Tohru jumped and whirled around with a gasp. Her startled expression relaxed into a look of relief when she saw Haruhi. Laughing uneasily she bowed in apology. "Ah, Haruhi-kun! I didn't know you'd arrived! You startled me."
"Sorry, sorry," Haruhi apologized sympathetically, feeling badly for having inadvertently snuck up on the young lady. "Yuki-kun let me in. He'd just gotten back from his garden and went upstairs to change." She handed her the bowl of strawberries. "He brought these back."
Tohru smiled, her expression brightening as she received the bowl. "Ah, yes!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly. She took note of Haruhi's outfit and gasped. "Eh!? You're wearing a dress—I-I mean, you look nice. Its very lovely!"
"Ah, yes, thank you," Haruhi replied, sweat dropping uneasily. She wondered briefly how the twins would react to her dress, and for that matter, Tamaki. Cringing at the overreactions they'd most likely make she sought to change the subject. "Ah, so, Yuki-kun mentioned you were baking a strawberry short cake. When might you start on that?"
"Later today. After I've done some research I'll probably take a break to bake it," Tohru replied, laying a towel out carefully on the counter so she'd have a place to put the strawberries as she washed the dirt off of them. "While it cools I can continue with the research."
Haruhi set her bag down on the floor against the cabinets. "Can I help you with anything?" she offered. "I could finish washing the dishes."
"No, that's not necessary!" Tohru quickly declined in a polite tone. She dumped the strawberries into a strainer and placed it in the sink, turning on the faucet. "I only have a plate or two left to wash. I can do that in a moment."
"Let me wash these then," Haruhi insisted, taking the strainer from her.
Tohru smiled gratefully. "Yes, thank you," she said with a slight bow. She returned to washing the dishes, which consisted of two plates and a small rice bowl. Letting the water out she dried her hands and was about to help Haruhi lay the strawberries out on the towel when someone called to her from the other room.
"Tohru-kun!" a man's voice said, his footsteps drawing nearer to the kitchen. A dark haired man poked his head in the doorway seconds later. "Tohru-kun, I heard voices? Has your friend arrived?"
Haruhi glanced back over her shoulder towards the door. "Yes, she's right here!" Tohru replied, gesturing to Haruhi.
Quickly Haruhi set the strainer down on the counter, dropping what few strawberries she had in her hand on the towel. Turning around she wiped her wet hands on her pants and bowed politely. "I'm Fujioka Haruhi," she introduced herself. "You must be Yuki-kun's cousin."
"Ah, it is a girl! I knew it and she's cute, too!" Shigure exclaimed with excitement gleaming in his eye. He rushed over to the two young ladies, giving his full attention to Haruhi. "Yes, I'm Shigure, Yuki's cousin. And this is my house! Welcome!"
"Thank you," Haruhi said. "I won't be any trouble. I'll be as quiet as possible and try not to bother you while you're working."
"You're not a bother at all! You can disturb me all you like," Shigure replied with a foolhardy laugh. A hand came seemingly from nowhere, slapping a newspaper in his face.
"Take your newspaper and go back to your study, pervert," Yuki, who'd been the one to shove the paper in his cousin's face, said. He finished buttoning the top button of his shirt before smiling at Haruhi. "Are you ready to begin researching?"
"Yuki, you're soo mean!" Shigure whined, cradling the paper tightly. Yuki ignored him.
"We can do our research in here," Yuki explained. Stepping between Haruhi and Shigure he gestured towards a doorway. "There's a table, so it'll be easier to spread our books out."
Haruhi picked up her bag. "Ok, Tohru-chan, are you coming?" she asked.
Tohru nodded. "Yes, as soon as I've finished laying the strawberries out to dry," she said, turning back to her previous task.
It was a small room, with a table in the center, a small table against the wall with some papers on it, and a television in the corner. Haruhi assumed it was their living room, a very traditional Japanese living room at that. Yuki already had gathered his and Tohru's books and placed them on the table.
"Shall we begin?" Yuki asked again, taking a seat as Haruhi took hers.
Haruhi nodded, digging several books out of her bag. "I think I've narrowed my choices down to two possible topics," she explained, passing two books to him.
Yuki skimmed through the first few pages of each book. "They sound like very interesting topics. I'm sure you won't have any trouble writing about either," he said as he handed them back.
"Ah, well, truthfully I was hoping you could suggest which one I should write the paper on," she admitted uneasily. "I'm having a bit of difficulty deciding on my own."
"I'm afraid I have the same problem," Yuki admitted with a forlorn sigh. "I'm sorry, I don't think I'm the one to ask for help on that matter."
At that moment the door to the hallway slid open. Haruhi looked over with a smile expecting Torhu, but instead Kyo was the one who stood in the door, bearing a lazy expression. When he saw the two of them sitting he froze in the door, staring at them a moment. Obviously he hadn't expected anyone to be in the room.
"Hi, sorry to surprise you," Haruhi said with another smile. "I came over to research with Yuki-kun and Tohru-chan for the paper we were assigned the other day. Do you want to join us?"
His gaze settled on Haruhi and her feminine appearance. Taking note of her small chest, which wasn't obvious at school, his expression tightened as a look of wariness washed over him. After a few awkward seconds passed, he sucked in a sharp breath through his clenched teeth and slammed the door.
"What was that about?" Haruhi wondered, turning back to Yuki.
Yuki sighed, lowering his forehead a bit to meet his hand as he raised it in frustration. "I forgot, we didn't tell Kyo you were coming over," he said with a groan. Meeting Haruhi's gaze he smiled apologetically. "He isn't aware that you're a girl, either."
Haruhi sweat dropped as her eyes narrowed. "Ah, that would explain his behavior," she muttered solemnly. With a sigh she pushed herself to her feet. "Well, I guess I better go and explain things to him. For his benefit and mine."
"How so?" Yuki wondered curiously, standing up to go with her.
"Well, if he knows why I'm attending Ouran as a guy it might put his mind at ease and he won't have worry that I'm some sort of weirdo," she began, opening the door. "And if he knows, he's more likely to keep my secret at school."
"Who knows where he went though," Yuki surmised as he stepped out into the hallway. But mere moments after he'd spoken they heard Tohru talking with him in the kitchen.
"Kyo-kun, I'm going to make short cake with those later, but if you'd like some I can set some out for you," Tohru explained as she offered him a small handful of strawberries.
"No, I'll just eat something else," Kyo declined, the uneasy look still on his face.
"Kyo-kun, you look pale. Are you getting sick?" Tohru wondered. She placed her hand to his forehead. "Do you feel all right?"
Kyo's cheeks almost turned as red as the strawberries lying on the counter. He shoved Tohru's hand away quickly, yet gently. "No! I'm fine, now leave me alone!" he growled.
"Kyo-kun," Haruhi said, having stood there a while in the door unnoticed.
Tohru and Kyo both jumped, startled by her sudden words. Haruhi smiled, barely holding in a chuckle. They were both so jumpy and easily startled she found it amusing. She wondered if that was because she'd been around the twins for so long.
"Kyo-kun, sorry to alarm you," she continued with an apologetic bow. "You see, I attend Ouran as a boy for—financial reasons. Its really complicated, but I hope I didn't freak you out or anything."
Kyo turned his head away, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Forget it! I don't care what you do with your personal life," he spat grumpily. "Girl or not, it doesn't make a difference."
"Ah, just don't go blurting it out at school," Yuki warned dully. "If word gets out that she's not really a guy, she'll be in trouble. And I'll know who told."
"Are you threatening me?" Kyo spat, whirling around to face Yuki, ready for a fight. "Stop trying to insinuate that I'm a gossip! I said it didn't matter!"
"I'm not trying, I am insinuating you're a gossip," Yuki retorted calmly. He met his cousin's fiery gaze with a cold stare. "And yes, I was threatening you. Tell anyone and I'll beat you."
"Like I would tell! I said I don't care!" Kyo bellowed. He swung his hand out in front of him, lashing out at the open air in frustration. "Stop saying things you don't know anything about, I'm not a gossip!"
"Fine, tattle-tail," Yuki complied with a shrug.
"Stop it, d--it!" Kyo screamed, grabbing Yuki by the collar.
Yuki looked him right in the eye, unfazed by the act of violence towards him and obviously unimpressed by it. "You have diarrhea of the mouth. No secret is safe with you," he taunted.
Kyo gritted his teeth in outrage. Clenching his fist he reared back and threw a punch at Yuki's head. Yuki easily caught his fist and deflected it to the side, delivering a hard but quick blow to Kyo's stomach with his knee.
Haruhi stood in shock at the display. She glanced over at Tohru, who was standing by watching with a sweat drop. "Do they fight like this often?" Haruhi asked, sidling up along side of Tohru to watch. Tohru nodded. "And you're not worried about it?" Haruhi asked, confused. Tohru shook her head no.
Smiling, she turned to Haruhi. "I realized a while back, its good for them to fight sometimes," Tohru explained.
Kyo, who hadn't given up on trying to hit Yuki, swung another punch at the young man. Yuki ducked under it, caught him by the arm, and tossed him over his shoulder across the room. Kyo landed on his back and skidded across the floor, stopping by the door at Shigure's feet.
"What's going on in here? I heard a shouting and figured you two were fighting again. I guess I was right," Shigure stated, his eyes open wide with curiosity. Noticing Kyo, he glanced down at him with a smirk. "Beaten again, I see."
Kyo glared fiercely up at his cousin, a wounded look flashing behind his fiery eyes. Jumping up he shoved past Yuki and the two girls, rushing out the back door in a rage.
"Ah well, don't worry about him," Shigure said, shrugging it off. "He's gone off to lick his wounds and sulk again. Anyway, how's the research coming along?"
"Eh, we haven't gotten a chance to start," Haruhi explained.
"She hasn't been here long enough for us to do any research!" Yuki growled in annoyance.
Tohru untied the apron around her waist and placed it on the counter, neatly folded. "Well, I'm done in the kitchen for now, shall we start researching now?" she suggested.
Haruhi nodded in agreement. Yuki agreed as well, so the three of them retired to the living room and began to research their topics of choice.
The three sat in relative silence; the only sound they made was the turning of a page, the scribbling sound of their pencils as they took notes, and the flutter of clothing and shuffling sounds they made whenever they shifted where they sat. After a little over an hour had passed, Haruhi sat back from her books and stretched, stiff from hunching over the table for so long. Yuki pushed his book back and sighed, arching his back in attempt to stretch the cramp out of it.
"Time for a break?" Tohru asked, locking her fingers together and stretching her arms out in front of her.
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea," Yuki agreed.
"I can start the cake then," Tohru said, standing up.
"Do you need any help, Honda-san?" Yuki offered. Tohru shook her head in refusal.
"No, I can take care of it myself," she assured. With a quick bow she excused herself to the kitchen.
Haruhi stretched her legs out, propping herself up on her hands as she leaned back. She'd gathered quite a bit of information and had finally picked her topic. That alone set her at ease and made the task of writing the paper all the easier. Looking around the room she observed some of the Japanese décor.
"Your cousin has a lovely home," she said with a smile. "I should probably tell him that, though," she added with a sweat drop. "Where is he? I could tell him now."
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Yuki said sheepishly. "He wonders in and out of rooms as he pleases, even if we're trying to study. You're bound to see him again before you leave."
No sooner had he finished speaking did the door opened to reveal the very subject of their topic. "Are you taking a break? Perhaps now would be the time for me to get to know our guest better," he suggested enthusiastically. Without waiting for a response, he sat down at the table with the two of them. "Yuki-kun, I was on the phone with Aya-san earlier. He told me you and Tohru-kun were at his shop yesterday, and had Haruhi-kun with you," he explained. Assuming a fake look of sincerity he added, "How could you introduce him to her before me? You owe it to me to at least let me meet your new friends first!"
Yuki sighed heavily, shutting his eyes in agitation. "It wasn't a planned visit," he explained. "And I don't owe you anything."
"Aya-san?" Haruhi wondered, cocking her head to the side curiously.
"Ah, my brother," Yuki explained.
"Ayame-san, then. You speak so familiarly of him, does that mean you're friends?" Haruhi enquired, turning her attention to Shigure.
"Friends' is an understatement!" Shigure exclaimed, placing his hand thoughtfully to his chin and cutting his gaze over at her with a side-glance. "We were known as the Mabudachi Trio in high school!"
"Trio? There's only the two of you," Haruhi observed with confusion.
"Ah, yes, you haven't met him yet, but Hatori also attended high school with us. And complete with the two of us, we composed the Mabudachi Trio!" Shigure explained. "The three of us were extremely popular in school. Especially Aya-san! The ladies adored him considering he was so good looking. You might not know this, but Yuki looks exactly as Aya-san did at his age."
"I can believe that, I saw the family resemblance yesterday," Haruhi replied. She glanced over at Yuki. "Hatori-san—you mentioned him before, haven't you?"
"Eh? Telling your friends about Hatori-san? Were you bragging about your family's various talents?" Shigure questioned excitedly.
"Hardly, I'm not you," Yuki retorted bluntly. He added in reply to Haruhi, "Yes, he's one of my cousins that I mentioned before."
Haruhi nodded in understanding. Hatori was the man he'd said was responsible for the memory suppression. Seeing as how Ayame was the only Sohma he'd told about the Host Club knowing their curse, she knew it best to let it go and not pursue the matter any further in front of Shigure.
"So the three of you were popular, then? That sounds a little like the Host Club," she commented, smoothly changing the direction of the conversation.
"Ah! I've only heard the Host Club mentioned once, but that was when Tohru was telling her old school mates about it," Shigure observed, expressing interest in his tone. "And it was from Momiji-kun that I heard Yuki-kun had even joined the club!"
"Well, he's not the only one who doesn't speak of it outside of school," Haruhi commented with a sigh.
Yuki gave her a curious look but looked away before she could feel inclined to ask what the look was for. "I didn't tell you because I knew you'd go straight to Akito with the information," Yuki said with a glare of warning. "You haven't, have you?"
"I was going to, but if you're so against it, I suppose I won't," Shigure said. He sighed disappointedly. "However, it disappoints me, I was looking forward to seeing the look on Akito-san's face when I told him that you were in a host club. Its so tempting!"
"Don't you dare!" Yuki warned.
"Why don't you want the head of the Sohma's to know?" Haruhi wondered. It was true, she didn't really talk to her father about the Host Club, but she hadn't wanted to hide her being a part of it from her.
"I—" Yuki began, quick to explain himself, but he paused, averting his gaze with an uneasy look. "It's complicated," he resolved.
"I've heard that a lot since I met you," Haruhi pointed out. She gave him a kind smile though. "I understand. If you don't want to tell me."
"Ah, its true," Shigure said, nodding his head as if to verify something. "Yuki-kun doesn't want to tell Akito-san of his joining the club for fear of embarrassment. You see, Yuki-kun has had a crush on Akito ever since they were little…"
Yuki picked up his book and in one swift motion hit Shigure over the head with it hard enough to jolt his upper body and placed it on the table where it had been. "Don't tell such falsehoods!" he scolded harshly, his eyes shut in agitated anger.
"Ah, Yuki-kun, that hurt!" Shigure whined.
"Then don't make up those kinds of stories and you won't get hurt," Yuki warned turning his head away with a slight grunt.
Haruhi sweat dropped, reminded of the Host Clubs antics slightly by the interaction between the two. To be honest, it made her feel at ease with herself. She'd been a little concerned with going to Yuki's house, not having met his cousin before hand, but after seeing how laid back and easy-going the man was, and how he responded to his younger cousin, she was rather comfortable, much like she was with the Host Club.
"So, what is the club like? What kind of things do you do?" Shigure wondered, completely recovered from his chastisement.
Haruhi placed a finger thoughtfully to her lips, glancing up at the ceiling as she thought. "Well, let's see. We serve lots of sweets and tea while we talk about nothing with a bunch of girls," she summarized. Looking up, her expression totally serious, she added, "Sometimes we have themes, but they're just frivolous and a waste of money if you ask me."
Shigure and Yuki sweat dropped, both looking somewhat in a state of awe. "She explained it better to me," Yuki offered in her defense.
"Eh, well, yes, it sounds rather drab and tedious when you put it like that," Shigure muttered uneasily.
Haruhi wondered what they could mean by what they said, but shrugged it off. "Its what we do, is it not?" she asked looking at Yuki.
"Well, yes, but that's the description of someone who isn't interested in it," Yuki said with a sweat drop.
"Is it?" Haruhi wondered. She stared up at the ceiling a moment as she pondered it. She'd wanted to explain it as briefly and to the point as possible, and so she had. Perhaps it had sounded a little disinterested, but it got the point across. She shrugged. "Oh well," she said, looking back at the two of them.
Shigure and Yuki sweat dropped and sighed hopelessly.
"Perhaps I can help explain it better!" A dramatic voice exclaimed from the other side of the door. Yuki stiffened when he heard it. Haruhi recognized it as Ayame's voice.
The door thrust open suddenly to reveal the man himself, clad as ornately as he had been the previous day in deep blue fabrics. "Gure-san! It's been a while," he said tenderly, giving an alluring gaze to his old friend.
Shigure met Ayame's gaze with a somewhat seductive look of his own. "Yes, it has, Aya-san," he replied almost flirtatiously.
Yuki stiffened all the more and his cheeks flushed –whether it was out of anger or embarrassment Haruhi couldn't tell, but she guessed it was a little of both. Haruhi was merely reminded of the twins 'Brotherly Love' act by the scene and easily dismissed it.
"At any rate, the Host Club, fashioned after all those other similar clubs before, is somewhat of a cousin to my business!" Ayame explained, placing his spread fingertips to his chest and gesturing over his shoulder with his other hand, palm up. "They merely carry out their daily duties in order to make young ladies fantasies come true!"
"Ah, so that's what you do!" Shigure said, grinning at Yuki with a teasing sparkle in his eye.
"No, its not how he makes it sound!" Yuki protested angrily.
"Yuki!" Ayame gasped, rushing to kneel next to his brother. He leaned one elbow on the table in front of Yuki and placed his arm affectionately around Yuki's shoulders while looking him in the eye. "The fact that you're in that kind of club makes me proud. I always knew someday you'd follow in my footsteps somehow, but never to such a satisfying degree!"
"I'm not following in your footsteps!" Yuki shouted, slamming both fists on the table. He pushed Ayame away. "Get off me!"
"Now, now, Yuki-kun," Shigure soothed with his index finger extended like he were about to make a point. "Don't get so enraged in front of our guest."
"You asked him over, didn't you?" Yuki accused in a low growl. He glared severely at his cousin, eyes narrowed to slats.
Shigure held up his hands in defense, sweat dropping nervously under the glare. "I had nothing to do with this. I only called him earlier to ask about Haruhi-kun, here," he explained.
"Yuki, don't be cross," Ayame pleaded. He looked so pleadingly and innocent Haruhi couldn't help but smile. In away, the sad puppy dog eyes he was giving Yuki reminded her of how Tamaki looked at her when he'd said something stupid to offend her.
"What are you doing here? I saw you yesterday, wasn't that enough?" Yuki asked, heaving a sigh of absolute exasperation as he turned his face away from his brother. He rolled his eyes before letting them shut as he simmered.
"Well, we Gure-san called and mentioned you had your friend over, I decided I'd come to see the both of you again!" Ayame explained excitedly. He patted Yuki on the back as he turned to look at Haruhi. "I thought about coming by to spend more time later this week, but realized you'd have school. So since you aren't busy today I thought I'd take the opportunity, especially when I learned Haruhi would be here as well! She's such a charming young lady, and so cute! Not very stimulating in conversation, but she listens well enough! And besides--"
Yuki glanced over at Haruhi apologetically as Ayame continued to ramble on, patting his little brother on the back ever few words. Sighing he stood up to leave, unnoticed by Ayame, who was still running his mouth, or Shigure, who for some reason was enthralled in Ayame's wordy explanation.
Haruhi quickly rose to her feet and followed him out of the open door. He went to the kitchen and released a sigh or relief because he was in a different room than his brother.
"Eh? What's wrong?" Tohru asked with concern.
"Ayame-san is here," Haruhi explained.
"I thought I heard his voice," Tohru commented thoughtfully. "Well, if you need refuge from him a bit, would you mind helping me set the table? Lunch is almost ready."
"Ah, sure, I'd be glad to help, Honda-san," Yuki said energetically. He retrieved the plates from the cabinet and went to the dinning room.
"Is there anything I can help you with then?" Haruhi offered.
"You can help me put things on serving plates," Tohru replied. She proceeded to inform Haruhi where the serving plates were kept and the two of them put the various food items on them and took them into the dinning room. Tohru called Ayame and Shigure in and they sat down to eat. None of them really knew where Kyo had gone, much less where he was at the time, so Tohru set him aside a plate to save for him when he returned.
The mill was far from quiet, but Yuki refrained from raising his voice to Ayame anymore. He seemed to tolerate his older brother fairly well throughout the meal, even though he was obviously still annoyed by him. After they'd finished eating, Shigure and Ayame returned to the living room to continue chatting, and Yuki and Haruhi set about the task of washing the dishes after Tohru had put away the leftovers. Excusing herself, Tohru went to hang up some laundry, leaving Yuki and Haruhi to their task.
"You really seem annoyed with your brother," Haruhi observed as she finished scrubbing a dish and handed it to Yuki to dry.
"Annoyed? Yeah, I guess its true. He does get on my nerves," Yuki admitted thoughtfully.
"Only on your nerves? It kind of seems like you can't stand to be around him. What has he done that's so bad?" Haruhi wondered curiously.
"No, its not that I can't stand him. I don't mind that he wants to be closer, it's just—"
"You better not say 'it's complicated', either," Haruhi warned, cutting a glance at him out of the corner of her eyes. She smiled at his surprised look.
"Right. Well then, I'll have to explain this time," Yuki said, smiling in return. Adding a plate to the stack of dried ones he began again. "When we were little, Nii-san never really had anything to do with me. It was like I didn't exist. Since then, I guess he's realized how cruel that was and has sought to rectify his former misdeeds. The manner in which he goes about it is a little annoying though, its like he has difficulty expressing himself to me, so he acts like he does instead."
Haruhi nodded to assure him she was listening to him, but thinking at the moment. "I guess… I kind of understand how you feel," she said after a while. She smiled again at him. "Tamaki-sempai is really annoying most of the time, but I guess he's like your brother. He wants to be closer to me, and the rest of the host club, but he has an odd way of doing it." She paused briefly to choose the right words, pausing her dishwashing as well. After a moment of silence she continued with both. "I get annoyed when Tamaki-sempai acts like he's my father, or a father figure to me. But he's never really had a well-structured family of his own. I guess the Host Club is that family to him, so he wants to do all he can to bring us together more and be close with us. When I look at it like that, it's a lot easier to tolerate Tamaki-sempai's hyper personality, and I find I even enjoy spending time with him. I think the situation with your brother is similar in a way. You just have to try and see things how he does."
Yuki smiled after a while. He looked at her kindly, thankfully. "You know, you're right," he said with another smile. He chuckled a bit. "Its kind of odd, but there seems to be a lot people you know that have similar traits to people I know."
Haruhi laughed, handing him another washed plate. "There are, aren't there," she chuckled. Smiling to herself she recalled the events of the day that reminded her of the Host Club. Even when she wasn't with them it seemed she couldn't escape them. To be honest with herself, she had to admit she was glad of that though.
"You've never really seemed to like the Host Club much," Yuki observed. He wasn't looking at her as he spoke, instead focusing intently on the dish he was drying. "You seemed annoyed to be a part of it, and you talk as if its horrible. But you seem to have fun when you're there."
Haruhi glanced at him, slightly in surprise. She hadn't been aware she was giving the impression she disliked being in the Host Club. It was true that sometimes she'd rather be doing homework or home doing chores than working to pay her debt off in the Host Club, but she was glad to be a part of them. She'd experienced so much since she'd met them, and had gained six very close, unique friends from them all.
"I don't think it's horrible," Haruhi said. "I didn't think it seemed that way. I do like being a host, otherwise I'd find another way to pay off my debt to them. I had an offer to leave once and go to a different school even, but I turned it down because of how happy I was at Ouran—and as a host."
"I only said it to tell you this," Yuki said, stopping her from defending herself any further. He gave her look of apology, as if to say sorry for making her feel as if he were calling her out for it, considering she'd just pointed out something similar about him. "You don't always seem like you like the Host Club, even though you do; but if I watch you during hosting hours and with the other hosts, you always have fun and look content, at the least." He laid the towel on the counter and turned to face her. "I may not seem pleased with my brother, but secretly I do admire him in a way, and I find I enjoy the time we share."
Haruhi gawked at him a moment. "I see," she said, smiling. "I'm glad then to hear it."
"But he often ruins a touching moment between us with his stupidity," Yuki pointed out with a sigh.
Haruhi sweat dropped, but said nothing. She could think of several times where Tamaki had ruined a true bonding moment between the two of them with his stupidity, so she silently sympathized with Yuki.
Tohru returned from doing the laundry just as Haruhi had finished washing all the dishes and drained the sink. Tohru had to finish making the strawberry short cake, but promised to join them as soon as she was finished to resume their research. Yuki and Haruhi returned to the living room and started researching again. Ayame and Shigure had retired to a different room of the house, so they were left in peace the rest of the afternoon.
Before Haruhi realized it, it was early evening and time to leave. She thanked Shigure for his hospitality, expressed her gratitude to Tohru for the delicious lunch, and then said her goodbyes. Heading home, books in arm and proud of the research she'd gotten done, she looked back on the day. Smiling fondly at the memories she'd made and the friendships she'd strengthened between herself, Tohru, and Yuki, she turned her thoughts to what she'd prepare for dinner that night when she got home.
