Chapter 9: Requests
The wind was blowing gently through their hair. It was cool and refreshing. The sky overcast was clear and beautiful. Leaves whispered on the ground and flower petals waved. Birds chirped. It felt like a fairytale spring garden.
Haruhi looked at the delicacies arranged in a tier on the round glass table before them. She focused on the white paper doilies with its intricate Celtic designs. She didn't want to see his face across from her. She didn't want to look at the food either. It was a bribe. After last night, he must have known expensive food was one of her weaknesses.
But! She was itching to try the rich slice. There was pure dark chocolate surrounding the whole thing. She had window gazed at expensive cakes like this, but never dreamed she would have the chance to taste it…
"Talk to me."
Haruhi twitched. Too bad, she ended up being caught in his gaze like a deer caught in headlights. She hesitated. He looked like he genuinely wanted her to talk to him. He was dressed in his work clothes again, hair neat and clean shaven – an image of a perfect gentleman – someone who wouldn't in the world trick you or sexually abuse you. That, together with the gentle day and the luxurious balcony they were having morning tea in instantly struck Haruhi as suspicious. This illusion was too neat.
"Why do I have to talk to you?"
His gaze flickered. He seemed wary of her. "Can't you be nicer to me?"
Haruhi choked. Even though she had no food in her mouth. "It was your fault you slept out the corridor, not mine."
He frowned.
"Can't you be nicer to me?" Haruhi said back to him.
She couldn't believe it. He actually looked like he was puzzled. Oh think, Haruhi thought sarcastically, you forced me to come to your house, took my mobile away from me and literally trapped me in your cozy rich world, gave me no privacy, sexually attacked me several times and gave me no chance to do what I wanted to do. That's really nice isn't it?
"You like expensive food," he scowled, and pointed at the slice.
There was no way she was going to eat it. "That's not what I want."
"What do you want then?" He answered quickly. He folded his arms. His eyes narrowed. He began slouching back onto this throne. "Money?" he sneered. It was the last, most obvious option on his list.
Haruhi chose to ignore his last question. "So you'll give me what I want?"
He closed his eyes as if tired. "Whatever."
Haruhi felt excited. So it was possible to get past this guy's walls. You just had to catch him when he wasn't in one of his moods. Dealing with this man was like playing a game, like the commoner's game Chasey. "Let me go to work," she said immediately.
His eyelids twitched. Haruhi's heart sank. His body had gone sort of tight and still as a watching cat. He opened one yellow eye slowly.
"No," he said flatly. He suddenly leaned across the table and hissed at her. "I told you, my fiancées don't do work on Saturdays."
Haruhi rolled her eyes. "I'm not technically your fiancée."
He folded his arms again, sat back on his chair, leaned away from her as far as possible and refused to look at her. Haruhi felt like sighing in exasperation like a mother.
The moment was tense and awkward. Then-
"Okay," he suddenly muttered.
"What was that?" Haruhi said wearily.
"I'll let you go to work," he said loudly.
"You'll let me go to work?" Haruhi asked incredulously. He's going to want something in return. Wait for it. Wait for it…
"Yeah," he glared at her. "But I want you to come to one of my functions this Thursday night."
How predictable. But why does he want me to go to this function? Haruhi pondered over it. She needed to work and earn money. This person would never understand. Money was important. Each cent meant that she had thoroughly worked for it and deserved it. That was why she refused to accept his money as easily as a child accepting free candy. And there was also the possibility that he would demand money back from her in the near future. She was definitely going to work. She couldn't stand being trapped in the maze any longer.
Haruhi stood up. "It's a deal."
He turned to look at her in surprise.
"Thank you Hikaru," she smiled. It was the first time she had said his first name. It was also the first time she had smiled at him genuinely.
Now you can't complain I haven't been nice to you, rich bastard.
A/N: Ah, that was the last pre written chapter that I can afford to update so quickly. xP
I don't think I've properly explained this before. This story is in an alternate universe. It means Haruhi has never been to Ouran or the Host Club before. Thus she has not met the Hitachiins previously. She also can't, realistically speaking, differentiate between the twins based purely on appearances first off. (yeah, I think the person she met in the last chapter was actually Kaoru.)
Thanks for everyone's awesome comments and support. Feel free to criticize and point out errors – I've already made some which I'm going to fix. Cheers, lu.e3.
