Tonight's date was a spicy red head. Long legs, hour glass figure, and - sexiest of all - a wealthy family.
So, why was it that he could not keep his eyes off a certain short, skinny, and common brunette?
There's an interesting painting right next to her, which he reasons is the cause of his fixation, and not because that they've been married 6 years, have had 2 children, and separated just a year ago.
And most certainly not because she's with another man.
Definitely, definitely not because he is reaching for her hand from across the table, while his Testoni oxfords (damn, he's got style) threaten to engage his wife in a game of footsie beneath the table.
All activity in the restaurant paused as Kyoya Ootori - rumored successor to the Ootori Zaibatsu - walked quickly over to Haruhi, grabbed her arm, and (Haruhi, dumbfounded) lead her out in under ten seconds.
But not before throwing a backward glance at his date -
"So, sorry. Must tend to my wife."
And Haruhi's date -
"Don't play hero."
Both outside now, Haruhi felt no need to keep her voice and actions calm.
"What the fuck are you doing?" she snapped. "I haven't seen you for a year. You couldn't do anything else but leave us a note? I tried calling, texting, writing. Do you know how worried I've been-"
"Yeah, well, great fucking way to show it-"
"Bullshit! What gives you the right to embarrass me like that in front of a respected colleague?"
"Oh, is that what you'd call someone you're fucking?"
The slap came fierce and quick - yet not unexpected. She walked off and turned the corner before he could gather his thoughts.
He spotted her figure walking down the street, and chased after.
Haruhi could hear the tap of his shoes against the pavement, as he sprinted towards her. His actions, however, did not stop her from continuing to walk away.
"Haruhi."
He was right behind her now, walking at her pace.
"What are you doing?"
"Walking home. I can't drive, remember? Or have you been away so long that you've forgotten even that?"
He notes the bitterness in her voice. "Haruhi, how can I forget when neither of us are allowed to drive?" he asks. "What I meant was: why are you walking when you know I have my driver on speed dial?"
Although she was aware that the rain did not make her walk home any better, it was surely more dignified than riding in his car.
"I'm fine."
"Haruhi, I need to talk to you."
"Kyoya, I think it's a little too late for that -"
"I've received your file for divorce from my secretary," he said, " and I agree - its for the best."
Finally she stopped walking. He pulled the papers out from his coat pocket.
"I realize you can't stay married to somebody who doesn't exist anymore," he stated, "I can't stop running from myself, and its not fair for you to keep running after me. I -"
She turned to face him. Large brown eyes mirrored the shattering of her heart. He paused now that his voice was cracking under the strain of emotion.
"I'm sorry for abandoning you all these months, and for practically driving you to insanity over your search for me. I just couldn't have you around me, with his blood on my ha-han-"
Haruhi couldn't take it anymore. Her head felt woozy standing up under the pressure of everything. She took his arm and lead him to a bench where they sat, a gap apart. He sagged in the chair, feeling heavily weighed by the guilt of an action committed over a year ago. His hands cupped his head, remembering.
"That night I forgot. I walked up to his room and looked into his crib. God - he was so tiny. He felt so small in my arms. There's no forgiving myself-"
Haruhi shook her head at him as he continued to speak.
"The travel was so quick, I barely would have noticed had it occurred on any other occasion. It didn't even register to me what had happened when I got back - until I heard your scream. And then I saw - his tiny body on the floor."
"No. . ." Haruhi now standing up, pacing, with her palm on her forehead.
"I killed our son, Haruhi."
She spun around to face him.
"No. It was never your fault. Either of us could have made that mistake!"
"I won't drag you down with me." he said, his voice weaker than she'd ever heard.
She knelt on the ground in front of him, cupping his face in her hands.
"You're not - Kyoya, it's always been me! The only reason I filed for divorce was because I finally realized how sick I was making you!" Haruhi cried.
All the built up stress and heart ache poured out, her sobs shaking her fragile frame.
"I understand. Without saying a thing, without even being there - the mere thought of me reminds you." she sobbed.
"Haruhi, don't say that!" He yelled.
"But it's true. All I've done was make forgetting even harder for you."
He shook his head in denial.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered.
Speechless, he couldn't believe what she was saying.
"I promise I won't be around any longer to hurt you," she said, softly crying.
She caressed his face and he looked back at her in confusion, shaking his head.
"We're going away. Yuki and I. And you'll be better off. I won't be here to drive you mad."
She got up to leave, walking a few steps, before she felt a hand grasp tightly around hers, holding her back.
"No."
She turned around to face him. Kyoya, standing now and the papers still in his hands.
Without taking his eyes away from hers, he shred them in half until they were just tiny flakes on wet ground.
"Kyoya don't do this -"
Suddenly he held her in embrace, his face buried in the crux of her neck.
"Don't leave. Please. I need you." He tightened his hold.
"I have to. Too much damage has been done. And what if things gets worse?"
"Then, we'll work it out." He whispered.
She looked up at his face, her eyes weary.
He was certainly earnest, but she wasn't sure if she could let herself hope for a brighter tomorrow, when things were so dark now.
"No running anymore. . I promise."
It was a leap of faith, one she didn't mind taking as long as she wasn't alone in it.
And she wasn't.
He was there.
Haruhi acquiesced without speaking, choosing instead to capture his lips with her own.
Authors Note:
Yuki is Kyoya and Haruhis elder offspring. She is about 4 at this time. This chapter was somewhat inspired by Ironweed (by William Kennedy) and the movie What Dreams May Come.
If anybody is confused by the timeline:
Kyoya at age 25 marries Haruhi, at age 28 they have their first child Yuki, at age 31 they have their second child - who dies shortly after being born. Kyoya and Haruhi are then separated for about a year, till their meeting in this chapter.
I hope that's not too confusing.
Thanks for reading :0)
