Disclaimer: Everything here is rightfully owned by Bisco Hatori EXCEPT the OCs and the plot.

Author's Commentary: Huwaaa! Gomen ne minna-san! If it took me so long before I updated this fanfiction. My studies really hindered me from updating this story because I really need to focus on my studies since I'm now in college. I really missed you all. (sniff sniff). But now, since we are having a semestral break, I was able to continue writing chapter 9; and luckily, I was able to finish it in a week. And oh—I was really really happy right now, 'coz I was able to qualify for scholarship in my university..! hurray! XD please keep reading and reviewing my fanfiction minna-san! And also, the voting is still on for Haruhi's partner in this story! So keep on voting! Daisuki dayo, minna-san!  Happy Halloween! Too bad, I wasn't able to make a Halloween special..sniffsniff..! But I'll try my best to make a one-shot Halloween special for all of you! And if you like, you could suggest me anything you want and the pairing you want! I'll be looking forward to your replies! nn

Author's Reply to Reviews:

I was really really touched by all of your reviews! Especially those who still review this story eventhough I took a break writing this story. I often received/read your reviews during my etype class. Hehehe, I'm so sneaky! XD

roz4694: I see, so you're a Filipino too! Nice to hear that! Thank you for the comment, but to tell you the truth, I'm not yet that good in terms of writing. I hope to improve my writing skills sometime.

DevilHeart13: I'm really really sorry for confusing you. And regarding Haruhi's 'father' , he'll be introduced later in the story. Please keep on reading.

Naaya Black : thank you so much for your suggestion. It really helped me a lot. I really appreciated it!

And for all those who send in their reviews, namely,ColourfulKyouya-SenpaiMaybeNot,strawberry explosion, MxAzingXSpork, SnowCharms, StrawberryXoXoMania, Terry-May, darkoracle12, Yuko19, Rangerette, Hikaru Hiitachin, animelover0001, Sheila, Pink Princess 24, I really thank you all for reading and reviewing my story! I'll look forward to your reviews to in this chapter! Daisuki dayo, minna-san! 

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Without further ado, I now present to you, Chapter 9 of L.H.J.!

Bear hugs and so much Hershey's kisses,

Synchyryn

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Chapter 9

Fight, Flight and Fright

"Haruhi…" Kyouya held both her shoulder ends with his hands and onyx eyes meet the hazel ones.

"Please don't get mad at me, but I just wanted to let you know that Tamaki and I are---"

The door suddenly burst open, cutting Kyouya in mid-sentence.

"Well, well, what do you have to say for yourself son?" Yoshio Ootori entered the room with a shaking Wei on his back and his fierce eyes are looking into Kyouya's onyx eyes.

"otou-san…" Kyouya whispered, his eyes turned fierce as he slowly let go of Haruhi's shoulder tips and fully faced his father.

Haruhi immediately looked at Yoshio when Kyouya called him 'otou-san'.

"So this is Kyouya-sama's father…" Haruhi thought and looked closely at the man before her.

He was wearing a gray tuxedo and a shiny black leather shoes. His hair is a little bit grayish, maybe because of his old age. His eyes were fierce and both his hands were clenched into a fist and is shaking a bit, his knuckles were showing.

"Father, I wish to talk to you…alone…in private" Kyouya said and headed toward the door past his father and Wei.

Yoshio immediately followed his son and Wei closed the door.

..oOo..

Tamaki's room remained silent for a few minutes after the Ootori's departure. Tamaki sit still on his bed, his back leaning on the head board with a pillow on it and Haruhi sitting at the edge of his bed, both her hands atop her lap and is curled into a fist.

"ne…" Haruhi said, breaking the silence in the room…

"What is Kyouya-sama's father like?"

Tamaki opened his eyes and looked at Haruhi.

There was a moment of silence once more before Tamaki answered her question.

"Ootori Yoshio. He is the patriarch of the Ootori family. Even though my father is a good friend of him; I must say that he is a very cold and calculating father. He wants everything to go on his way. I still haven't met a man who has enough guts to oppose him. Not even Kyouya's mother has the nerve to defy him. Poor Kyouya, ever since the day he was born, he's already following the providence that he's father lay before him…"

"Providence?" Haruhi cut him off and turned to face Tamaki.

"Yes. Yoshio chose Kyouya to be the heir of the Ootori Corporation. That's why at an early age, he is obliged to do things beyond his capacity. He entered the school earlier than a normal kid would do. I met him during our middle school days. During his leisure time, his fingers were always holding and tapping the laptop keys. He's the most unusual boy I've ever met. He never smiles. He doesn't talk much either, but when he does, it is all about school business. I never saw him have fun with the other students in the campus. One time, when a student approached him and asked him if he's interested in joining them, because they're having fun at that time, he just stop from using his laptop, stare at the student before him and went back to work on his laptop. Yoshio really changed Kyouya's lifestyle. He put too much pressure on his body that soon made him become the "Shadow King". I suggest you stay away from him, even though he's your fiancé's father. But of course if you really needed to face him, just go, but be cautious." Tamaki ended his talk and continued resting.

"hai…" Haruhi whispered.

She never expected Kyouya's father to be like that. Well, she did, but not that much.

"I wonder what they're going to talk about…"

..oOo..

Kyouya opened the door to the vacant patient room which he borrowed for a while to the head nurse of the hospital. He motioned his father to enter first and soon, he followed him inside and shut the door.

The room was not as big as Tamaki's room. But it's just enough to have a bed for the patient, a couch, a small refrigerator, and a bathroom. The paint on the wall is not that good anymore for it's almost fading away. The room is quite dim but the warm light coming from the setting sun outside lit the room a little and gave a humid effect to the room. The windows are open and the curtains are blown by the cold wind outside.

Yoshio turned his back to the window and faced his son for her was facing the windows earlier. Kyouya, after closing the door, bowed slightly and started talking.

"Sumimasen! I must admit that I made a fool out of myself. I did not think of what would be the possible outcome of this foolishness I made, especially to the Ootori's. I am willing to take full responsibility of what had happened. So please, don't reprimand either Tamaki or Haruhi." Kyouya said and stood up straight once more and waited for his father to respond.

To his surprise, Yoshio calmly walked towards the door and before turning the knob and going out, this was all he said, "Inform Tamaki and Haruhi that I have decided to send them back to Japan as soon as they have recuperated. As for their studies, I will ask Suou to attend everything regarding that matter. And as for you, you will stay here in Paris and fix every single dilemma you had put in the company and the mansion you won't be able to go back to Japan unless you have fixed everything. I will hold your passport until then."

Kyouya shook his head while listening to his father's sermon. All he could do was to nod and agree on what his father had just said. Moreover, what can he do besides to agree? He's father is always 'holding his neck'.

Emotions inside him were overflowing. He clenched his fist and punched the wall to his right. It was so hard that his knuckles turned red and is about to bleed. He then leaned on the wall and cleared his thoughts. After a few minutes, he immediately went out of the room; Traces of his blood in the wall were still visible.

..oOo..

Haruhi's almost done in cleaning up her room in the mansion. This is already the tenth day of her 'rest day'. And now, she has fully recuperated. It hasn't been a week yet since she heard the news about Tamaki and her flight back to Japan. This really saddened her. Not just the fact that she has already became attached to his country, as well as to the people living in the mansion, but also the fact that she hasn't seen Kyouya in ten days, ever since he went out of Tamaki's room in the hospital and had a talk with his father. When they asked Wei where Kyouya is, he just said that he's busy fixing some things regarding the company. All they knew is that they are going back to Japan without Kyouya. Haruhi wanted to have a talk with him, but she never did because she does not know his whereabouts these days.

A knock on the door snap Haruhi's thoughts and a voice from the other side of the door came.

"Haruhi-sama, it is almost time. Tamaki-sama's already waiting for you in the car." The housemaid said.

"Coming," Haruhi shouted back.

She then locked her traveling bag and checked whether all her things were packed right. Before finally going out of her room, she took a one-last-glance at it, remembering her first night there.

The housemaid then gets her traveling bag from her and immediately went down. Haruhi was savoring every step she made down the staircase and the hall, reminiscing on what had happened there during her stay. Her special lessons everyday, her first encounter with Tamaki, who is still then pretending to be mean and to be Kyouya, her first glance on Kyouya in the garden on that rainy day, her 'stolen' first kiss, her adventure outside the mansion, and most especially, the unforgettable masquerade ball held in the mansion, where she and Kyouya shared a magnificent night together.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki's voice brought back Haruhi to the real world. Without knowing it, she's now standing atop the staircase before the mansion's main door.

"You were spacing out back there, are you alright?" Tamaki asked after Haruhi safely went down the stairs.

In reply to what he said she just gave him a faint smile.

..oOo..

Upon arriving the airport, they immediately check in their belongings, except their hand bags, to the counter and verified their passports.

For about twenty minutes, they just sat there and waited for their turn to board the plane. Meanwhile, Haruhi kept looking left and right hoping to see a 'familiar face' there.

"What is it Haruhi?" Tamaki asked.

"Nothing." She said and let out a goofy chuckle.

"Alright," was Tamaki's immediate reply, for he already knew the real answer to his question and the real reason why Haruhi's acting that way. Nevertheless, he just continued browsing a Japanese catalog he had brought with him and kept on murmuring something to himself.

(Bell ringing)

Attention, all passengers going to Japan, please proceeds now to the departure area. You are now about to board the plane.

(Another bell ringing)

"Ikimashou Haruhi-chan" Tamaki said. He excitedly jumped out of his chair and headed towards the departure entrance. Haruhi soon followed.

Right after Tamaki entered the pathway going to the plane, when it's already Haruhi's turn to surrender her ticket, a voice stopped her.

"Matte!"

Haruhi turned around and was surprised to see Kyouya running towards her. Haruhi then stepped out of the line, for she was blocking the next passenger's way to the entrance.

Kyouya just stood there, trying to catch his breath. Neither of them talked. When suddenly, Kyouya pulled Haruhi into his arms and put his chin on top of her head.

"Gomen, if I've caused so much trouble…" Kyouya pulled back and broke their hug.

"Take good care ne?" Kyouya patted her head like a kid and gave her a one sided grin.

"Hai!" Haruhi said and smiled.

"Ah!" Haruhi suddenly exclaimed, next thing we know, she's already tying the ribbon she used during the masquerade ball around Kyouya's wrist.

"There!" Haruhi said after tying it.

"It'll protect you from any harm while I'm away..."

"What can a ribbon do to protect me from harm?" Kyouya murmured.

"nani?" Haruhi skeptically said.

"If you don't want it then…" Haruhi was about to pull the ribbon away from Kyouya's wrist when suddenly; Kyouya raised his arms, away from her reach.

"I didn't say anything like that." Kyouya said.

"Hey! We're about to leave!" Tamaki butted in and waved at them.

Haruhi smiled at Kyouya and bade him goodbye.

"Ja ne, kiyotsukete ne?" Haruhi then ran back to the entrance and surrendered her ticket to the man at the counter.

Kyouya just stood there, watching the two of the most important people in his life leave him alone in Paris.

..oOo..

"Please fasten your seatbelt for we are about to leave..."

The trip from Paris to Japan went quiet. Neither Tamaki now Haruhi were speaking to each other, maybe because they're disappointed by there sudden flight back to Japan. Though Tamaki often bug Haruhi and kept entertaining her, all Haruhi could do was to nod or in some cases, say "oh", "ah" and "I see".

Tamaki put his left hand on Haruhi's shoulder and said,

"You're worried about him aren't you?"

Haruhi just looked at his lavender eyes.

"Well, you don't have to, because this is Kyouya that we're talking about. He will now easily lose or give up; especially if his 'opponent' is his father. Just trust him okay?" Tamaki gave her a reassuring smile.

"Hai" Haruhi said and smiled.

"ne ne, Haruhi-chan!, want to see my photo collection?" Tamaki goofily said and pulled a thick photo album out of nowhere and placed it on top of Haruhi's lap; Haruhi then started browsing Tamaki's photo album.

"Oh, you were so cute back then…demo…" Haruhi kept looking at the photo and back at Tamaki.

"Nothing really changes…the way you look…"

"You mean I'm still cute?" Tamaki said, his eyes were sparkling.

"..Oh, and especially your attitude is still the same, very immature..." Tamaki gloomed on what Haruhi just said.

"hahaha!, just kidding." Haruhi laughed and started patting his back a little hard.

For the next ten minutes, Haruhi just kept on browsing Tamaki's photo album on the other hand, Tamaki kept babbling and explaining every photo in the album like he was a walking photo caption. Haruhi was starting to get tired and sleepy from all these talking and browsing but suddenly a photo caught her attention.

"oh, and here's a picture taken by the end of our middle school, just before the opening of my very own host club. Of course, here are my fellow hosts, they were specifically picked by me, fufufu" Tamaki chuckled proudly at what he had just said.

Haruhi suddenly shut the photo album which made Tamaki halt on his laughing.

"What's wrong Haruhi-chan?" Tamaki said, fearing that he said something which irritated Haruhi.

"Did I say something wrong?" Tamaki's eyes started to become watery for he just cannot stand the fact that Haruhi's mad at him.

"Haruhi…" Tamaki said in a shaky voice and is extending his shaking hand to her.

"daijoubu.." Haruhi said with a forced smile on her face.

"I think I just got a little dizzy that's all…" Haruhi defensively said. "I'll just take a nap okay?"

"Alright, do you want me to get you a medicine? Aww, daddy's all worried about you"

"And who's that daddy, you were saying?" Haruhi said and shot him a death glare.

"Just kidding!" Tamaki smiled goofily at her. Haruhi sighed and wrapped her blanket around herself and slept.

..oOo..

"Haruhi, Haruhi!" Haruhi was awakened by Tamaki's voice.

"What is it senpai?" Haruhi mumbled sleepily and she softly rubs her eyes.

"We were about to arrive in Japan in a few minutes. Hehehe, I just thought that you'll be interested to know."

Haruhi stretch out her arms and tidy up her things and prepared for the landing.

..oOo..

Upon arriving the airport, they were immediately greeted by the Suou servants.

"Tamaki-sama…" the head guard greeted them and the other guard gathered the luggage and carried them.

"Welcome back young master. Your father instructed me to extend his welcome to the both of you and to escort both of you back to the Suou mansion for he has to attend important matters and cannot present himself to you right now." The head guard continued.

"Almost just like before…" Haruhi whispered, remembering her first airport encounter with the Ootori's body guards in Paris.

The head guard led them out of the airport and inside the white limousine.

"Time flies by so quickly, not long ago, I was mourning on my parent's death, received a letter and went to Paris and met all of you, and now, I am back to Japan and I'm living a new life…" Haruhi mumbled.

"Yeah" Tamaki agreed.

"Oh yeah, what happened to the one who adopted you?"

"Now that you mention it, I haven't heard anything from him again since my first day in Paris. I wonder what happened to him..." Haruhi said.

"Maybe he's just busy fixing you adoption papers…" Tamaki replied.

After that conversation, both of them didn't say anything much to each other for both of then seems to be tired from the flight they had.

..oOo..

Upon arriving the Suou mansion, they were greeted by a number of household servants just like in the Ootori mansion.

"I wonder who's much richer, the Ootori's or the Suou's? Haruhi giggled on the thought,

"I'm really glad that you're going to stay here Haruhi-chan! Ooh! You don't know how happy daddy is right now!"

"senpai, will you stop with this daddy thingy? It gives me the creeps you know." Haruhi said.

Tamaki, like he didn't heard anything, kept wiggling and wobbling around.

"Come Haruhi-chan, let me show you your ro—" Tamaki wasn't able to finish his sentence when suddenly, her face became pale.

"Tamaki-sama, are you alright?" Haruhi asked.

"uh—gomen ne, Haru-chan. But I don't think I can accompany you today…" After he said it, he immediately zoomed towards his room and locked it. Next thing they knew, they heard him vomiting in his room's bathroom.

"Haruhi-sama, please follow me to your room." A housemaid said.

The Suou mansion was so much like the Ootori mansion in Paris. There's a large chandelier hanging in the middle of the hall and the floor is carpeted. There were also lots of pillars around the mansion and everything seems to be made of marble and glass. The stairs were made up of high class pearl marble. And atop the staircase there's a huge portrait of a man that looks like Tamaki. Haruhi assumed that this man is Tamaki's father. The rooms in the mansion all have large oak doors and a golden knob.

"Here we are," the housemaid said as she temporarily put down Haruhi's luggage and opened the door.

If the hall was made out of pure white marble and glass, this room before her has the color scheme of pink. Everything seems to be pink.

The housemaid immediately proceeds to the large cabinet on the left side of the room and started unpacking Haruhi's things.

"Ano-are you sure you can do it all? I mean, do you need any help?" Haruhi said, offering the housemaid for help.

"Iie, I'm definitely fine Haruhi-sama" the housemaid said and smiled.

"If you say so…" Haruhi said.

She then headed toward the bed and lay down. The bed's really soft and the fabric is so fine. But after a while, she immediately stood up as if something struck her. Haruhi immediately change to her favorite attire-tee and jeans.

"uhm," Haruhi began, trying to catch the housemaid's attention. "if Tamaki-kun asked about my whereabouts later, please tell him that I'm just going to visit someone. Arigatou. Ja ne!" Haruhi said and went off.

..oOo..

Haruhi refused to ride the car that the Suou family chauffeur's offering her, for this may just cause too much commotion in the place she's going to go. Besides, she doesn't want anyone to be tagging along her when she's off during her personal business. So right now, she's heading towards the local cemetery where her parent's grave lies. On the way there, she had bought flowers and some Ootoro for her parents, and now that she had finally arrived the place, she knelt down before their tombstone, offered the gifts she had bought and prayed. It took her about five minutes before standing up again.

Her next destination now was her former apartment. She can't believe herself that in a matter of months, she somehow forgot her way back to her former apartment, for she numerously made wrong turns in the street.

When she arrived the place, she can't express how much she missed that place. She and her parents were living in that place until the death of her parents and her departure to Paris. She then decided to enter the lobby of the apartment where she found the mail boxes. She ran her fingers on their former mailbox where the name 'Fujioka' was previously written in it, but now; it is replaced by the name 'Mikage' who's probably living in the room that they previously owned. She did not stay long in the apartment for she cannot enter it because she doesn't have the key to it anymore. She then decided to stroll around the place when she passed along the local park where she usually stays. When suddenly, BLAG--!

A blonde kid, holding a pink bunny doll, bumped into her.

"Ouch…" Haruhi whispered. She then helped the kid up and cleans off his shirt and jeans.

"Are you alright? I'm really sorry I'm not watching where I was going..." Haruhi asked in a soft voice. "I'll try to be careful next time okay?" Haruhi gave him a smile.

The blonde kid smiled back at her and looked at her with his hazel eyes.

"Have we met before?" he said in a cute voice.

"Hmm?"

"Mitsukuni…" a deep male voice said from behind the blonde boy.

"Takashi!" The blonde boy greeted the newly arrived man. "Gomen ne, if I wasn't able to wait for you there, I just thought that it'll be great if I visited this park here…hmm, Takashi?"

The man looked at Haruhi with astonishing eyes and his lips were slightly parted.

"Takashi?" Haruhi murmured his name. Then her eyes suddenly widened. "Takashi Morinozuka?"

Love it? Hate it? Send in your reviews! I accept suggestions, comments and even rants! Gomen for the typos..if there are some…