Chapter 10: It's Time

Please be negative, Please be negative.. please, please, please.

My body was shaking, terrified as I sat on the edge of my bathtub with that stupid plastic thing in my hand. I couldn't believe my luck, my ever so irritating complicated life. Why now, of all the times why now?

The Circles party was a fantastic night and it ended wonderfully but I hardly remembered removing the gown the boys so carefully picked out for me. I had a vague memory of wandering the halls in that stupid see-through pink negligee. It didn't matter that it was long because there was very little left to the imagination when it came to the quality of that fabric.

I remembered Tamaki's beautiful face but then.. nothing.

The next morning came too soon and I knew I had a hangover from the quantities of alcohol I had consumed the night before. Counting and calculating didn't help me much because I had just enough to put me in a fog. It clouded my judgment but it was not to knock me out completely. As far as I knew.

Rubbing my face to clear the dreariness that affected everyone when they awoke in the morning, I groaned. Then I sat up.

I was shocked to find that I was naked. Head to toe with a heavy down-filled cream comforter covering my body. I panicked and held my head when I realized the twins and I had different colored blankets than this one. So I looked beside me and saw my former lover.

Tamaki was sleeping peacefully with a smile on his face.

My hands flew from my head to my mouth and I chocked on a cry. I extracted myself quickly taking note of the empty red wine bottle and the glasses beside. I found my night gown on the floor right next the bed. Quickly throwing that stupid thing on over my head, I left the room before I could wake him.

My heart just couldn't take the pressure. No one was awake. No one stopped me from leaving his room and finding my own. I ran straight to my en suit and whipped my face clean. My head was banging when I tried to remember what happened. If anything had happened, but I just couldn't.

I couldn't even bring myself to ask him the next morning or the following days before the twins and I left. Hikaru was in a grumpy mood and he kept shooting betrayal looks at his brother. Kaoru seemed unaffected by what ever was going on between them. Instead, Kao had an arm around my shoulders for most of the trip being extremely affectionate whenever possible.

Well, maybe not extreme but with how much of a slut I felt like, even the slightest touch felt dirty.

It didn't help at all to see the devious smirk Kirimi shot me from time to time.

I was happy to finally be leaving, not because I didn't care for Umihito's wonderful home or the party. I just needed to be alone to think.

I thought long and hard since then and still I couldn't bring myself to ask Tamaki anything. He was so tender with me since then. Almost as if we shared a moment, something profound but I dared not ask. I just couldn't ask.

I just couldn't do this to Hikaru again.

Tears were slipping down my cheek when I saw the lines that indicated something I dreaded since I left that morning over three weeks ago.

Positive.

I let my head drop with my hands holding pressed firmly to the sides. I cried.

Honey

One this is for sure. Haru-chan works too hard. She wants to make her life productive and be as self sufficient as she can. I admire her not just because she is so cute or sweet but because of the qualities that make her stand out from the other girls.

The first time I met her, I didn't think we could use another girl. We had so many and I was falling in love with Reiko. There was no way I could bring myself to sleep with another of the Circles girls. I had found the one I wanted even if it surprised everyone around us.

Takashi too found it strange. I could tell.

Being as short as I am and having the face that could still pass for early twenties, very few people took me seriously.

Reiko did. She had seen the dark side of me and she went on for ages on how I stole her soul. She couldn't think about anyone else for months even when she was with Neko-chan. Her passion with me was uncontrolled like we two were something that was unique.

We probably were. Here I was this short statured blond man with a youthful face and her a gorgeous gothic lolita with a body that really drew the eye.

She and I were a match.

When Haru-chan came into the picture, I was shocked. She and I had so much in common.

She was being trained by the Moe-moe girls and I expected her to be very seductive almost boarding on the provocative. Instead, she was girl next door.

Her jeans and sweater were lovely, her hair simple and she didn't wear makeup. The best part of all was her uncertainty of whether or not we should go beyond the sweets. I felt the need to get to know her. It was also nice to dance with a girl who was not turned off by the fact we matched each other in hight perfectly. So many girls preferred taller men like my cousin.

Haru-chan accepted me as I was and I was smitten.

For the first time ever I was confused by my choice. Reiko wasn't fazed. She knew what was going to happen and she didn't seem bothered by my attention to Haru. In fact she seemed to find her just as attractive as the rest of us.

I doubted they had an intimate moment. Rei-chan would have told me so by now.

Especially now that we are to be married. I love Reiko. I really do. She may be dark and creepy to others but she reminds me of a beautiful doll. She is sweet and has a sort of shy innocence when we are together. We find more than just a physical relationship between us. So much more.

I went to bed last night with her beside me. She slept peacefully and barely moved. Occasionally, a chant would escape her lips in the middle of the night but other than that, she was out. I smiled at her, guiding my hands through her long black hair.

Her skin is so pale that the contrast between the two is drastic. Not to mention it is like porcelain without a single blemish or scar. She took in a deep breath when I let my hands trail down her body, between her breasts then back up to her face.

Her lips curled into a smirk but faded out soon after. I couldn't stop a giggle from coming out.

A few moments more I let my eyes take in her beauty before I had to get up.

The morning ritual I had was rigorous. Rightly so, since I needed to keep up my skills. I kissed her Rei-chans forehead and left our room. Making my way to my private dojo for the exercise and drills, I had time to reflect on how my life will be once our marriage is sealed.

She tells me that she wants us to remain open so that she may continue to be of service to Neko-chan. I would be jealous but I can't. I've shared her with the others for so long that it hardly seems like an issue. She encourages me to continue seeing Haru but warns me not to fall in love. At least no further than the love I already have for her.

Intimate and physical relationships did not bother her since she was raised as a courtesan by her own mother. Her parents never made a marriage match for her and it was just luck the Neko-chan had known about her. He was responsible for her entrance into the Circle.

Bringing her in was just as complicated as it was with Haru-chan. Maybe more so since she didn't have Kyo-chan's influence to take up with Moe-moe. For the best, I suppose.

Regardless of how we ended up together, Rei-chan made me promise not to fall in love or I will have cursed her to a broken heart.

After my routine, I showered and made my way to the dining hall. Rei-chan was awake by now and had joined me at the breakfast table. Her black night gown clung which to her curves was hidden beneath a dressing robe. Her hair free and falling over her shoulders.

We sat across from each other over the table. Enjoying the silence between us and the sweet breakfast that had been prepared. She had her toast, eggs and black coffee and I had my chocolate chip pancakes, whipped cream and sweet cafe au lait.

The two of us looked like complete opposites but we were happy like this. That is until I saw the paper that was slapped on our table by my younger brother Chika.

"What's wrong Chika-chan?" I asked. He was in a foul mood when he stormed into the dining room. For once it was not directed at me. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose in a very Kyo-chan way.

"Mitsukuni. You have a serious problem." He glanced at Reiko and lowered his gaze.

I took the paper in my hands and glowered. The inner darkness that I concealed from everyone began to seep forward.

'Haninozuka's Future Bride; Cursed' said the headline and below were photos of Reiko not only with me on a normal out on the town date but photos of her in revealing negligee straddling none other than Neko-chan. They both were surrounded by the elements of one of their spells but from the looks of it... they made it out that Rei-chan was performing some sort of black magic.

I couldn't even process the fact that this article...

"It's telling the whole world that Ms. Kanazuki performed black magic to entice you marry her." Chika growled. His hands were balled up in rage.

That was nothing compared to what I was feeling.

My eyes snapped up and locked with Reiko. We both stared long and hard. It may have been the first time we both had that same thought. Someone is going down.

Haruhi

I chocked down my shock when I saw the latest article. This was terrible. So horrible.

There was no way I could manage my own trauma when I saw the photos printed with the slander against Reiko and Honey.

First off, she was labeled a whore, just like the rest of us. She was being accused of performing black magic to get his proposal and that her ultimate goal was his fortune. They claimed that she not only had sex with Nekozawa but they planned to assassinate the Haninozuka family.

The lies were piling up on themselves. Each worse after worse. My stomach turned, turned so much that I...

Yeah, morning sickness. Fantastic.

I was upset over the mess I left on my kitchen floor, since I narrowly missed the trashcan. I was more so upset that the reputations of my friends were being turned to mulch.. much like..

Never mind, it's disgusting to even say.

I had to clean up my mess. That was first on the agenda.

Second was answering my cell. The phone rang again for the third time, I would have answered sooner but it was in the living room. It was also Hikaru's ring tone.

I am not looking forward to telling him. I am terrified. Something that we both wanted for so long and now of all times, I don't want it. Why couldn't the test have been false?

The phone started again. Groaning I stood up. Tossed the rag in the garbage. I was just not caring at the moment to throw it in the wash.

"What is it, Hikaru?" I snapped. Not caring how it sounded right now.

"Did you see this shit?" He snapped right back at me. Oh yeah, foul tempered.

"Yeah."

"I swear Haru, I'm going to beat the shit out of someone if they keep this up." He paused but based on the sound I could hear him pounding his fist against something. "First you, now this? Everyone is getting ripped to shreds. Are you almost done with this yet? We need to take the down now!"

If I wasn't already in a bad mood, then this would have done it for me.

"What the hell do you expect from me?" I snapped at him.

"I.. fuck, Haru. I don't know. I just... No one is talking to me here. I find out all this crap when the papers do." He sighed. "I swear this year just can't get worse."

Little did he know.

I felt a sigh of my own come forth. He was right. This year was the biggest test we have ever had. I just wanted it to be over. "Look Hika, I have to start adding this to the suit. I will call you later."

"Yeah yeah." He grumbled but grudgingly said his goodbyes.

I hate to admit it. I really do, but it's time to put it through. Shoving my personal anxieties in to the back of my mind, I placed my hand on my flat belly.

"We will figure things out later. Lets take care of our friends." I muttered. Then I walked back into my study and found the folder with all my articles. The post it note was on top with the phone number of the Circles private legal department. I punched in the number using my cell.

It range, twice before the clear voice of the male secretary answered.

"This is Haruhi Fujioka. It's time."

A/N: A turning point in the drama. How do you guys like the story so far? I'm taking it slow and I apologize for that but I keep finding new things in my outline that leave massive holes. Im working them out little by little to bring you a good story. Please review. I really helps with motivation and it helps me to see if I am heading in a good direction. See you around.

BD-Z