A/N: First off, I know I always say thank you to all of my reviewers and readers, but you guys are truly amazing. I am speechless about the positive response I have received for this story. I actually wasn't sure about it when I started it, it was something I wrote because of a comment that I heard someone make and you are the ones that kept it going. So thank you again. I am blessed by you and ecstatic that you like the story and my writing. Next, the proverbial cat will still not be let out of the bag just yet in this chapter, look for that in the next chapter. Happy reading, review if you have a chance.

Chapter 10 – Concrete Lines

"Haruhi, wait up!" Satoshi yelled as he ran after the girl that had taken off before him. He could see her about twenty feet in front of him, but she was not stopping. He and Chika had not been sure which way she had gone and when they could not find her after a quick sweep, they had decided to split up. Satoshi found her first, "Haruhi, please stop! None of those assholes are with me, stop!" He was gaining ground, but it would be a whole lot easier if she would just stop and let him catch up.

Haruhi had not heard the yelling behind her. She had been too wrapped up in herself, her thoughts, and her tears. That is until she heard someone yell something about no assholes and stop. Those words seemed almost comical to her and even in her daze she had to stop for a minute and look around. Behind her, she spotted Satoshi running towards her. Her eyes got larger and she looked around. She was looking for the others, but she didn't see anyone else.

Satoshi noticed that she looked like a spooked animal and stopped short of her instead of immediately going to her side. Holding his hands up like he was being robbed, he said calmly, "It's only me Haruhi. The hosts stayed behind with mine and Chika's parents. Chika and I have both been looking for you and when we couldn't find you, we split up to cover more ground." About that time, his cell phone rang and he answered it, "Hey yah Chika, she is right here with me. We are at the east parking lot near the orchard." Hanging up the phone, he looked at his friend and his heart broke for her, "That was Chika, he is on his way."

Haruhi wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. She was still crying and couldn't seem to stop the flow of water. Knowing she sounded small, she whispered, "I just want to go home."

Satoshi walked up to her and wrapped her in his arms, pulling her into a loose embrace that she could break if she wanted to, "I know, and as soon as Chika gets here we will get in the car and go. Ok?" He felt her nod against his chest and squeezed her a little tighter wondering how far away his cousin was.

While Chika and Satoshi had been scouring the grounds looking for Haruhi, the rest of the group made its way to the cars to go to the Haninozuka home. Today Hikaru and Tamaki acted shamefully and embarrassed someone that is supposed to be a friend. It is easy to say they acted dishonorably towards Haruhi and Hunny, but it was more than that. It was the bond of the entire host club that was defiled as well as their families.

The ride to the house was quiet. No one was talking to either Tamaki or Hikaru; they just didn't know what to say. They had never seen Haruhi look so hurt, betrayed, or angry. She has put up with a lot in the club and with the people in the club, but today boundaries were crossed that were never meant to be crossed. Even Kyoya, who wanted the two hosts to realize they did not have a chance with Haruhi, believed that they had gone too far. He had not expected Tamaki and Hikaru to do what they did, and for that reason he shouldered some of the blame.

All six men filed their way into the house and followed their elders into an office. Once everyone had taken a seat, Atsuko Haninozuka began, "I believe we need to get some things straight. Two of you need to pull your head out of your asses and realize that the world is not only about you and what you want. The six of you need to realize that unless you change some things, you could lose a very good friend."

"My dear Mrs. Haninozuka, I know that the little spectacle at the dojo was a little over the top, but I assure you that Haruhi was just overwhelmed by my love for her and once she realizes that my feelings are true…" Tamaki began his speech. He honestly believed that he could win any woman over to his side.

"I suggest you shut up young man and listen to my wife. The next time you disrespect her, you will be taught a lesson and trust me when I say that your father will not do anything about it," Yorihisa Haninozuka threatened the blonde second year student.

Tamaki gulped, "Y-y-yes sir."

"Do you even listen to yourself? Do you listen to her? Do any of you listen to her?" Atsuko asked the six men in the room. As close as she knew her son and nephew were to the girl, she knew they were not perfect. Mitsukuni tended to overwhelm people and Takashi was sometimes overly quiet. She also had her facts about the others. Kyoya wasn't the only one that could gather data about people.

"Of course we listen to her!" Hikaru blabbed.

"Oh really, so you heard her say to let go of her, and yet you wanted to argue with her instead of releasing her? You heard her say that she didn't have feelings for you? You have heard her say that she has someone in her life that is important to her and yet you try to steal her away from that person? And up until this point it is a person that you consider a friend of yours," Chieko Morinozuka said from her position on one of the couches seated next to her husband, Akira. She watched as Hikaru blushed and looked down at his lap. "I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you," she glared.

"You would steal a girl away from your own friend when she appears to be happy? You would go as far as kidnapping her to do it?" Atsuko injected.

"We didn't kidnap her," Tamaki flinched trying to defend his actions.

"You mean you didn't succeed in kidnapping her because the attempt was foiled by Yasuchika and Satoshi that morning, and then again by Haruhi and Kyoya that afternoon!" Chieko declared.

Atsuko continued, "She pretends to be a boy to pay off a debt to the club because she wants to handle her own debts. We actually find that trait admirable in her, and yet you Tamaki call her your daughter any time you want to and don't care who else is in your presence. Did you not think that could give away her secret? And then let's discuss this engagement. Did you know that the rumors are flying around the school that she is engaged to Mitsukuni? How can she be engaged to him if she is a boy? Again you didn't think about her, you only thought about yourself and because of that you are jeopardizing her education and her reputation. What is more, you are compromising the reputation of a Haninozuka!"

"And we hear that you three," Yorihisa said glaring at Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki, "said that she was not good enough for a Haninozuka, yet you apparently think she is good enough for a Suoh or a Hitachiin." He turned his gaze to his oldest son and said a little more calmly, "Mitsukuni it is time for this to end."

"Hai father," Hunny agreed.

"So you are saying the engagement is off and that he cannot date Haruhi any longer? So she is free to be with me right?" Tamaki inquired his voice full of hope.

His head was hit from behind by Hikaru, and together with Kaoru they said, "Baka!"

"Tamaki shut up and listen!" Kyoya demanded.

Atsuko looked at the blonde man sitting on couch opposite of her. She could only shake her head at him and wondered what it would take to get through to him, "You don't listen do you? Not even to her. You don't know her. You don't know what her hopes and dreams are. If she tells you no, do you listen to her? Today she told you that she didn't love you and yet here you are saying that she will love you. She doesn't. Her heart doesn't belong to you. Tell me something, would you, Tamaki or Hikaru, have really thrown away your friendship with Mitsukuni to be with her? Would you have destroyed her happiness and ripped her away from him if she was happy with him just so that she could be with you? That is the way it appeared today. You didn't care for her feelings today. You only cared about you. So tell me, what would you have done?"

"I love her and I want to be with her," Tamaki muttered softly.

"Me too," Hikaru whispered.

"Both of you can't be with her. What about Mitsukuni?" Chieko asked.

"She doesn't belong with him," Hikaru defended.

"Oh and she belongs with you? Do you even hear yourself?" Chieko yelled.

"Who are you to say who she does and does not belong with? Doesn't she deserve the right to say what makes her happy and what doesn't? Doesn't she deserve the right to say who she loves and doesn't love? Doesn't she deserve the right to fall in love with who she wants?" Atsuko asked.

"What if she doesn't know what she wants?" Tamaki asked.

"Then that is for her to decide, but she knew what she wanted today! She knew what she wanted yesterday and she knew what she wanted last week. Is she a thing to be told what to do or is she a person?" Akira asked.

"A person of course!" Both Tamaki and Hikaru answered at the same time.

"What if I told you who you could and could not be with? Who you could and could not love? Hikaru you are not allowed to be around your brother any more. You are not allowed to talk to him or have any feelings for him any longer because I know better than you what is right for you," Atsuko argued.

"That is stupid!" Hikaru said.

"PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS HIKARU! THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO HARUHI!" Kaoru roared at his brother before he slapped him across the face.

Hikaru was stunned. Kaoru had never hit him before.

"Both you and Tamaki are doing it to her. Tamaki how did it feel to be told to leave France and your mother behind and come to Japan? How did it feel to be told that you could not talk to her any longer and you were to have no more contact with her?" Kyoya asked trying to be patient with his friend.

"Horrible, I didn't like it and even though I did it, I wouldn't wish that on anyone," Tamaki cried.

"And yet that is what you are doing to the very girl you profess to love," Chieko stated bluntly.

That is when everything hit home for both Hikaru and Tamaki, and the light bulb went off in their heads. Both of their eyes grew big and round with understanding. They weren't treating her with love; they were treating her like an object. They weren't acting like her friends, and she had every right to be mad at them right now.

"You say that you want her heart, but it doesn't belong to you. It doesn't belong to anyone in this room," Atsuko said looking at the two teens.

The adults let the words sink in, and you could literally see when it clicked. Hikaru and Tamaki's heads shot up and they immediately looked to Atsuko and then to Hunny-senpai with the most confused look on their faces. "What does she mean Hunny-senpai?" Tamaki asked.

"Well you see Tama-Chan, Haru-Chan and I decided we needed to teach you three a lesson. We are actually not together and never were," Hunny said. He explained the whole story and when he was done, Tamaki and Hikaru were staring at the rest of the host club like they were aliens.

"You make it sound like we don't have a chance, but if she isn't with Hunny-senpai and was only helping him with Chika's party, then isn't she single?" Hikaru asked warily.

"No brother, she isn't. She has a boyfriend. If you listened to what Mrs. Haninozuka said, she said her heart doesn't belong to anyone in this room. It means her heart belongs to someone outside of the room," Kaoru answered his twin. He didn't want Hikaru to get his hopes up. He knew that even if Haruhi was single, she didn't have feelings for Hikaru and he would not have a chance with her.

"You and Tamaki need to face the facts and move on. She does not return the feelings that you have for her and she probably never will," Kyoya affirmed.

"You try to force your feelings on her and make her accept them. You try to make her love you, but you cannot do that Hika-chan, Tama-chan!" Hunny-senpai said.

"They are right; you cannot force someone to feel something for you that they don't. You also cannot force your feelings onto someone else. You can tell someone how you feel and if they choose to not accept them, you cannot demand that they do. Accept what her feelings are and are not, and then move on," Chieko said.

"Mom, you said at the beginning that if the six of us didn't change we may lose a good friend, what did you mean?" Hunny asked his mother.

"Haruhi originally became a member of the host club because of her debt. She still has her debt, which from my understanding grows and decreases depending on whims. She has grown to love all of you and considers all of you her friends, but wonders sometimes that if it weren't for the debt if you be her friend," his aunt started.

His mother continued, "Mitsukuni you are like a brother to her but are sometimes overwhelming and although are there for her and listen to her, you don't always let her have a say. I do not worry about if you would still be friends if there was not a debt because I know you would since she has become very close to the family."

Hunny nodded and thought about what his mother told him. He knew she was right and he had some things to think about.

"Takashi, you are also like a brother to her. You are quiet and reserved. You listen to her and her problems, but sometimes she needs more. There are times when you go along with the others and although you watch out for her, you don't say no. Take a stand for her sometimes and you may not have to protect her so often. I also do not worry about you being friends in spite of the debt because of how close she has become to the family," Chieko said. She watched her son think about what she had said and knew that he took her words to heart.

"Kyoya, as we were riding in the car to the dojo today, Chieko made the comment that it was a good thing that you knew where the dojo was. Haruhi seemed surprised that you would. She was also taken aback that you knew kendo and karate, and had trained with our families. We told her that she needed to be careful about making the same assumptions that she was trying to teach others to not make. She thought you were all about business because that is what you project to her. You are so worried about taking over your father's businesses, you sometimes forget those around you. You have hardly ever shown another side to yourself, but she believes that you have a softer side and are a good friend. Although she does think that if there were no debt, you would have nothing to do with her because she is just a commoner to you. You do annoy and irritate her with how fast you increase her debt when it is not her fault," Atsuko explained looking at him questioningly. Kyoya's eyes were hidden behind his glasses but she detected that he was a bit surprised by what she had to say to him.

"Hikaru and Kaoru, she was the first person to burst your bubble and be able to tell you apart without any gimmicks or tricks or trying. She just knew. This made her special and precious to you. You didn't want to let her go and you didn't want to share her, but she isn't a toy that you take out and play with when you have a whim. She is a person and needs to be treated as such; maybe that is why it is so hard for you Hikaru. She thinks without the debt, you would still be friends, but she is sick of being treated like less than a person. She wonders if it is because you never really had friends and therefore never really learned how to be a friend, but then she sees how you treat the other hosts and it is so much better than you treat her, making her feel like a poor commoner who does not deserve your respect due to her status in society," Chieko explained.

"Finally Tamaki, you annoy her more than the twins, with your attacks and your rants. You say you are her father and yet get mad with another man gets close to her. You cause her embarrassment on a daily basis and recently the humiliation has escalated. Need we discuss the restaurant and your assumptions about the engagement?" Atsuko stated.

"But he gave her a Tiffany's ring box and she cried and said yes," Tamaki defended himself quietly.

"They were earrings Tama-Chan to say thank you for all of her help with the party planning. She didn't want to take them so I convinced her to and that is when she cried and said yes," Hunny explained.

"Earrings?" Tamaki choked.

"See how many wrong assumptions you made?" Akira asked him.

Chieko gave her husband a raised eyebrow before continuing, "You harass her on a daily basis and my son has to constantly pull her to safety because you are swinging her around or squeezing her so tight she can't breathe. Another example was today when Satoshi had to hit you to let her go. You definitely don't listen to her and don't care about her feelings, needs, or wants. However, somehow she still respects you and loves how you want to help those around you. She respects and admires how you were able to pull the host club together and call it a family, and she does consider you a friend. Although after today, I am not sure about anything. If the debt were not there, she thinks that you might be there for a short while, but not for the long haul and only because of your fascination with commoners. After a while though, she feels that your friendship would dwindle because you are no longer captivated and interested in the commoner way of life."

"Now this is all assuming that she would leave the club after her debt was cleared. She actually likes being in the club and doesn't want to give it up at all. Even if there wasn't a debt, she wants to stay because you were her first real friends at Ouran and the closest friends she has ever had. So Kyoya if that is the reason for your whims, stop it right now. She isn't planning on leaving you. The six of you need to think about what kind of friendship you want with Haruhi Fujioka. Tamaki and Hikaru, you need to concede the fact and be aware that it will never be more than friendship between you and Haruhi. If you cannot accept that, then you need to distance yourself now. We will not have her hurt any further by your actions or anyone else's actions," Atsuko announced.

"We should probably go over there and apologize to her," Tamaki whispered.

"No, you have done enough damage today. You will leave her alone today and actually give her space until she approaches you," Yorihisa said to them. "If I hear of you going to her, you will regret it."

"I agree, give her space," Akira said. Their wives nodded in agreement and nothing further was said on the matter.

The six hosts had thinking to do, some more than others. Five of them left the house and went to their own homes as Hunny went to his own room to be alone and ponder everything that was said today.

"Is she asleep?" Satoshi asked Chika as he came back into the living room after checking on Haruhi once again.

"Yah, I have never seen someone so upset. Not even Mitsukuni has ever been that upset. What those two did was wrong and I want to make them pay for it," Chika said putting his hands into fists.

"Calm down Chika. She is fine. She is here and safe and away from those two morons. We are here and will protect her," Satoshi said trying to calm down his best friend, "Did you call anyone when we got here to let them know we were staying for a while?"

"No, I thought you were going to call. I was taking care of Haruhi," Chika said pointedly.

"Crap. Ok, I will call them now. I wonder what happened after we left."

"I hope Mitsukuni taught them a lesson!"

"Fat chance of that happening with our parents there," Satoshi snorted as he dialed waited for someone to pick up the other end of the phone. "Hey mom! I just wanted to let you know that we got Haruhi back home and calmed her down, but figured it was probably best to stay with her for now. She was pretty upset."

"Can I talk to her?" Chieko asked.

"No, she is lying down. She cried herself to sleep. I think Chika's shirt is completely ruined. Hey don't hit, if I can't hit you, you can't hit me Chika. Sorry mom. So yah, she is sleeping right now."

Chieko shook her head at the boys antics, they never changed, "Ok then when she wakes up, have her call me or your aunt. Do you boys need anything?"

"No I think we are ok. We are going to just order some food and have it delivered."

"Be sure to order enough for her and Ranka-san," Chieko told him.

"We will."

"Ok, you two behave and try not to destroy anything or kill each other while you are over there. Be good and let Haruhi get some sleep. Remember you are over there to help her not cause her more grief."

"Yes mom."

"I love you. Good bye."

"Love you too," Satoshi said before he hit the end button and disconnected the call.

The next call the boys made was for food and when it was delivered, Haruhi woke up and stumbled into the living room. "Did we wake you up?" Chika asked looking up from his place at the table.

Haruhi shook her head no and sat down next to him, "Just woke up. Thanks you two for coming home with me and staying. I know that I wasn't the best company today. You know you didn't have stay."

"It's ok Haruhi. We are here for you. Hey my mom told you to call her or my aunt when you woke up, but you can call after you eat if you want," Satoshi said looking at her with a worried expression.

She nodded to let him know that she heard him, and then looked up to see both Chika and Satoshi staring at her, "I am ok, just emotionally drained today. I will be fine, so don't worry. I will get through this, and hey if you two want, I will let you kick their asses for me. Ok?"

All three occupants in the room laughed and the mood lightened. Yes, she would get through this because she had friends, a wonderful supportive boyfriend, and when she needed it… killer wit.