Kyouya felt a sharp pain in his hands as the pressure on his fingers increased. He would make her pay 100 times the pain he was suffering
"I bet you can't hold like this for 10 more seconds. 10… 9 …" Benio counted down in amusement. Kyouya's hands started bleeding. His right hand left the ledge "7… 6…" All the weight was on his left one and it went numb second by second "4…3…" How deep that hole could be was the only thought in his mind right now "2…1" Kyouya let go
*Meanwhile in the maze*
Tamaki's hands shook uncontrollably. A throbbing pain in his heart made him freeze in a moment.
"My family" Tamaki whispered then suddenly he sped up as if he knew exactly where he was heading to.
Hani dropped his cake and Mori stood bolt right up at the same time. Without a word, they ran to the garden's exit, forgot all about the cake party. Their extinct told them one of their friends was getting hurt.
The twins was standing before another folk, didn't know which way they should go then Kaoru froze on his spot. "Can you feel that?" He asked his older twin
"Feel what?" Hikaru blinked in confusion. A shudder shot through his spine. Kaoru grabbed Hikaru's wrist and they started running to the left
"How do you know we must turn left?" Hikaru panted while running
"Sixth sense"
Five hosts ran as fast as they could on their way until they caught the sight of the others. Unexpectedly, they all met at the centre of the maze. Then the walls disappeared suddenly. Host club's members found themselves standing in the middle of Lobelia's front yard.
"Are you ok, guys?" Tamaki asked others worried
"We're fine" the twins panted after their long running "But I have feeling that one of us is getting hurt" Kaoru said concerned
"We have that feeling, too" Hani frowned and Mori nodded in agreement. They looked at each other then cried in unison
"HARUHI"
Chizuru, Hinako took Haruhi to a strange empty room, where they told her to wait for them when they went to get the nurse. They left Haruhi there, didn't forget to lock the door. Haruhi sank into the floor with tearful eyes, ignored the ache in her arm. There is nothing in her mind now but the image of Kyouya. She would never forgive herself if something bad happened to him. She lifted her hands and prayed in tear "Please, please help him". Haruhi jumped because of a loud bang on the door before it burst open
"Fujioka-san" A man in black suit emerged at the door way "Please follow me, the others are waiting for you" Haruhi blinked at him surprised
At the moment Kyouya letting go, a strong hand caught his wrist. It wasn't Benio but a familiar man towering above him. Tachibana helped Kyouya stand on his feet. Once getting out the hole, looking around, Kyouya saw Benio lying immobile on the floor. Giving her an angry glance he turned to his personal guard
"Where is Ha-…um…the others?"
"Honda is gathering young master's friends in the maze while Aijima is looking for Haruhi-san at the medical room"
As soon as hearing that, Kyouya ran straight for the medical room, didn't remember his hands still bleeding. His footsteps echoed round the hallway. Kyouya slowed down since he caught the sight of the brown hair girl at the end of the corridor, heading toward him.
Haruhi immediately got out of the medical room when Aijima said he had looked for her as Kyouya's order. She wanted to find him to know that he was safe. The only girl of Host Club stopped as she saw the raven hair standing twenty feet far from her. They remained at their spot, stared at each other, no one made a move. Haruhi bit her lip. Kyouya just smirked and raised his hand to adjust his glasses and that made her notice his bleeding hands. Tear streamed down her cheeks. In her was the mixture of emotions: anger, fear, anxiety, relief… She even didn't know human could have so many feelings at the same time. A voice sang in her head, urged her to walk toward him but her legs didn't listen to it. Kyouya was the first one to move. He took one step closer to the girl then suddenly
"HARUHI" Tamaki cried out loud and rushed to Haruhi, pulled her in a tight hug, following him was the twins, Mori and Hani.
"Are you ok, Haruhi" The twins asked anxious
"Finally we found you and Kyou-chan, too" Hani grinned happily and tugged Usa-chan closer to his chest
"Tamaki-senpai, it hurts" Haruhi groaned then Tamaki loosened his embrace to study her
"Where? Where do you hurt? Did that evil Zuka club hurt you?"
"Idiot, Tono, You're touching Haruhi's wound" The twins snapped and peeled Tamaki's hand off Haruhi's arm. And that they all knew their princess came back to them.
Host club left Lobelia's Academy in the twilight
"What are you doing with that beehive, Hikaru?" Kaoru asked his twin
"Just wait and see" Hikaru answered with a mischievous smirk
The next day, Tamaki, Hani and Mori appeared at class A1; they told Haruhi and the twins what happened to Zuka Club. Tamaki showed them a newspaper whose front page was a big picture of Benio in a frilly dress kissing an unknown guy. That picture totally ruined her image and Zuka Club. They were told that Benio was trying to buy every newspaper published which had her picture. No one but the Shadow King of Host club could have done this. The twins seemed not interested in the newspaper. Their attentions turned to a video on the internet that made them roll on floor. The video was about three members of Zuka Club ran for their lives because of the bees chasing behind them. That was just a simple revenge of the twins on Zuka Club
"They deserve that" Hani stated with a big smile on his face.
"Yeah" The other hosts agreed except for Haruhi. She had sounded absent since the beginning of the talking. Tamaki caught a glimpse of sadness in her eyes
"Are you ok, Haruhi? Is your arm hurt too much?" All the eyes were on her now. Haruhi shook her head slightly
"I'm fine, really" She paused hesitantly then cleared her throat "Um, Where is Kyouya-senpai?"
"Oh right, where is Kyouya-senpai, Tono?" The twins turned to Tamaki
"His fingers were injured and he couldn't use them for a week so he decided to stay at home until they are all healed…" Before Tamaki finished his sentence, the twins interrupted
"That means we have Host club closed for a week?"
"I'm afraid to tell you so" Despite Tamaki's regret, Hikaru and Kaoru went cheerful. They eagerly discussed what they would do in a week without club's activities: design more dresses for Haruhi, make Haruhi model them then design more dresses for Haruhi…
*In the afternoon*
Because the Host club had a week off, after studying at library, Haruhi would go home. That afternoon, it was pouring but luckily there was no lightning or thunder. Tamaki walked back and forth at the entrance lobby waiting for Haruhi. Unfortunately, he came across the twins
"What are you doing here, Tono?"
"Nothing, I just walk around" He scratched his head nervously, didn't want the twins to know his true intention but Hikaru and Kaoru could see through him
"Liars" They sang in unison "You're waiting for Haruhi"
"No…um…yeah, I'm waiting for Haruhi. It's raining and as the president of Host club, I must take her home" Tamaki went red in embarrassment
"You just want to walk under the same umbrella with Haruhi in the rain. How pervert you are" Hikaru snapped with a little jealousy in his voice
"NO. Pervert is a mean word. I forbid you using that dirty word, especially to me, your father" They were about to starting another fight when Haruhi's voice rang behind them
"You haven't gone home yet?"
"Haruhi" Tamaki called her "It's raining. Shall I take you home?"
"It's ok Tamaki, senpai. I have my umbrella here" She showed them her white umbrella. Tamaki found the yellow one in his hand become redundant so he shoved it in Kaoru's hand.
"Kaoru has borrowed my umbrella. Can I go with you to the front gate? My limo is waiting there" He grinned at her while Kaoru cried surprised "What? When did I…" Tamaki put a hand on Kaoru's mouth to stop him then looked at Haruhi expectantly. Once getting Haruhi's approval, Tamaki happily opened the umbrella then they walked toward the gate, left the twins behind. Seconds later, Kaoru glanced at his brother whose eyes were still following the couple.
"At least our plan works" Kaoru said made Hikaru look at him bewildered "The operation Push Tamaki and Haruhi closer"
"Um" Hikaru turned away, hid the sadness on his face
"You haven't been over her, Hikaru?"
"Easier said than done" was Hikaru's answer
Tamaki's dream came true. This wasn't one of his day dreaming. He was sharing the umbrella of love with Haruhi. Thinking about it and his face turned crimson. Haruhi sensed the strange of Tamaki
"Are you ok, Tamaki-senpai? Your face goes red" She asked innocently
"I'm fine. I'm fine" Slowly, Tamaki snaked his arm over Haruhi's shoulder, pulled her closer to him "You must walked by my side like this or you'll be wet" Haruhi didn't express any sign of objection. They kept walking and somehow Haruhi felt warm in Tamaki's arm. They passed by a person who was walking under a black umbrella in the opposite direction of them. Haruhi found that person extremely familiar
"Kyouya-senpai, was his hands injured badly?" Haruhi asked suddenly
"Um, this morning he called me and said he wouldn't go to school this week"
"Why? Even though he can't use his hands, he should go to school and listen to sensei's lecture"
"I don't know. Maybe Kyouya didn't want others to see his injury since his family works in medical sector."
'That's absurd' Haruhi thought and unexpectedly she stopped. Tamaki turned back "Is something wrong?"
"Ah, I forgot something and I have to go back. Just keep my umbrella. You can return it to me tomorrow." Before Tamaki could react, Haruhi ran back to school, left the blonde standing dumbfounded in the rain
Haruhi reached the third music room; her hand was on the door knob. Her heart was beating very fast without her understanding. She just had a feeling that he was here. Carefully Haruhi opened the door to see an empty room. She left out a depressed sigh. "What am I thinking?" Haruhi mumbled. She was going to close the door and leave then a voice made her startle
"Are you looking for something?" Haruhi turned back and see the boy in glasses standing right behind her
"Kyouya-senpai, you scared me"
"I saw you going home with Tamaki" Kyouya pushed the door open wider to get in the room. His bandaged hands were noticeable. Haruhi felt the sting in her heart as seeing them. Kyouya walked toward his desk to look for something
"Is that hurt much?" Haruhi raised her voice made Kyouya stop what he was doing
"No, I'm fine. Just a slight injury. Don't worry and don't blame yourself for something which isn't your fault" He could read her mind because she was thinking it was all her fault that his hands became like that. He continued his searching then it seemed he found what he wanted
"Why don't you go to school?" Haruhi looked at him curious
"I don't want to" He replied bluntly
"Why?" she widened eyes surprised
"Because I don't want to explain why I got these injuries" It was finally clear. His pride was the reason he wanted to stay at home. There was no way he would tell everyone that his fingers got hurt because Benio had stepped on it. He didn't want anyone to see his vulnerable side, Ootori's vulnerable side. Haruhi stayed silence until he spoke up again "Is Tamaki waiting for you?"
"No. I told him to go first. I thought that I could find you here, the person under the black umbrella" Haruhi mumbled timidly
"Do you have something to talk with me that made you run back here?" Kyouya raised an eyebrow, waited for her answer. But Haruhi was speechless. Why did she run back to find him. To ask him why he didn't go to school? No. Just because she wanted to talk with him, just to talk with him even though she didn't have anything to talk about. Why did she have this feeling again? And why did she have so many questions "why?"? Feeling the confusion of Haruhi, Kyouya changed the subject "I suppose we should go home now" Haruhi threw all of her questions to the back of her mind then together they left. Until they were at the lobby, Haruhi recalled she didn't have her umbrella
"Oh I let Tamaki-senpai borrow my umbrella"
"I don't mind sharing" Kyouya opened his, which assured Haruhi his hands weren't hurt badly. They stepped outside. Haruhi tried to keep some space between them but that made raindrops drip down on her shoulder. Kyouya wondered if he should pull her closer to him or not since he saw Tamaki do so. He raised his arm and pulled Haruhi then suddenly her body stiffened. Kyouya immediately dropped his arm "I'm sorry. I just… I mean… you're getting wet" He explained nervously and thought 'Why does she have different reaction to me?' The same question appeared in Haruhi's head. She felt so stupid when she reacted strongly to a simple action of him.
"It's ok. I'm just surprised" She said then moved closer to Kyouya. They kept walking. Though Kyouya's arm wasn't around her shoulder, Haruhi felt warm too. It was the warmness mixed with some awkwardness. A tension grew up between them. The longer they walked, the tenser it became.
"I wouldn't mind giving you a lift?" Kyouya offered when they reached his limo
"It's ok, senpai.. I prefer walking. Can I borrow your umbrella?" Haruhi thought she couldn't bear the tension between them anymore especially when they sat in the limo.
"Ok" The same thought to Kyouya "So… goodbye" He slid in his car then it drove off. Haruhi walked on the way to her home.
Both Kyouya and Haruhi didn't have a thought that someone had been watching them since the moment Kyouya opened his black umbrella. That person dropped the one in his hand. The white one rolled on the wet ground