Author's Note: So here is an extra long chapter for you, of which I own plot, not characters.
I hope you guys like it! As promised, none of the other hosts come in contact with Haruhi, although there is talk and a wild attempt. I know some of you may be angry with me when you're done reading it, but it's not called The Broken Hearts Club for nothing! And Mori and Haruhi will be happily together before the end, double pinky swear!
Thanks for all my loyal readers, reviewers, followers, and favoriters! Please keep it up, and continue to read, review, and enjoy!
The Broken Hearts Club
Chapter 10
Haruhi had been up since six that morning. She'd showered and taken extra time styling her hair the way the twins had taught her to with her blow dryer and a bizarre looking hairbrush they gave her. It took her a while, but eventually she managed to put on just a touch of the makeup the twins had thrust upon her for Christmas. She thought she looked okay. A bit more feminine, at least, which was what she was going for.
When Mori woke up a little before eight, it was to the sound of many things being thrown against the wall that separated the living room and Haruhi's room. Curious, Mori got up and walked into Haruhi's room, the door of which was cracked open.
He was greeted by the sight of Haruhi standing half in her closet. The back of her head looked different . . . was she wearing hair extensions? And she kept chucking various articles of clothing—hangers and all—out of her closet, across the room, and against the wall. Mori had never seen Haruhi this frantic. She was muttering to herself and completely oblivious to his presence. Mori stared at her, trying to figure out what had sent her into this frenzy.
"Haruhi," Mori said in a low voice. "What's going on?"
Haruhi turned towards Mori, her brown eyes blown up like an anime character.
"You know your parents," Haruhi stated in a completely deadpan voice.
Her statement confused Mori, who looked at Haruhi blankly. When she didn't continue, Mori felt the need to offer a prompt for her.
"Yes, I do. I've lived with them for eighteen years."
"Well," Haruhi drawled out as if she expected him to read her mind. "I'm going in blind here! I don't know what to wear or what they expect of me! I mean, I know your family is very traditional, so what do I wear? A dress? And how am I supposed to act? I know I host, but is that enough? I don't know any of the old-fashioned manners like the other girls at Ouran. Help!"
Mori was baffled. Haruhi was freaking out over meeting his parents. It was not something he could easily fathom. Haruhi was so natural, so easygoing, except where the hosts were concerned. Yet here she was rifling through her Hitachiin original-packed closet, struggling to find some bit of magic that would help her win over his parents.
Like she needed help.
Did she not realize how easy she was to love?
"Haruhi, you don't need to worry. My parents and Mitsukuni's parents only want to meet you. They don't want to judge you. They already like you because Mitsukuni, Satoshi, even Yasuchika, and I have all told them how wonderful we think you are."
Haruhi blushed at his praise. Mori couldn't help it; she looked so adorable with her hair and makeup so naturally done, standing there in an oversized t-shirt and jeans, the blush tinting her pale cheeks a light pink, so he reached out and pulled her into his arms. He breathed in the wonderful strawberry scent of her hair and skin—what shampoo did she use? He rested his chin against her head as she nuzzled her nose against the fabric of his Tokyo University t-shirt that he slept in.
"How about you wear something you feel comfortable in?" Mori suggested. "They won't care what you wear, promise."
Haruhi pulled away from him to say, "Okay." She lifted herself up onto her tiptoes and kissed Mori on the cheek before dismissing him so she could get changed.
Mori showered and pulled on the clothes he had packed for the day—black jeans and a light blue polo t-shirt. He waited at the kitchen table for Haruhi.
She came out without much ta-da, placing herself right in front of Mori and demanding to know what he thought of her appearance. She spun around once so that he could check to make sure everything was properly in place.
In his opinion, she looked ravishing. She was wearing a cream-colored skirt that stopped a few inches above her knees with a red, three-quarter-length sleeved blouse and a blue-grey, sleeveless hoodie unzipped. Haruhi was dressed up for Haruhi, but casual for anyone else, and it suited her. Between the outfit and the extra care she'd taken with her hair and such, she looked absolutely beautiful, and, best of all, she still looked like Haruhi, a feat the twins had yet to manage when they dressed her.
"You look perfect," Mori told her and brushed his lips against hers. He fought a smile when he felt Haruhi lean forward as he pulled away, wanting more. "Are you ready?"
"Are you sure this is okay? Haruhi asked, referring to the situation at hand.
"You don't realize the effect you have on people. You've won over plenty of socialites before, you'll have no problem with my parents. And Mitsukuni's mother is a lot like Mitsukuni."
"Will Honey-sempai and Satoshi be there?"
Mori nodded. "Yasuchika might also be joining us, at least for part of the day, if his mother requests it of him."
Haruhi took a deep breath in, released it, and said, "Okay, then, let's go."
It took a while, but Tamaki, Kyoya, and the twins finally made it to Haruhi's apartment a little after ten in the morning. Kyoya had put a lot of effort into stalling them after sending a text message in warning to Haruhi, who hadn't responded. It had taken all Tamaki had to get the three of them there by ten. The twins hadn't exactly been thrilled by the idea of confronting an angry Haruhi.
"Tono," Hikaru began in a tired voice—it was ten o' clock, but Tamaki had woken them all at six that morning. "What are we doing here? I thought Haruhi made it clear she wanted us to stay away this weekend."
"She did. But she neglected to tell us she'd spending the weekend with," pause for dramatic effect. "Mori-sempai!"
The twins just stared at him, shared a look with one another, and looked back at Tamaki.
"So?" They said in unison. "She probably realized she didn't want to be that alone."
"Yeah, I mean, Mori-sempai is the logical choice," Kaoru added. "She's probably still pissed at you, boss, Kyoya-sempai isn't exactly warm and fuzzy, and while Hikaru and I are her best friends, we don't always do so well at comforting her, especially when it's both of us."
Hikaru decided to put in his two cents. "Haruhi's out best friend, and this weekend is important to her. After Karuizawa . . . if Haruhi wants to spend this weekend with Mori-sempai, then she can."
"HOW CAN YOU TWO BE OKAY WITH THIS?!" Tamaki screamed and flailed at them.
The Hitachiins caught each other's eyes. Kaoru was the first to answer the bouncing blonde. "We're here for Haruhi, but between you, Mori-sempai, and Kyoya-sempai—"
"—not to mention to line of guys who know she's a girl from middle school—"
"—yeah, them too. We figure Haruhi will choose whoever makes her happiest. She's our friend first, though. Maybe you should try it, Tono," Kaoru suggested.
"Try what?" Tamaki asked in confusion.
"Try being her friend," Hikaru explained, an implied 'duh' hanging silently in the air at the end.
"I am her friend!" Tamaki insisted. "Now enough of this, let's just make sure Haruhi's okay. You do want to make sure she's okay, don't you?"
"Of course we want to make sure she's okay!" Hikaru exclaimed.
"Then let's just check!" Tamaki said as he began pounding on the door.
There was no answer. Tamaki kept knocking until a beep sounded from Kyoya's phone. Everyone looked at Kyoya, who flipped open his phone. Hikaru leaned over and read the text message over Kyoya's shoulder. The message was from Haruhi, and it said that she was spending the day at Mori-sempai's house.
Hikaru chanced a glance at Kyoya and his brother while Tamaki looked on curiously. It seemed to be silently agreed between the three that Tamaki should not be made aware of the message's contents.
"What is it? Is it from Haruhi? What does it say?" Tamaki questioned.
"Nothing," the twins chorused simultaneously.
"Haruhi will be out of the house for the day. Best not to waste out time here," Kyoya covered up.
Tamaki's violet eyes shifted back and forth between the three of his friends, sensing that something was up between the three of them.
"Where is she?" he demanded. When he got no answer, he began to glare at them. "What does the message say?" Without warning, Tamaki lunged at Kyoya in a mad grab for the bespectacled boy's cell phone.
Kyoya quickly threw his phone to Hikaru, who tried to hold it out of Tamaki's reach by leaning backwards. Kaoru slipped behind him and grabbed the phone, doubling back to slip it to Kyoya while Tamaki was still trying to grab the no-longer-there cell phone from Hikaru. However, Tamaki saw the flash of metal in Kaoru's hand and quickly reverse-lunged and knocked it out of Kaoru's hand. In a scramble, Tamaki managed to victoriously snatch the cell phone away from the others.
He read the message, then went running towards his limo, leaving the other three behind.
"Well," Kyoya started as he watched the black limo's retreat. "I'm glad we took separate limos. You know," he said as he turned towards the twins. "I'm surprised you two are taking this so well."
The twins smiled mischievously back at Kyoya. "We're not entirely okay with it," they replied honestly.
"It's just one of the many ways we mess with Tono," Kaoru explained.
"Besides," Hikaru added. "We don't want him to know just how much competition he has. He's wary enough of us around Haruhi as it is."
"And we're not stupid enough to think bursting in on Haruhi will win us any points with her," Kaoru finished.
Kyoya smirked at them, his glasses glinting in the sunlight. "Hm, I have work to do, I will see you on Monday. I'll email you later tonight with final plans for Haruhi's late birthday party. Make sure you have a present ready. Honey-sempai is handling the cake and other foods. Any chance you two could get out of class early to decorate the club room?"
"We're on it," they said with identical mock salutes. "Bye, Kyoya-sempai!"
Kyoya inclined his head as he and the twins climbed into their respective limousines.
"You know, I would be fine spending the day not here," Haruhi said. "We could go to the park, or the café by my apartment. You know, something less intimidating."
Mori had been patiently waiting for Haruhi to make up her mind to actually step up onto the front porch of his old-style mansion for the past half hour. She had been nervously deliberating with herself and him, trying to calm herself. Mori had never seen her this nervous, and he wasn't sure why she wanted so desperately to make a good impression on his and Honey's parents. If he had to guess, Haruhi and parents just didn't mix well the day after the anniversary of her mother's death.
Finally, Haruhi just walked forward with a look back at Mori as if to say, 'Are you coming?' So he followed her up the three steps to the porch and slid past her to open the bamboo door. Haruhi stepped inside behind him, following his every move. When she saw that Mori kept his shoes on, she did too.
Mori placed his hand on the small of her back and led her forward through a series of finely decorated hallways to a traditionally set dining room. There was a large Japanese maple wood table in the middle of the room set low to the floor. Its surface was trimmed in gold with ornate carvings etched into the sides. There were eight pillows on each of the long sides of the table with one at each of the table's ends for people to sit on. A large buffet was set against one wall, a china cabinet placed against the other.
Seven of the pillows were already occupied. Mori's parents sat at either end of the table and Honey's parents sat at the right hand side of their Morinozuka counterparts. Yasuchika and Satoshi sat on one side of the table with Honey sitting one space down from them on the other side.
Mori took a seat across from Satoshi and gestured for Haruhi to take the space in between him and Honey, which was directly across from Yasuchika.
"Hello," Mori's mother said in a cheery tone. "I'm Kata Morinozuka. Call me Kata-san."
Haruhi smiled as best she could despite the fact that Mori's mother's cheerfulness was more than a bit alarming and a little forced. "Hello, Kata-san. I'm Haruhi Fujioka. It's nice to meet you in person. I'm sorry it took so long for me to get to meet you. And you, Morinozuka-san," Haruhi added to the man sitting at the head of the table.
He didn't smile at her, but his voice was as kind as his son's. "My name is Hiro. Feel free to call me Hiro-san. From all that Takashi, Mitsukuni, Satoshi, and Yasuchika have told us, you may be considered part of the family."
Haruhi turned when she heard a giggle omit from the woman to the right of Kata.
"I hear Tomoko Hitachiin has already nearly adopted you," the woman laughed, referring to Hikaru and Kaoru's mother.
"She's been great to me," Haruhi answered honestly. "Although she does like to dress me up like a doll a little too much."
The wry tone in her voice got both Honey and his mother to giggle, and even startled a laugh out of Chika.
"Haru-chan!" Honey called to her, drawing her attention to him. "This is my oka-san, Yurika Haninozuka. That's my otou-san, Kanji Haninozuka."
Each Haninozuka parent bowed their head respectfully as their son introduced him.
"It's so wonderful to meet you, Haru-chan!" Yurika exclaimed like she couldn't hold it in any longer. She reminded Haruhi a lot of Honey. "You don't mind if I call you Haru-chan, do you?"
Haruhi smiled at Honey's mother. "It's fine. A lot of the hosts, Honey-sempai included, call me that. I've gotten used to it."
"Well, then," Kata said, clapping her hands together. "Brunch should be ready in a moment. Until then, if you don't mind my asking, what exactly is your relationship with each of the hosts?"
Mori shot his mother a look that quite clearly said he did not appreciate her prying, especially when he saw Haruhi fidget nervously in her seat.
"Oh, don't give me that look," Kata told her son. "We all want to get to know Haruhi, this is a part of that. If you didn't want Yurika and me prying, you shouldn't have brought her over."
Mori's expression darkened as he tried to get his mother to back off. He didn't want Haruhi to feel uncomfortable, and this conversation certainly wasn't helping anything. He started to tell his mother as much when Haruhi stood up rather abruptly.
"I'm sorry," she excused herself, fighting to hide how flustered she was. "I think I should wash up before the dishes come out. If you'll excuse me." She walked very quickly from the room, her shoulders back and her spine straight, but her head was ducked down.
Honey scrambled up off of his seat cushion and rushed after her with a quick, apologetic look back at his family. They heard him calling out to Haruhi. "Wait, Haru-chan! I'll show you where to go."
Mori quickly turned towards his mother once Haruhi and Honey were out of earshot.
"What?" Kata said defensively. "You're not curious?"
"Mom, she was worried about coming here as it was. Be nice to her, please."
"I was!"
"No, Kata," Yurika interrupted. "You weren't. You put the poor girl on the spot. She's had a hard weekend, you know that."
Kata huffed. "So?" she snipped, causing her husband to smile slightly at his wife's huffiness. She had a stubborn streak, just like he'd heard Haruhi did. "It's just a few questions. I want to make sure she's as golden as the boys keep telling me."
Yurika looked at her sister-in-law slyly. "Are you sure you're not just upset about losing your oldest son to such a wonderful girl?"
Satoshi broke out into laughter. "Seriously, Mom? That's what this is about?" He turned towards Mori. "Sorry, bro. Tough luck being the oldest."
Mori reached over the table and shoved at his brother's head playfully.
Kata glared at the table's occupants. "I will behave if you all will. I just want to make sure she's good enough for Takashi."
Mori was glad his dark complexion didn't allow for blushes to be easily visible.
Haruhi was sitting on a couch in what had to be the most extravagant bathroom she had ever been in—it had a couch, for crying out loud. She was sitting on one end of the couch with her head in her hands while Honey sat next to her rubbing soothing circles in her back.
"Haru-chan, it's okay," he said softly. "Kata-chan's not like that normally. I don't know what got into her."
"I do. She hates me."
"No!" Honey insisted. "Kata-chan couldn't hate you. Everyone loves you. And even if she did, Mori would still lo-like you. I've seen him with you; he cares about you so much."
Haruhi smiled weakly up at her sempai. "Thanks, Honey-sempai. But I think coming here was a mistake. I don't know how to act. Maybe if I had been brought up like you guys . . . but I wasn't, and I'm okay with that. Mori was so sure your guys' parents would like me, but I'm not sure they approve of me." She took a deep breath in, then stood up. "I shouldn't have come. I'm going to go. Give my apologies to everyone, I just . . . I can't go back in there."
Honey stood up, startled. "Haru-chan, you're . . . you're running away?" Honey asked in disbelief.
"Honey-sempai, I can't take this. Not with everything else. My mom's gone, and I was . . . I was doing okay with Takashi-sempai. But I can't be judged by someone else's parents, not right now. Maybe some other time," she offered half-heartedly.
Honey sighed. "I'll walk you out and explain what happened to them."
"What was that?" Chika asked as all those seated in the dining room heard the sound of wood scraping against wood.
"It sounds like the front door being opened," Satoshi commented. His eyes widened. "You don't think . . ."
Mori bolted out of his seat and out of the dining room.
"Looks like Haru-semapi decided to leave early rather than face the combined wrath of the Morinozuka and Haninozuka families," Satoshi commented.
Honey was about to lead Haruhi out to a spare car when he caught sight of a very familiar mop of golden blonde hair.
"Wait here for a second, 'kay Haru-chan?" Honey said, leaving Haruhi on the front porch as he moved towards the approaching figure. Thankfully Haruhi hadn't noticed the person yet, and instead chose to occupy herself with the elaborate paintings hanging from the outer walls of the Morinozuka mansion.
"Tama-chan," Honey spoke on the verge of his threatening voice. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see Haruhi! I tried to visit her at her apartment, but she wasn't there, and then I found out she was here from a message on Kyoya's phone. I want to make sure she's okay."
Honey looked at Tamaki suspiciously before deciding it was best not to ask about the Kyoya's phone bit. "She's depressed, Tama-chan," Honey admitted. "This weekend's been hard for her. Takashi has helped her as much as he can, but she's still sad."
"That's why I should be with her! I'm the one she looks to for comfort!"
"Not always, Tama-chan. And I don't think she wants so see anyone right now. She asked me to send her in a car home. I think you need to leave."
"Not until I see Haruhi!" Tamaki cried and began to stride forward to the entrance of the Morinozuka mansion.
Honey thought for all of two seconds about his possible courses of action. In an instant, he made his decision and snuck up on Tamaki from behind. Quick and silent, Honey grabbed his friend's ankle and wrist and pulled them together, forcing Tamaki to hop around for a moment before Honey twisted and slammed Tamaki into the ground.
"Sorry, Tama-chan! I can't let you ruin Haruhi's weekend any more than it already has been. And I think Takashi would be a better match for her!" Honey added. He then dragged Tamaki's rigid form over to a shed and unceremoniously dumped him into it. "I'll come back for you later!" Honey promised.
Mori reached the porch just in time to see Honey loading Haruhi into one of the Morinozuka town cars. He tried to call out to her, but she either didn't hear him or was ignoring him.
Honey walked away from the departing car and towards his faithful cousin.
"I'm sorry, Takashi. But she was so upset . . . I thought it was for the best. She said she just needed to get her mind off of everything on her own. But she wants you to know that she still wants to go to dinner with you, just maybe not till Friday instead of Tuesday. So she has time to recover."
Mori remained silent, which worried Honey.
"You really don't need to worry, Takashi. Haru-chan really likes you. She told me so. It's just not an easy time for her."
Mori nodded before walking with his cousin back into the house, his eyes a little duller and his mouth a little sadder than before.
Haruhi was sitting in the back of a standard town car, which Honey had promised her would take her anywhere she wanted to go. She'd given the driver the address, and the car had just pulled up to her apartment. Haruhi thanked the driver before going up to her door.
Mori had brought his bag home with him earlier that day, but Haruhi found an extra polo shirt of his hanging in the bathroom. Haruhi smiled to herself as she changed out of her clothes and into Mori's shirt and a pair of ratty, old sweatpants. The shirt smelled of whatever cologne or soap Mori used. Haruhi snuggled up on the sofa with her mother's copy of Both Sides of the Law, and she couldn't help but pause in her reading every now and then to sniff the collar of Mori's shirt, breathing in the wonderful smell he left behind.
The day with his parents had been short and terrible. Haruhi ought to have known she wouldn't do well around any sort of paternal figures that weekend, but she'd been so happy with Mori, and he and Honey both wanted her there . . . She would have to make it up to them on Monday at school. Eventually she would have to apologize profusely to their parents as well for her hasty departure. For now, though, she would have some time to herself to sort everything out.
She had enough cake in the fridge to get through her feelings, thanks to Honey-sempai.
Now, what to tell Mori . . .
Author's Note: So . . . what'd you think? Let me know in the reviews, and be on the lookout for a Haruhi and an Ootori update either Monday or Tuesday! Hope you liked it, and like I said: Mori and Haruhi will be together. I just want to make sure I've got enough drama without going overboard for the drama lovers out there. I will include at least two or three happy MorixHaruhi-centric chapters at the end before a closing chapter, although I'm not sure where this ends. Till next time!