Disclaimer * I do not own Ouran High School Club
A/N Okay, I think you're going to get a few surprises in this chapter. First off when you see font like this it means a flash back or basically broken words and or sentences spoken in the past.
"Disappearance? Is that what you call it...Well my father moved me to another part of the city, where I grew up."
Also if you see this" …". It's a two way phone conversation .That I was too lazy to fill in .Actually it was so the actions going on around the phone conversation are clear.
Life Continues
Chapter 10 Clues from the past
Mystery POV another early riser that morning.
Mean time ….
Blurred colors running across my vision with my cheek gently lying on my folded fingers that's propped up on an elbow resting against a door. Staring at the passing scenery in the morning air as my driver makes his way to my only true destination for the day.
Reaching over for my lidded cup of chocolatey, caffeinated goodness with puffs of melted whip cream swirling with the much anticipated dark liquid. Blowing out a long stream of air over the spot my tender lips would soon find themselves. Cautiously lifting the scalding liquid to my face once more before the rich drink touches my tongue while the hot liquid runs down my throat.
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My warmed lips turn down rather quickly into a disgusted face while swiftly placing it back in the cup holder where it will remain until my driver disposes of it. Shaking my head as I spent the prior day hunting around campus looking for a replacement for my preferred location that served the rich drink. This had been my ninth attempt, I had never tasted so many awful cups of coffee in such a short time. After the night before my heart pumps just a little bit faster….. a little hotter today ….I have to admit reuniting with my ghost girl for our little date was well worth the trouble of finding a replacement and because of it I'm clear on my next task.
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The car pulled in front of the tall golden gates with a rather familiar letter perched on the top of the golden gates to my childhood home. With a push of a button from my driver's index finger the gates begin to swing open.
A/N Have you guessed who it is yet?
Stepping into the foyer I place my papers on a large round table that's topped with a delicate arrangement of exotic fresh flowers. Feeling a subtle loss for my home wash over me as I walk further into my old home. The unexpected and at the time forced move has its little drawbacks …..For one, my room.
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Whether I'm lost in the words written by a master author or spinning my own, stringing connected words on paper to write tales that dance in my mind from the shower the night before. My creativity couldn't be halted to make my bed or pick up my clothes from the night before …Not when enticing words called my attention to blank pages, begging to be filled.
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The second problem with moving to the dorms is time ….I had little time before school starts and…..very little time before my brother bumps into our ghost girl by accident. For now, he's been keeping himself locked in his room with his headphones glued to his head in a foul mood. So for the moment there was little chance of the accidental encounter. The only reason he would leave the dorm was for the club meeting which most likely he slept through. The other reason?... I really need to remember to inform him about the pissing off the barista from the other night.
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"Hitachiin-sama, Welcome home. What are you doing here?" One of my personal maid bows her head as she asks.
"Oh, I'm just searching through the past for the day." As I begin the long climb to the storage room where my mother keeps our important keepsakes from our child hood. I finally make it to the room I press down my pointer finger on to the electronic lock 0….6….0…...9 .Shaking my head to the simplicity my mother set the combination to as the door pops open with a click . Walking into the room to flip the switch on the wall. I see mountains of dated boxes and rows and rows of old clothing hung neatly in protective color coded plastic in rollaway closets. With my eyes wide I mutter to myself.
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"This is going to take a while."
mystery POV To be continued ...
Tamaki POV
My elongated legs stretched to leap out to skip as many troublesome steps as I sprinted up the staircase. Whipping around the corner on the top floor I found my target and pounded franticly on the door. Until the door squeaked open and Renge slipped through and closed the door behind her.
With my chest heaving and out of breath after running across campus, I attempt to breathe while speaking in a breathy voice. "Renge, what happened? When you called you just told me something happened to Haruhi and that she needed for me to come over."
Throwing a finger to her lips "Shhh! She doesn't know I called you ….she doesn't want me to say anything to anyone …..But you been coming around a lot these past couple of days. It always puts a smile on her face after your visits…So I thought you could help." She spoke with her usual animated voice but her face showed distress. I smiled inwardly at Renge's words but my face was concerned.
Once catching my breath I straightened to fold my arms across my chest leaning in to the girl to ask in a determined voice. "Renge, out with it what happened?"
She quickly glances back a t her door before leaning in to tell me. "All, I should say is she was attacked."
My mouth dropped and my heart broke. "Who was it? " A feeling I rarely allow begins to bubble up inside of me as I tightly clench my fists broaden my shoulders.
"It wasn't a who it was a …them …it was several of your club's "Princesses". They just tore her sweater and at most they pulled her hair .She's ok physically but emotionally …? " My heart sank along with my head and my fists fell limp. I was the reason she was attacked and there really wasn't anything I could do about it.
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I tried to avoid this by keeping her away from club business until I was ready to make her my only princess, publicly…...but I still needed time to win her heart and I'm afraid that meant at times being seen with the girl on dates which is bound to garner someone's attention. I knew there was a chance the other princesses wouldn't take to kindly to the girl. After all she's friends with all but two of us plus add the fact that she's a commoner… She would most likely be declared public enemy number one in the eyes of the "Princesses."
"I understand…. You should always call me…. May I come in?" I ask Renge in a concerned tone while motioning to the door.
The girl nods while opening the door and leaving it ajar. "I'll leave her to you, I need to go track someone down." Anger flashed in her eyes as the blond roommate stomped off in a huff.
Whoever the blond girl is looking for, they better hope at this moment she doesn't find them. With my hands on the knob I gently push open the door to see my princess sleeping peacefully on the couch in the afternoon light. Turning I quietly close the door before walking closer to my enchanted princess.
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Now having a few things clearer from this morning my eyes scan the room, it had been recently remodeled it wasn't like any of the other rooms…. In my mind her floor plan was identical to one other floor plan that I've visited rather recently. The room is in the other building for students, the male dorms. The room that belonged to my two close friends the "Hitachiins."
Flash back…..
No, she has been kept in the dark, this entire time. Lately, I've been avoiding her about my grandsons' little move …..But I've agreed to meet with her soon, I plan on talking with her then.
End of Flash back
I was right…. all along it was 4 rooms that the Hitachiin family requested to remodel, two for the boys dorm and two for the girls dorm. From the meeting I overheard it's clear the twins and their mother know nothing about this.
Walking further into the sitting area my eyes catch something purple and torn in the trash can. Remembering Renge's words.
Minutes ago …..
They just tore her sweater and at most they pulled her hair .She's ok physically but emotionally ….?
Kneeling down, I extended a hand to lift the torn purple garment to get a closer look. That's when I notice the embroidered Hitachiin logo on the destroyed sweater. Not being completely uninformed on couture fashion I knew the remains of the purple sweater is something a commoner would never consider wearing much less afford on her own. Glancing back at the girl with a confused look I whisper to myself. "Who are you?"
Flash back earlier this morning….
I'm afraid the decision is no longer up to the girl's family, not after the girl's parents signed this contract.
First the remodeled dorm and then the designer clothes could she possible be contracted to one of twins….but if that's true why would my father make it sound like I was in an contract with the girl. No from what I remembered from this it didn't sound like they were talking about those kind of contracts .So what did the twin's grandmother agree to?
Earlier today in my father's office…
"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss it….yet .Tamaki just give me a little more time and you'll be in there just as your grandfather allowed me to attend long ago."
I need to trust my father and continue with the family's plan as he requested. My eyes glanced down further in the paper waste bin when they caught sight of yet another broken item. Looking over the remains of the attack my stomach begins to twist …I caused this and as of today I'm never going to let another person cause those eyes to shed another tear. Clenching my fingers tightly around the torn sweater before throwing it back in the bin over the broken handbag.
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Standing up to straighten myself I walk over to the sleeping girl. Bending down to reach out a hand to gently shake the girl's shoulder. "My Princess, it's time to wake up, I'm here a little early." Speaking sweetly and making sure to speak a little above a whisper to not startle the girl.
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The girl begins to stir while she stretches her arms over her head and her beautiful eyes begin to blink open with a small smile. "Sempi?" My eyes gaze down at her beautiful face as I can tell she's upset from the emotions she is hiding from me in her eyes.
"Ah yeah, Renge let me in, I'm a little early." At the moment I was inwardly cursing myself for not picking up the flowers I had planned.
"Early?" Sitting up with a sleepy, confused look on her face.
"Princess, you promised we could hang out tonight. You didn't forget did you?" I had been looking forward to this day since yesterday and she forgets? My face looked a bit sad when I asked.
"Ah sorry, I'm really not in the mood to do anything at the moment." Pulling her body up in the sitting position with fallen shoulders she answers in a glum tone.
After hearing her words I straighten up and speak with determination while shaking my head adamantly. "Oh, no you don't, it's the last time, until next year." Reaching out a hand I grab hers before I pull her to her feet.
"Last time for what?" Irritated with my persistence she yanks her hand away to rest them on her hips.
Smiling wide and giving her a slight wink. "You'll see, grab a sweater it's a little chilly today. "My smile faltered as I flinched when I so carelessly spoke the word. She paused for moment before doing as I asked begrudgingly and walk to the back of the dorm to return with a dark navy sweater.
"All right Princess, let's go." Offering her my elbow while nodding my head to the door.
20 minutes later.
Letting out a long annoyed breath she pulls away from my offered arm. "Tamaki –Sempi where are we going."
"Why here, of course my Princess." Giving her my most dazzling smile I throw my hands up in the air and tilt my head up. At that very moment a small breeze winds through the thin branches causing pink petals to flutter from over our heads. My Princess lifts her head to notice the snow like petals gracefully fall all around us.
With pink petals freely falling all around us I begin to explain with a little happy chuckle. "I found this strip of road my first year in Japan, I visit around this time, every year. It reminds me a little of France."
With my hand a little timid I slowly grab the girls hand to gently place it around my arm. "Shall we?"
The girl takes a moment to glimpse down the extensive petal covered sidewalk before nodding her head. With my invitation accepted I reach a hand to gently pat her hand that is comfortably wrapped around my arm. We begin to walk in silence through the pink petals as they flutter to the ground. Echoed voices begin to fill my head like puzzle pieces lying on a table ready to be clicked in to place.
Flashback …..This morning
…..In the end… it's what her mother wanted." Spoke in a depressed voice.
….only close friend of the late mother…
…..but you also know my late sister's wishes, so I'm afraid that involves me.
End of Flash back
With the words clearly playing back in my head the pieces began to fit …Her mother died. With a sharp pain in my chest, I gazed down at my Princess with sad eyes before clearing my throat to get her attention "Haruhi?" Softly breaking the silence to our resonating footsteps.
"Yes, Tamaki-sempi?" She looks me straight in the eyes with a concerned expression on her face.
Stopping in front of her I reach for her hands and cup them in mine. "I would like us to be close and in order to do that, I need to be honest with you."
Looking up with a slight blush her in cheeks from the chilled weather. "Sempi?"
"I haven't ever told anyone this, well that's not true I've told one other person …..In fact I've been ordered not to say anything. As you know, I use to live in France until I was fourteen, that's a little before we first met. What you don't know is my mother is sick and my grandmother found out about it." With memory of that fateful day flooding my thoughts I began to break ….but I was determined to get through this, so with a deep breath I continued.
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"She came to France and offered my mother financial security to my ailing mother but only if I lived in Japan ….My mother refused .I later went to my grandmother and agreed to go." With the words my heart tightened in my chest .
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"Tamaki – Sempi you chose what's best for mother. I'm sure you'll see her soon, you graduate next spring. " She dropped her hands from mine and threw them around my waist to give me a supportive hug.
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Begrudgingly I pull back a bit from the warm and enticing feeling to extend a hand to her chin to gently lift her beautiful sad face to my view. I looked at her with sad violet eyes and shook my head." You see, the only way my grandmother agreed was if I promised to never see my mother again."
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Her warm chocolate eyes grew with a sad astonishment. "What!? That's awful, I'm so sorry." Her arms wrapped around me tighter as she buried her face against my chest. I could feel her shoulders shake a bit causing me to pull her tighter into my chest to rest my cheek gently on the top of her silky head. Watching the last of the season's cherry blossoms flutter over us with the girl in my arms I release a breath that felt like it came from the direction of my healing heart.
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Reaching up and wiping my own eyes I slowly move away from her to gaze in to her tear stained eyes. Giving her a sad sweet smile while touching her soft pouty lips. "Shhh, Hey I didn't tell you because it's sad and it might earn me a sympathy hug ….Although I have to admit the hug was nice. I wanted to tell you because I want to grow closer to you and for that I need to be honest with you. Haruhi do you understand what I'm asking for?" My violet eyes peer down to her with emotion burning deep in my eyes.
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She stared up at me with her chocolate eyes wide as she thought for a moment before slowly nodding her head with her eyes glued to mine.
Lifting my hand to brush away a few strands from her face with our eyes locked into place I spoke softly. "In time…. I want you to know that you can come to me for anything you need to talk about. Just as I'm hoping in time ….I will be able to do the same." Our eyes never left each other as dozens of light pink petals sprinkled down.
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It would be so easy to kiss her at this moment, it's perfect…..it truly is a perfect romantic moment and all I would have to do is simply lean my neck down just a bit closer to allow our lips to finally meet…But would it be real or would it be a sympathy kiss. It might feel real to her until she rethinks about it tomorrow. I'm not sure we could recover from that….. I'm not sure I could recover from that. I quickly break the shared gaze but don't turn my head to hide my blushed cheeks as I want her to see what emotions she stirring with in me. I extend a hand up to slowly slide my fingers in her hair to tuck in behind her ear as I speak softly. "I think I should feed you, it's my job as a gentleman to feed you dinner." Giving her a small sweet smile.
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"Dinner?" She mindlessly speaks softly.
Speaking softly while smiling down I chuckle and nod my head. "Yeah, I think dinner at this moment is a good idea." Grabbing her hand I firmly tug her down the petal covered sidewalk.
"But Sempi that's not necessary." She calls back from behind me.
"Like you so famously tell me. No buts, now come on…..My Princess."
It only takes a few silent steps for the past's words to strike my mind.
Flash Back …..
"Disappearance? Is that what you call it...Well my father moved me to another part of the city, where I grew up."
…. before that father of hers ripped her away. Shouldn't your so called contract have stopped that, it was rather hard to see my son go through that."
"I may not have a say in this legally but I was a close friend and I'll be damned if her daughter goes through the same thing her mother did, the pain her own family caused her, sickens me."
"It's the family, Sempi….. The mother, father and the child …..I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm a little jealous of the little girl."….." The family …It's just me, now."
"Like it or not, she is a part of our world and It's time she's made aware that fact."
End of Flash back….
My teeth clenched tight as my anger grew with my high and mighty damn world…..It had something do with yet another person roaming this world utterly alone with very little family or worst, very little love .Myself, Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru and now my "Princess." Why the fuck do our so called "family members" do this to us? My heart sank with my thoughts of her roaming around alone…absolutely alone.
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My muscles tightened with the distasteful thought. No, not anymore. It's time she meets my family. To hell with the "Princess", If need be I'll dissolve the damn club to keep them from misbehaving towards "My one and only Princess".
"Hey Haruhi, do you remember me inviting you to the host club?"
Late afternoon …Back at Hitachiin estate
Mystery POV continues…
Stretching out my arms in front of me to extend out a pulled muscle in my shoulders while I walk down to the main floor a little exhausted. My little task had taken hours to go through and it was for nothing. Well, nothing except the interesting little fact that the items being stored in the room start on our 6th birthday. I was just lucky our personal maids pushed me out the door after my extensive search. They explained I would just be in the way and promised they would straighten the room up .So after "requesting" a person come daily to the dorm to straighten things up, I left.
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Glancing down at my watch I noticed I needed to get going. It was rather late and the thought of my brother lying on the couch whining about being brotherless and starving to death wasn't a very pretty picture. I quickened my step to the door when our assignments on the foyer table caught my eye. Quickly snatching them from the table I head for my mother's office. I would give them to a servant but the last time we did they were lost and delivered late. The punishment from being late still sends shivers down my spine… just thinking what that evil woman is capable of. So from then on we would ether email them to her and request a conformation or set them on her desk personally. Whichever the assignment required.
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Pulling my phone out of my pants pocket I decide to call my brother to reassure him I haven't "fallen off the planet to leave him to wither and die of starvation." Those were his words not mine, he can be so dramatic at times especially when I'm late.
"Hey, it's me. I just wanted to let you know I'm on my way." Hastily walking into the double doors to my mother's office with our assignment held gently into my fingers.
"….."
"No, of course I haven't. I don't think aliens fly their ships until its dark, Otherwise it wouldn't be a mystery." Chuckling to my brother's overreaction to my overdue arrival. I neatly place our projects squarely on my mother's desk.
"…"
"No, I was just about to pick up dinner. " Turning away from the desk to head to the door.
"…"
"Well yes, I could have them delivery, but it will take longer." Walking out of the room I enter the foyer.
"…"
"No, I don't think they will deliver an entire cow…..and before you ask, I'm not bring one to the dorm ether. No, I don't think it's possible to die from one missed meal," Walking past the table with the large exotic arrangement.
"….."
"You want what? Ok, let me get something to write this down." Checking my pockets to find nothing I roll my eyes at my brother's insanity and run back to my mother's office.
I begin to open my mother's top drawer to grab a pen. Reaching a hand out where my eyes find a black fountainpen along with a small pad of paper. "Ok, go ahead." With my phone cradled between my cheek and shoulder I begin to elegantly write out my brother's ever growing dinner order. When the ink stops flowing through the tip. Lifting the tip to my face I notice nothing is wrong, figuring it's running out of ink I quickly shake the pen forcing the remainder of the ink to the end of the pen.
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With my last shake the pen slips from my hands and falls from my fingers to slip into the bottom drawer that was left ajar. "Give me a second, I dropped my pen." I quickly kneel down to pull open the drawer to reach in and retrieve the pen. Noticing that it must have slipped in further under the files I reach in further up to my elbow. Feeling the very top of the pen with my fingertips I stretch further but only manage to push it further back in the cabinet.
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Wondering if all this effort should be wasted for a stupid fountainpen I could so easily replace. No, the quicker I retrieve the pen the faster I can feed my brother. With my other hand I slide my mother's files to the side to see the pen sitting right next to a somewhat familiar object. My memories begin to play out like a movie on the one and only time I've seen the object.
Flash back begins….
My heart starts to ache for a moment, for no reason .I shake my head coming back to reality and throw out a hand to catch the girl's arm. "Hey, wait… could I get your phone number?"
"Why, I thought I wasn't the girl you were looking for? …we just met."
"Yeah that's true but….What if, I need someone to give me some painting advice? Come on please? I gaze down with molten eyes.
She laughs at the thought." I would be the last person, to give you advice in that department. Well, ok I'll give you mine, if you give me yours?" We exchanged phones, I noticed with a curve to my lips the orange flower charms dangling from her blue phone, before quickly typing my information into her phone. Once done we returned the phones to each other .I quickly pushed a button on my phone to take her picture .She smiles at me "I need to go, nice to have met you."
"Yeah, nice to have met you, I'll call you." Gazing down at my phone for a second to look at the freshly taken picture.
Flash back a few nights ago ….
My dad picked me up from school one day and brought me back to my childhood home. Before you ask, no I couldn't call, something happened to my cellphone during the move and my father wouldn't replace it. I wanted to call you. I felt awful for standing you up for lunch but it was completely out of my hands."
End of Flash back.
Close to my confused face I roll the blue phone with the flowered charms delicately between my fingers.
"Hey, are you even listening to me? I'm stuck here withering away brotherless and close to being lifeless." My brother whines in my ear rather loudly to break my attention from the object.
"Uh yeah Hika, I'm here, why don't I just order one of everything that way you won't starve to death." Chuckling as my eyes never leave the "lost" phone in my hands.
"Well Kaoru, make it quick. I haven't had an especially nice day today and me sitting here waiting brotherless for your return while starving to nothing doesn't help the matter." My elder brother snapped over the phone.
"What happened?"
"Oh, it's a long story I'll tell you later, just hurry back with the FOOD!"
"Sure, sure I'm on my way." Ending the call I quickly stuff my phone into my pocket and bring the little blue phone up to my eyes. Questioning to myself out loud as I twirl the phone between my fingers. "How could this phone of all things find its way in the bottom of my mother's desk?"
With intrigued eyes I press the power button, it begins to flash to life before instantly dying to black. "It looks like I have yet another stop to make before I feed my brother. " With that I slide the blue phone in my pocket before reaching down to fix my mother's files and close the drawer.
Heading to the car with a my pants' pocket full of possible answers or even ….more questions.
END OF Mystery POV….. KAORU
A/N so where should begin? This chapter took longer to write because I was constantly reviewing previous chapters to get the details right…..But I'm hoping it will be well worth the wait. With the next few chapters things will start to tie together. I hope all the flashbacking and past words made sense.
Haruhi: Well nothing really happened to her, except she was bullied and oh the potential kiss .
Tamaki: Just had several puzzle pieces thrown in his direction by way of the top five elders. Now he gets to start putting the puzzle pieces together. Tamaki now knows Haruhi is a member to the top five families…and every family at the highest level is discussing her fate. At one time his father was in love with Haruhi's mother. Let's not forget the Hitachiin grandmother's legal agreement. We still have no idea what's up her sleeve we just know her daughter and grandsons do not know ….yet.
Honey and Mori will soon make appearance but a few things need to develop before they can.
Not much going on with Kyoya except Tamaki bugs him at 5 in the morning….but his role is about to grow.
Kaoru: I think Kaoru found something that could answer all of the ghost girl questions for the twins well with some help from an unsuspecting person .Here's a hint it's not Hikaru.
Oh just a little fun note we found out Kaoru is a slob and Hikaru for the most part is not I know this a little OC but keep in mind Kaoru mind is more on the creative side when it comes with words . These types a people tend to me more free flowing, free spirited. Hence a little messy.
Whereas Hikaru is good in math and science which tends to be more analytical making him more structured. Both twins are just now figuring this out because they no longer have a maid picking up their things as soon as it's hits the floor. It's just a bit of background fun to make the characters more entertaining.
Hikaru: I feel bad for him actually we now know he's rather shy without his brother and spouts his mouth off when he's cornered. He also recognized the Hitachiin logo on Haruhi's sweater before it was destroyed. So Hikaru knows he caused the bitchy princesses to freak out .what do you think he's going to do about that.
Oh, If Tamaki gets his way and Haruhi meets all the host club members I'm pretty sure all hell will break loose.