Author's Note: Thank you to all my readers and reviewers, your support means a lot to me. I want to especially thank Destinies Entwined for catching my glaring money miscalculation and Rei Eien for catching a spelling mistake and for explaining Christmas in Japan to me. I have fixed the errors in the previous chapter but I am keeping the Christmas part. I am kind of enjoying the drama I have caused with it. Therefore, my story is now slightly AU, but not really.
I don't actually know much about Kyoya's mother, she is not mentioned in the Anime. Therefore, for my purposes, she passed away. Sadly I do not own Ouran but I do hope you enjoy this next chapter. Please read and review!
Chapter 11:
Haruhi stirs the hot pot she is making for dinner tonight. While her Dad is working, this is one way to make sure he eats. Plus, this way something is already made when Kyoya comes over. As she adds in the last few ingredients, she thinks over the last few days. Christmas, yesterday, was nice and quiet, as she expected, with just her father and her. It is as she remembers how nice and calm it was that she remembers the end of her Christmas Eve.
FLASHBACK
After watching Tamaki and the twins fight for several minutes, Haruhi cleans up the mess of the wrapping paper and then looks back in the living room. They are still arguing and she doesn't feel like dealing with them anymore. Getting a gift like that upset her for a couple of reasons, not only did it break the rules, it made her uncomfortable knowing how much Tamaki must have spent on it. She hates spending money that doesn't need to be spent and him spending it just really weirds her out. Thinking about this, she feels like she cannot be in there with him right now and goes to her room, locking the door.
It is about 20 minutes later that she hears a knock at her door and Kyoya's voice.
"Haruhi...can I come in please?"
"No, I don't want to talk to anyone."
"It's just me, I promise."
"Fine." Haruhi says and unlocks the door before going back, sitting cross legged on her bed. A minute later the door opens and Kyoya walks in, closing the door behind him.
"Everyone left. Honey-senpai noticed you were gone and after seeing your bedroom light on, suggested we give you some space. Mori called their driver and they left shortly after. It took me a bit more time to convince the others to leave. Tamaki and the twins wanted to talk to you but I finally convinced them to go home when I pointed out you were hiding from them. Are you alright?" Kyoya asks sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I am fine, just upset and weirded out. I am not actually mad at the twins or the others, just Tamaki. He broke the rules and-"
"I know. I am pissed myself."
"Like what in the world would posses him to buy something like that?"
"I don't know Haruhi. What do you want to do?"
"Right now, get some space from him. Would you mind taking the-"
"Sure. Do you want me to go too?"
"No, you don't have to. I am not mad at you. Besides, we can get some time together, alone if you stay. Just promise me you didn't get anything like-"
"No. I know you would not want something like that. For one thing, you don't wear a lot of jewelry, even when you aren't in your uniform and for another, I know you wouldn't want me spending that much on you. That is why I am so upset. He directly disobeyed the rules and your wishes. Plus, if anyone should be buying you stuff like that, it should be me."
"I know. He is just an idiot."
"Yes, but sadly he is our idiot." Kyoya says and Haruhi laughs.
"So very true. Hey...you don't think he actually rigged it so he would get me do you?" Haruhi asks calming down.
"I don't know. He was the one who wrote everyone's names on the pieces of paper and put them in the hat. He could have left your name out and pretended to pull a name out, knowing yours was the only one not picked and therefore his."
"He did go last..ugh! I really hope he didn't rig this, that would just make more angry. Like why would he do this?"
"He does that that convoluted notion that you are a commoner and have nothing so you need nice things..."
"I know but this is just too far."
"I know, let's just let it go. There is nothing more we can do. Next year, we just won't do gifts."
"Alright. He won't like it but he did it to himself." Haruhi says and kisses Kyoya.
END OF FLASHBACK
A knock at the door brings Haruhi out of her thoughts. She puts the lid on the hot pot and goes to open the door, finding Kyoya with a small gift bag in his hand. Haruhi smiles upon seeing him and kisses him chastely before letting him in.
"How was your Christmas Kyoya?" Haruhi asks as they walk to the living room and sit down.
"It was agreable. Family dinner was an interesting affair. Yours?"
"Nice and quiet, as expected, my father got me frilly dresses." Haruhi says with a laugh and Kyoya smiles.
"I don't mind wearing girl clothes or dresses even, I just hate when they are frilly, pouffy or covered in lace." She adds and Kyoya nods.
"You wouldn't be you if you wore something like that."
"Exactly. So, what would you like to do? Talk? Watch a movie? Have some tea?"
"Tea would be lovely but I am good doing whatever you want. I do have something for you." He says setting the small gift bag he had been carrying before on the table in the room.
"I have something for you too. It's just in my room. How about we have some tea and exchange gifts and then we go from there. We have the entire day together."
"True. That sounds like a good plan, besides, as long as I spend it with you, I am happy."
"Alright. I will be right back." Haruhi says and goes to her room to get Kyoya's present, only stopping briefly to put the water on.
When Haruhi comes back, Kyoya siting in front of the shrine to her mother. She smiles a small smile and sets down the small, thin, rectangular shaped gift on the table beside Kyoya's. Kyoya looks up as she sits down beside him and wraps an arm around her.
"You look a lot like her you know."
"Yeah, Dad keeps telling me that. He also says I get my independent streak from her. It drives him crazy at times but it reminds him that a part of her is still here."
"You were really young when she passed away, do you remember much?"
"A few things, but not many, no. Most of my feelings and thoughts about her come from stories I have been told. I still cannot believe it has been almost ten years."
"Are you going to go visit-"
"I always do. My Dad does too but this year he can't. He has to work and he says it is too hard this year. It just reinforces what he lost and how long ago he lost it now."
"Do you want me to go with you?"
"I cannot ask you to do that Kyoya."
"You aren't asking, I am offering. Besides, I am one of the few people you know who may know exactly how you feel. I have been through the same thing. It is coming up on ten years for me as well." Kyoya says turning his head from looking at the picture of Haruhi's mother, whom he had been looking at this whole time, to look at her.
"It's only a few days away, are you sure? You really don't have to do this, I will be fine by myself..." She says as the kettle starts to whistle.
"I am sure. You don't have to do everything by yourself anymore." He says and kisses her before getting up and taking the kettle off the stove. He then finishes making their tea and brings it in to the table.
By this time, Haruhi has finished praying to her mother and has a small smile on her face when she sits down at the table with Kyoya. He smiles a small smile too and kisses her before taking a sip of his tea.
"So, the anniversary is the 29th-"
"Wednesday, I will pick you up around 10? Does that work?"
"That works but are you sure you want to be up that early?"
"I will be fine Haruhi, I really want to do this with you."
"Alright. Thank you Kyoya."
"You're welcome." Kyoya says and kisses her again.
"So, did you want to open my gift for you? I really think you will like it. It took me forever to find something you didn't have, since you have everything but when I saw this, I immediately thought of you." Haruhi says as she comes back in from putting their dishes from tea away. The rest of the time they had drunk the tea had been quiet but not uncomfortable. Each teen had been using the silence to sort out their own thoughts.
Kyoya nods and reaches for the gift on the table. Upon unwrapping it he sees it is a pen box with the name of a company he does not recognize on it. He raises and eyebrow and lifts the lid. Inside is a jet black, ball point pen with a gold tip and clip. Kyoya takes it out to examine closer and Haruhi lets out a chuckle.
"It won't hurt you. I got it for you because it is supposed to write no matter what direction you hold it in. So if you tried to write something while holding it against a wall, it would still work. It is even supposed to work upside down."
"Oh. Thank you Haruhi. This will actually be quite useful."
"I noticed you were constantly cursing at pens when writing in your notebook. I figured it was because the surface may not be quite right. Hopefully this solves that."
"You noticed that?"
"I may appear to be completely oblivious but I am not that bad. Besides, since getting together, I have kind of watched you more."
"Oh, well, thank you again. I really like it." Kyoya says and hugs her before kissing her on the cheek. Haruhi blushes a bit and turns to her present.
"Admittedly your gift is on the practical side too." Kyoya says as she removes the tissue paper and pulls out a small black box. She lifts the lid and her eyes go wide.
"Before you panic, it was not exceptionally over priced or expensive. I just noticed you did not have one and this one did not seem too masculine or feminine."
"This is true, I always go by the clock tower, I think that is why I am always late." Haruhi says taking out a watch with a linked band. Since the band was not too thick or thin, it could pass as a feminine or masculine watch. Haruhi smiles at this and puts it on.
"I really like it Kyoya, it's very me. Thank you." She says and kisses him, climbing into his lap.
Kyoya smiles down at Haruhi and wraps his arms around her. She smiles up at him and kisses him again. When they come up for air, Kyoya rests his forehead on hers.
"I need to talk to you about something." He says closing his eyes.
"That doesn't sound too good..."
"It's not, I have been trying to figure out a good solution but I cannot."
"Kyoya, what is it?" Haruhi asks leaning a bit to look up at him.
"Last night, before dinner, my father called me into his office. He asked about you-"
"He doesn't suspect us does he?" Haruhi asks worriedly, cutting him off. Kyoya holds back a chuckle and shakes his head.
"No, not that I am aware of. As far as I could tell he wanted to know more about you. My guess is he has become curious about you since the fair and since I am in the same club, he figured we would know each other pretty well."
"I guess he just doesn't realize how well..." Haruhi says with a chuckle. Kyoya smiles a little before continuing his story but does wrap his arms around her tighter.
"Anyway, I answered but didn't give him too much. Always the best idea with my father. He then told me that he wants me to get to know you better and that he wants me to bring you to our New Year's Eve ball as my date." Kyoya says and then falls silent, worried about how Haruhi is going to react.
"Oh. What does he mean by getting to know me better? What do you want to do about the ball?" Haruhi says after being quiet for several minutes. Kyoya answers the simpler question first, knowing the first one was much too complicated.
"Well originally I was going to go alone as it felt wrong bringing anyone else other than you, considering. Now that he asked me to bring you, I do not know. I would love to bring you but I just don't know what we would tell the others as they are sure to be there. As for my father, I do not know. One of his favourite sayings is keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Which he views you as, I am unsure. I also don't know whether he wants me to get to know you better as a friend or as..."
"Oh."
"You were the first person, ever, to stand up to him. No one ever has, other than my mother, and definitely not in the defence of his youngest son. I think he is actually impressed with you. I just don't know where his interests with you lay."
"Alright. I guess we just need to be careful around him is all."
"Yes. I will protect you Haruhi, even if it is from my father. I promise."
"I know Kyoya. Thank you. What about the ball though?"
"I have been thinking about that. I will not force you to go but I do have an idea of how to handle it if you are willing to go..."
"What is your idea? I assume dressing up is required for this?"
"Yes. Do not worry about the dress, we will go shopping and I will buy you one. Please don't argue with me on this, my father will insist on it anyway. The date of an Ootori must look impeccable at an event like this. My idea is simple, we do not tell the others unless they ask. When they do see you, they will be in shock and since it is in public, they cannot make too much of a scene. Their parents will be there along with business associates. They will not be able to have a meltdown like they would if we told them here. Of course they will ask why you are there with me and not one of them but we can tell them the truth, my father told me to bring you as my date."
"No one ever says no to an Ootori."
"Exactly, although, like I said before, you do not have to this if you do not want to Haruhi."
"No, I do not mind, especially since I would be saying no to two Ootori's."
"Are you sure?" Kyoya asks forcing her to look at him.
"Yes, I am sure. How can I turn down ringing in the new year with my boyfriend?"