CHAPTER 28 - Return

The plane arrived. I kissed and hugged my parents goodbye and thanked the village doctor and everyone who had helped us on our stay. An entire pack of children tackled Mori and it took several moments to detach them all.

The next thing I knew, we were in the air. Instead of sleeping, I my mouth was burning with words. I sat crosslegged on the little airplane-couch next to Mori, telling him more about my travels and everything he had missed while he had left for me to catch up with my parents. He listened with a tiny smile and little nods and comments, and after a little while wrapped an arm around me.

The plane landed. As we exited the stairs and Mori helped hoist me down, I heard a pair of symmetrical cackles, a singing wail, and the sweet call of voices I hadn't heard in days. It didn't appear to me how much I missed the sound—let alone, sight—until we turned to see Kaoru, Hikaru, Tamaki, and Hunny respectively (Kyoya, to nobody's surprise, wasn't among the cacklers or wailers).

The twins stared at me—then Mori—then our entwined hands, and their faces broke into the widest, evilest grins I had ever seen grace their appearance.

"Perfect," Kaoru giggled. They closed in on me with open arms. "America returned home with a boy."

"But he's not Ukranian!" said Hikaru, squeezing me in a hug and forcing Mori to break from my grasp. "What a shame."

"Just some tall dark-haired goober," they both chimed. I smacked them.

As Hunny tackled Mori and Tamaki wailed some more with delight, Kyoya stood and smiled, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Welcome back," he said.

That night, I found out the remaining host club had planned something for my return—a concert featuring myself, since I had missed my individual recital date on my trip. I protested, explaining to them that I hadn't played in over a week, and Tamaki ruffled my hair and told me that of course they would give me time to practice again and why would they do anything otherwise and silly girl etc. etc.

At the recital, Tamaki backed me on several pieces on piano, and all of the clients of the host club were invited. It was quite a spectacle in the same school gardens, where the lights glittered off of the wood of my bow and the keys of the piano with a merry radiance. The music was sweet and simple—just how I loved it.

After being greeted and welcomed back by the usual crowd and congratulated on my performance, I found a single blue rose sitting on a little table away from the others. Tied to it was a note written with even handwriting, with the words:

For Ivy. Come meet me.

I beamed, clutching the card in a shaking hand before taking off running in whatever chiffon dress the twins had thrown upon me at the last minute. My heels fell off, I didn't care.

I knew where to run.

The clearing with the blue fountain greeted me with soft burbling, almost silent. The chatter from the concert party dissipated. I breathed in the misty air and the hush rushed into my veins.

Mori stood before me in his black suit, black eyes sparkling.

He outstretched his hand. "Care for a walk?"

THE END

Hi everyone! It's ehnera here. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed this story through its growth and completion. Without you guys, I wouldn't have kept writing, and to be honest, this is one of the first stories I have FINISHED! Yay.

Every review is appreciated, and all the encouragement was heartwarming. I like what I accomplished with both Mori-senpai and Ivy, and I hope you all enjoyed their story as well.

- ehnera