a/n: Don't kill me plz. I can explain. I'm a nursing student and as of right now, I've finished all my pre-requisite classes and can finally take my entrance test for nursing school! But…we're in a lockdown right now so…don't know what'll happen in the future. So, I reread this old fanfic and realized…I still like it a lot so I'll keep writing.
Chapter 11: What Started As…First Impressions
Umehito was an excellent, if not perfect, tutor. He was calm, soothing, easy to understand, and taught well. He was straightforward, didn't undermine her in any way, and she felt comfortable asking him questions about material she didn't understand. Haruhi found herself paying close attention to every word that came out of his mouth with great intensity.
He didn't try to talk in that 'creepy' way he always did when he was acting as the Black Magic club president. His voice was deep and calming, his words clear and concise. She had always thought that Umehito was more of the…flowery and frivolous type based on the way he talked before, but he was the opposite of that in reality. At least when he's teaching. Didn't he say before when training with Renge that his vocabulary was limited without any occult terms? What a load of bull crap.
"Haruhi? If you're having trouble focusing perhaps it's best to take a break."
She blinked in surprise, finally noticing just how tired she actually was. As much as she enjoyed spending this time productively, she had to admit she really needed to take a break. She thought about brewing another cup of tea, but green tea really was all they had at her house.
Umehito was a very polite guy though. He didn't ask for anything and was extremely thankful for what was offered to him. Even when they both decided to take a break, he was still looking over materials for his next lesson with her.
They moved on from literature, delving into Japanese literature, social studies, and even science. Umehito's knowledge on various subjects amazed Haruhi, and he seemed to have a love for learning that she admired greatly.
"How do you know so much senpai?" she asked, placing her arms on the table and resting her head on them.
He didn't turn to look at her as he cracked open an old workbook and looked over its contents.
"Perhaps it was because of all my time left in solitude when I was younger. I had to fill it with something, and studying seemed to be what I preferred most. You think all those books in my personal study were just for show?"
He finally turned to look at her, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a lazy smirk.
His blond hair was different from Tamaki's, Haruhi noticed. His hair was paler, finer even. There wasn't a single curl to be found, it fell straight down and complimented the sharp angles of his face. His bangs were long, and mostly swept to the side with a stubborn strand always managing to fall in between his crystal blue eyes. She watched him try to tuck the strand behind his ear time and time again, but the stubborn piece wouldn't listen.
She chuckled to himself, suddenly imagining what he would look like wearing a headband to push his hair back. He looked at her with an eyebrow quirked in confusion but didn't ask what seemed to be so funny.
They spent a few minutes in silence again, Haruhi just resting her head and Umehito picking up another workbook to look through.
Haruhi couldn't remember the last time she felt so peaceful while having people over. It seemed a little…too peaceful.
"Haruhi, might I borrow your washroom for a moment?"
"Oh, yeah, it's the very last door down the hall."
"Thank you."
He got up, his impressive height catching her off guard from where she was sitting on the floor. When he disappeared down the hall she breathed out a sigh of contentment. If only the day could last a little longer.
Just then the door slammed open.
"I'm home Haruhi! Hey, why is it so dark in here?"
Ranka walked into their home in full makeup and dress, just finishing from a shift at the bar he worked at. He stopped, however, when he saw the men's shoes and coat near their doorway that seemed to mean that there was a foreign invader trespassing into their domain.
"Hey dad, you're home early." Haruhi said as calm as ever, waving to him from their living room table.
The stylishly dressed man breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid of returning home from work to that same scene again with the blond idiot. From the looks of it, it didn't seem like the Host club came for a surprise visit. Yes, judging from the large stacks of books piled on the floor it definitely didn't seem like a visit from that group.
"What's this Haruhi? Do you have a friend over?"
"Yeah, my senpai agreed to tutor me for my upcoming exams and we just took a break right now."
Ranka blinked in surprise. Just like Haruhi, he didn't really think that most of the rich kids of Ouran took their education that seriously. And for Haruhi to ask someone for help…this was a new thing for him. She must have thought very highly of this upperclassmen but he would hold his judgement until he actually met this person.
"Oh, senpai you're back. Dad, this is my friend who agreed to tutor me."
The man turned to his side and was surprised by the tall, handsome man who stood before him. He had a pleasant smile on his face and the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen. His pale blond hair seemed to shine even in the dim light of the room. His dark clothing seemed to highlight his milky white skin and he looked like a dashing prince!
"Good afternoon, I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Umehito Nekozawa, I am an upperclassman of your daughter's at Ouran. She has taken great care of me in the past. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Oh my, such a well-mannered young man."
He meant this with no sense of sarcasm like he did with the Host club members. Ranka was genuinely surprised that such a nice young man happened to befriend his precious daughter. Wait just a moment…
"Haruhi, does this young man…?"
"Oh he knows. Turns out he's known for a while now actually so you don't have to careful around him dad."
"Oh then in that case. Please, do call me Ranka."
He extended a hand out which Umehito graciously shook. Strangely enough, his large hands felt rough and slightly calloused compared to his dainty and princely appearance. Well-mannered and strong, a far cry from the bumbling idiot that was Tamaki Suoh. Hold on a moment, nice, strong, handsome AND intelligent? He felt the overprotectiveness inside him begin to swell.
"I do apologize that I failed to bring a gift for my gracious host. I came as a tutor for today but if you'd allow it, I'll bring some absolutely divine pastries on my next visit. My little sister absolutely adores this particular bakery and I'm sure you would enjoy it as well. Unless of course you prefer other delicacies."
He smiled at him sincerely which caught Ranka off guard. He was…asking him for permission for another visit? That was definitely a far cry from how the Host club acted. And he had a little sister? Seemed to him like this fellow was pretty good at taking care of others too if he paid this much attention to his younger sister.
"Oh my, even without bringing a gift you're welcome here anytime Umehito." He said softly, smiling a little bit while staring at his daughter. "I see you've made a good friend Haruhi."
She blinked at her father in confusion. This was weird behavior coming from him. She smiled at him in amusement and only nodded her head.
"Now don't let me keep you two from studying any longer. Call if you need me Haruhi, and Umehito," He placed a gentle hand on the tall man's shoulder, "do make yourself at home."
He left to go change out of his uniform and left the two of them alone again. Umehito settled himself back down on the couch cushion beside Haruhi once more.
"Um, senpai?"
"What is it Haruhi?"
She looked at him in that straightforward way of hers and he stared right back into her large, round eyes.
"About my dad…you're not at all weirded out by it right?"
He gave her a small, understanding smile.
"As long as your father finds joy in whatever he's doing, no one has the right to judge him for it right?"
He spoke in a way that made it seem like he wasn't just talking about Haruhi's father and the young girl nodded slowly. She didn't ask anything further as they settled back in to start another lesson.
She reached for a notebook which she hadn't really read through before. Thus far they looked at texts and empty workbooks which Haruhi wrote in. This notebook looked old and very much used. This must have been what he wrote in when he was a first year like her. She wondered why he never handed her one of his old notebooks before. She then understood why as soon as she opened it.
His handwriting was…atrocious. It was large and sloppy, a mix of loops and lines, and just overall a little hard to read. To have such an elegant man like him write like…this…
"Senpai," she said, smiling and trying to keep her laughter in a little bit, "for such a fine man of your caliber, your handwriting kind of…"
She let the sentence trail off and Umehito's face flared up in slight embarrassment. He hurriedly tried to take the notebook back but Haruhi was keeping it far away from him.
"Well I'm sooooo sorry my handwriting doesn't seem to meet your standards Haruhi. I'll be happy to take that back if it's so hard to read."
"Nuh uh, no way senpai. You're not getting this back anytime soon. Maybe we should have a lesson on penmanship next eh?"
"Mind you, I've improved my penmanship in the last two years thank you very much! Now give that back!"
"Not a chance~!"
Ranka watched from behind the kitchen screen at the two interacting. Haruhi seemed so lively with this young man's company, and the doting father couldn't help but break out into a small smile. Seeing his precious daughter having fun and acting her age for once made him happy. He knew that she actually did care a lot for her friends in the Host club, but none of them could put such an easygoing smile on her face. In fact, she was more stressed than happy most of the time around them.
So Ranka's first impression of Umehito was that…he was a fine gentleman.
