~Chapter Sixty Four~
Festivals, Friends, and Fireworks
Do You Ever Feel Like A Plastic Bag,
Drifting Through the Wind, Wanting To Start Again?
Do You Ever Feel, Feel So Paper Thin,
Like A House Of Cards, One Blow From Caving In?
You Don't Have To Feel Like A Wasted Space.
You're Original – Cannot Be Replaced…
If Only You Knew What the Future Holds.
After A Hurricane Comes A Rainbow.
Maybe A Reason Why All the Doors Closed,
So You Could Open One That Leads You To the Perfect Road.
Like A Lightning Bolt, Your Heart Will Glow,
And When It's Time, You'll Know…
Baby, You're A Firework.
~Firework, by Katy Perry
Disclaimer: Me No Own; You No Sue.
Smiling warmly down at Sammy, I kissed the top of her head, lips pressed to her soft hair and then her forehead. I let them linger there, burning an invisible mark into her skin, and softly murmured, "We are getting graduating in five months, and getting married in six. Are you scared...?"
"No," Sammy promised, her voice soft but firm in its seriousness. She placed her hands in mine, interlocking her fingers with my own, and stared straight into my gray eyes. "I used to be scared – scared that I would always be alone, that I would not have friends, and then that I would lose you and the others, the Hosts. Now, though…"
"You have me," I quietly said in understanding, the words hitting their mark and burying themselves, like arrows, in the heart.
"I have you," My fiancée agreed with lips curling, face softening, and heart beating in time to my own.
Fingertips touched the wolf pendant hanging from my neck.
Strength, Wisdom, and Courage.
Protection.
Love.
Takashi's P.O.V.
Our Senior Year was over.
Several months before, I had caught the flu from Sammy, but I also quickly overcame my illness and returned to school. Mitsukuni and Sammy had, along with the rest of the Graduating Senior Class, decided how to participate in the Halloween festivities, during which time the Host Club resorted to its usual antics. Mitsukuni and I dressed like a werewolf and Frankenstein, though Mitsukuni insisted in wearing a pumpkin for whatever reason. Tamaki was a ghost. Sammy dressed herself in a cute Officer Jenny and let Balto tag along as a small Poochyena. Kyoya refused to participate, whereas the Twins and Haruhi were involved in the Freshman Fright Night. Life was good.
October was over as soon as it started, and November rushed in without hesitation. Kasanoda Ritsu stumbled into the Host Club, bringing with him tension, confusion, and change. He was very interested in Haruhi, but the tomboyish girl loved Tamaki, who had become increasingly withdrawn because of family reasons. She and Sammy tried to reach out to him, but nothing seemed to get through to the Frenchman. Kyoya was even more distant than usual, and Kiki became frustrated with him, leaving the Host Club anxious because of their bickering. Our Christmas Holidays did not have the good cheer from last year. Spring arrived and, with it, finals. Stress levels reached all time highs for the Senior Class of Ouran High School.
Everybody could feel the change looming tangibly over us…
Mitsukuni, Kotoko, Sammy, and I would be graduating from high school next week. Sammy and I would be married next month, in May, and Mitsukuni and Kotoko had been discussing possible dates for their own wedding. While the remaining Hosts – Tamaki, Kyoya, Haruhi, Hikaru, and Kaoru – would remain at Ouran, all of them would graduate within two years. Several other weddings would also take place at that time, if all went well.
Tamaki and Haruhi. Kyoya and Kiki. Hikaru and Kaoru. Caleb and Umehito.
Our family keeps growing…
Regardless of her lack of interest, Ritsu became good friends with Haruhi and often visited the Host Club. He was my apprentice for quite awhile, and although his original plans sizzled out, Ritsu wanted to continue training in Kendo. The Mobster, like Caleb, eventually branched out and made other friends, becoming interested in someone else. A younger girl, named Iwasaki Keiko, visited the Host Club with her classmate, the friend of the Hosts, Kiki. She was pretty, with long brown hair and big golden irises that glittered behind her pink glasses, and enjoyed messing with other people. It did not surprise anybody that Kiki had become friends with somebody that strange and blunt – or that the masochistic Ritsu would like her.
Around this time, Nekozawa Umehito finally caved and accepted the (persistent and perverted) advances of Caleb Jenkins. The American had finally convinced the boy to give him a chance and dragged him off to many creepy places for their (unorthodox) dates. But Nekozawa liked Caleb. So the American must have been doing something right in taking his boyfriend out to hunt for ghosts in graveyards at midnight.
Not exactly where I would attempt to take Sammy-chan on a good date, I smiled crookedly while guiding the horses forward, hands loosely but expertly attached to the reins, but to each their own…
Incredibly, Sammy and I had been courting for nearly a year, and with each thought, each of the amazing memories, my mind drifted back to Hitachiin Manor, Morinozuka Manor, and Ouran High School. We frequented each of those three places, also taking time to have dates – with friends and by ourselves – at others, like the movies, the aquarium, the park, and the zoo. I'd slowly found myself deeply and irrevocably in love with the incredible young woman.
By the grace of Kami, Sammy returned those feelings…
"I love you so much, Takashi-kun!"
After handing the reins to Hikaru, I scanned the busy crowds for the others. All of the students at Ouran were milling about, giving orders to the workmen and making the final arrangements for their class and club attractions in preparation for the upcoming Ouran Festival. Kyoya was referring to all of his notes, all the while crossing off (and adding to) his list of Things-to-Do. Beside him, Haruhi contributed by making remarks about the laziness of their classmates. I smirked, knowing that both Sammy and Kiki would likely think exactly the same. Kotoko, however, would understand better – Nobles did everything differently, including School Festivals.
Both Tamaki and Mitsukuni continued to bounce around in the carriage, their shared excitement nearly palpable. We slowly passed by Kaoru; the quieter Twin was now informing several of the burlier workmen where to take the heavy pieces of furniture. Surprisingly enough, Hikaru was interested in the horses, and learning how to lead them, and had asked to stay behind with me. And I accepted.
A shoulder bumped against mine. "How am I doing, Mori-senpai?" Hikaru asked, blowing his reddish bangs back out of his line of sight in favor of keeping both of his hands attached to the leather reins. A good decision, I noted with approval.
"Remarkably well," I said after observing the shorter redhead, who had relaxed from his earlier tenseness to better lead the horses that I'd hitched to the carriage. "I do think that you are now good enough to handle them by yourself, Hikaru-kun."
We circled around the entirety of the school and returned to the spot occupied Kyoya, Kaoru, and Hikaru, who had recently been joined by three pretty young women. Given that Sammy was one of the three girls, I quietly asked the older Twin to stop the carriage – the Devilish Type grinned brightly at me and obediently crooned at the pair of Andalusian stallions, commanding them to halt beside the three Hosts. Mitsukuni cutely called out to the laughing and blushing Kotoko, Tamaki spewed his usual dramatics out at the exasperated Haruhi, and I grinned crookedly at Sammy.
Sammy had stepped close enough to the red and black carriage to feed the large brown horses a sugar cube each, her small hands dipping into the pockets of her plaid skirt. One of the horses bumped his head against her arm, and the other whickered gently at her affections, letting the short teenager pet his velvet nose. My fiancée lifted her face from its position beside the big horse, hair falling into her eyes as a gust of wind flitted by. The American swiped it back, smiling sweetly back at me with coral pink lips.
The Host King impatiently waited until Haruhi had followed Kyoya and Kaoru into the carriage and then turned to face the three girls standing beside the horses. He bent down at the waist and offered his hand, palm up. "Shall these gallant young men and I assist the beautiful ladies into the carriage?" Tamaki dramatically inquired, channeling his inner Prince Charming.
At the offer, Sammy, Kiki, and Kotoko exchanged quick glances, and while Kiki merely snorted, Sammy and Kotoko smiled at their younger classmate. "Thanks, Tama-chan, but Ko-chan and I promised to finishing showing Kiki-chan around the campus as you all finish with preparations," Sammy explained for the three of them, hands tucked behind her back and skirt swaying in the wind.
My cousin immediately protested by clutching at the side of the carriage and staring down at the three girls with watery brown eyes. Mitsukuni sniffled, let his lower lip protrude in a pout, and childishly whined, "Will Takashi, Kyo-kun, and I at least see you all later?"
Frowning, Kiki crossed both of her arms, small biceps tense, and grumbled, "If Kyo-kun wants to ask that question, let him ask it, but don't put words in his mouth, Honey-kun." The Canadian turned to Kyoya, but the Shadow King did not even move, eyes still glued to his notebook. So Kiki snorted in disgust and stalked off in a rage. "Whatever…"
Curtsying briefly at the Host Club, Kotoko mumbled her apologies, waved at her fiancé, and then swiftly darted after her steaming friend. Black school shoes clacked against the stones with each hurried step as our younger classmate gathered her pink skirts in her hands and followed behind the Canadian. She caught up, pressing her fingertips to her shoulder, calmly letting Kiki frown, hesitate, and then slump in defeat. The Canadian might be tougher than nails, but even a sporty girl could suffer from heartbreak.
Silver irises flickered to and fro with calculating wariness. I tentatively glanced from the backs of the retreating friends and to the only remaining girl from the trio, suddenly finding it hard to breathe – Sammy looked pissed. Why do I have the feeling that something bad is about to happen…?
A flash of golden lightning zipped behind her face long enough to illuminate her pale skin and her fierce scowl. Anger marks in place, Sammy whirled around, lips pulling down in annoyance, to glare reproachfully at Kyoya. The Shadow King glared back but could not hold it for long and subconsciously averted his dark eyes. We stared between the two of them, surprised to find that the manipulative teenager would let her off without a scolding about her lack of subtlety.
A serious Sammy, however, was never much fun…
Arms crossed, Sammy lifted her left eyebrow and adopted her sassy pose, with mouth pursed and hip cocked to the side. The American tossed all formality out, like Loki tossing Tony Stark out the window, and snapped, "You know, Kiki-chan isn't going to wait around forever for you! You really need to get your shit together. Be a man. If you want to dump her, then tell her! Quit stringing her along!"
"Our relationship is not your concern," Kyoya coldly replied while moving his pen over a new sheet in his notebook. A single finger lifted to adjust his glasses, making them shine eerily in the sunlight. But Sammy only laughed derisively at him.
My fiancée waited until four giggling fangirls passed by, her expression becoming blank, but the moment the girls left, Sammy darkly said, "You have forgotten that Kiki is a very good friend of mine. You're dating her. If you make her mad, sad, happy, whatever – I will know. And I will be there for her because the wellbeing of friends is my concern." Her English captured his attention.
Pen frozen in place, Kyoya stared unseeingly down at his notes, clearly gathering his thoughts – and his wits – about him. He finally cleared his dry throat and quietly pointed out, "Kiki-chan would not leave me…"
"Oh? You really think so? There are other boys at her school that like her for her honesty and her love of sports," Sammy grimly informed him, and Kyoya whipped his head back with wide gray eyes. A stricken expression claimed his face, holding it in a vice grip.
My Koi ignored his impending panic attack to finally answer my cousin. She huffed, lifting her bangs with the breath, and promised, "Yes, Mitsukuni-kun, the others and I will drop by later to visit you at the Third Music Room. We have to change clothes after the tour first, though…"
"Okay," Mitsukuni easily agreed with Sammy. The Ninja bounced down from the carriage to embrace the small blonde girl and curled himself around her shoulders, standing easily at her height now. He whispered something into her ear, making her face soften at his words, and pulled back to wink at her. "Text me a picture of Ko-chan," He chirped. "Ne…?"
After agreeing to his demands, Sammy clutched at the railings, slipped her small fingers in to hold mine for a moment, and then stepped back to skip away. She briefly glanced back to smile, her happiness shining through from her heart, before turning a corner. The Hosts and I left, the older of the Hitachiin Twins directing the horses back to the stables beside the Equestrian Club. I smiled proudly down at Hikaru, pleased that the redheaded boy had found another hobby – besides fashion and pranks – to enjoy. Animals could be good friends, too.
Golden irises gleaming happily, Kaoru shifted in his seat to glance over a shoulder and smile at his big brother. "Wow! You really have a way with horses, Hikaru! Sammy-nee-chan will be happy to have somebody else to ride with now and then –" The Little Devil playfully bumped his arm on mine. "– besides her fiancé, anyway!"
"Ah," I contributed, bumping him back but being careful not to hurt the smaller teenager. He was not weak, but Hikaru and Kaoru had slender builds and far less muscle than Mitsukuni or me. Hurting them – by mistake or on purpose – was the last thing I wanted to do.
Parking the carriage in front of the stables, Hikaru smiled hopefully at him, expression wistful, and mused, "Maybe you can still tag along, too!" He perked back up as another lightbulb lit above his head. "You, Onee-chan, and I can go on a picnic with Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai!"
"Don't forget Kotoko-senpai! If you invite the Host Club, then you need to ask their girls to be there as well," Tamaki laughed from the seat diagonal to Kaoru. A single brow lifted pointedly at the silver BMW leaving the student parking lot, with Kotoko behind the wheel and Sammy and Kiki dancing around in the backseat to the music blaring from the car stereo.
A soft bell started to chime overhead, loud enough to drown out the bass pounding the windows of the BMW, which pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street, heading for Simply Sweets. The Hosts and I all turned back around to face Ouran. The Opening Ceremony had begun…
Hours later, Mitsukuni and I were seated around the first of ten circular tables placed around the Third Music Room. A young classmate and her mother had been seated in the chairs opposite us. Our conversation remained light and turned to memories of the past year, and I politely answered their questions while scanning the enormous room in search of the girls and the circulating Hosts – Tamaki was, per the usual, flirting with the ladies, Hikaru and Kaoru lamented their home life and gushed about their sister, and Kyoya milled about with the businessmen and businesswomen. But Sammy, Kotoko, and Kiki had yet to reappear.
And Haruhi stomped about the salon, pushing her little silver cart of teapots, teacups, and baked goods, and angrily muttered about the stupid rich bastards and pretty little liars and the horny Frenchman that could not keep it in his pants.
My cousin asked that I button his shirt and leaned forward to hide his smirk behind his bangs, his lips next to my ear. He murmured, "Tama-chan is really going to have to grovel to get back into her graces…"
Lips twitching, I agreed with a quick lift of the chin and mumbled, "Ah," but before I could add anything else, Mitsukuni glanced to the side and grinned widely, the expression happy and true. When I lifted both silver eyes and gazed at him in question, Mitsukuni merely laughed, stepped back, and walked off to the buffet while whistling love songs. I frowned after the hyperactive Ninja, halfheartedly bemoaning his antics, before turning around to face the direction that my cousin had been staring just seconds before his unexpected departure.
Many whispers had broken out amongst the young men and their parents, their fathers staring at the posture of the girl with calculating gazes and their mothers eyeing her features, her clothes, and her jewels. A short girl, her form clothed in a white and blue silk dress and her small feet hidden beneath white ballet flats, glided down most of the marble steps and skipped down the last one as more people gawked at her exotic appearance. Several families looked interested enough to possibly ask after her family and her dowry in the future. I bit back a scowl.
As the whispers continued, however, Sammy only glanced around the salon and, seeing Kotoko standing beside a mirror, looking lost, skipped to her. Conversation between the two looked light and cheerful, bringing the Heiresses out of their funks. Nobody appeared to be stupid enough to bother them, either. So I let them be.
The Twins magically appeared beside me, arms curled and linked and poised to flaunt their usual acts of Twincest. Hikaru pointed his chin at the elegant couch in front of the fountain, and Kaoru frowned at the sight of Haruhi, Tamaki, and his father, the Superintendent, talking together. "It looks like Tono is getting quite upset," Hikaru and Kaoru chorused with worry.
Indeed, Tamaki was currently frothing at the mouth and hopping around behind the couch like a rabid bunny rabbit. He fumed at his father, who had insisted that Haruhi call him father, and wailed, "What are you doing to Haruhi-chan?! Keep your paws to yourself, Otou-san!"
Lord Suoh, with his fingers still curled around the smaller hands of Haruhi, snapped his head to the side and glared at his hyperactive son. His father sternly said, "That is Superintendent to you!" A flash of lightning zipped between the two, and the normally relentless Host King cowered behind the couch, face pale. Haruhi stared between the two with big doe eyes.
Glancing from the strange scene – in which father and child continued to breathe hot fire at each other in front of the clueless girl – and to the dance floor, I winced in sympathy. "Well, Kyoya-kun and Kiki-chan do not seem to be fairing very well, either…" I mumbled, and then tensed at the sudden arrival of Lord Ootori.
Slap!
Lord Ootori lifted his shoulders to make himself taller than his youngest child and snarled, "You are a complete disgrace to this family! You, Kyoya, shame me and yet still wonder why I will not choose you as my sole Heir!"
"Apologies, Otou-san," Kyoya said without inflection, dull voice odd to my ears. He ducked his head, letting his hair fall into his eyes, and Kiki, who had been dancing with him moments before, crouched down beside the boy to hand him his glasses. "Thank you."
As Kiki murmured to him, Sammy appeared at her side, having left Kotoko with Mitsukuni. My cousin cupped her hip with his large hand and started to head for them, but Sammy did not want backup. She glanced down at her two friends, face dark and back ramrod straight at the sight of Kyoya with the red handprint across a pale cheek and Kiki with her fists clenched in anger. A wolf in search of retribution for the injury to her pack, Sammy stalked straight for the Lords Suoh and Ootori, tense body and facial expression relaxing, lips pulled into a sweet smile. Immediately, I disappeared and then reappeared in her shadow, covering it with my own.
"My apologies for causing a scene," Lord Ootori murmured to the Superintendent. He had stopped beside the man to apologize but had not expected Sammy or me to follow him. A condescending frown wiped his polite expression clean. "May I help you…?"
"Daddy was a commoner," Sammy started, hands clasped gently in front of her and face tilted to the side, the picture of ladylike innocence, "but you already know that much. I was raised with love…and learned to respect him early on. You show him little affection, but Kyoya-kun, for some reason, respects you." She stared him in the eye. "You are going to lose that respect."
Bristling, Lord Ootori opened his mouth to retort, but the Superintendent raised his voice to be heard above his startled growl. "He is harsh," Lord Suoh admitted, "because Kyoya-kun is talented. However, I expect that Lord Ootori only wants the best for his children, Lady Hitachiin. Or is it Lady Morinozuka?"
My hand reached down to grasp a smaller set of fingers, searching for the engagement ring that glittered between her middle finger and her pinky. "It will be Lady Morinozuka in a month," I informed him before Sammy could reply and get herself into (more) trouble.
Soft footsteps hit the floor, the heels clacking against the marble tiles, and Haruhi stopped beside us, a dazed expression glued to her delicate features. She turned to Sammy, looking lost at sea, and whispered, "My debt is gone. He said…that I'm not part of the Host Club. What do I do now?"
My fiancée clutched her hand with her free one, shocked at those words and the state of her friend, and whispered, "Oh, Haruhi-chan…"
"You must be the Scholarship Student that Kyoya speaks of," Lord Ootori greeted her, and quite rudely, too. He brushed his coat off to remove imaginary lint. Such rudeness, especially to her friends, snapped Haruhi out of it. "I suggest that, like Kyoya, you refrain from participating in other such fruitless activities from now on."
Face blank, Haruhi bowed low, always maintaining eye contact, and declared, "At the Host Club, Kyoya-senpai works hard to keep all of his classmates happy. We feel happy and accomplished at his side. Is making people happy that stupid, that fruitless?" She glared, feeling vindictive, and added, "…Sir?"
Lord Ootori left without another word. The Hosts, however, all gathered to discuss him in the usual burst of hyperactivity, silliness, and protectiveness. I stepped forward, hand still around her waist, and let Sammy lean in to worry over our younger classmate. Kyoya quietly let her examine his cheek and then seated himself with his laptop to observe Tamaki with a young woman. As Sammy and Haruhi joined the conversation, Kotoko hugged the latter close to herself, brushing her hair back, and Kiki warily nodded to the slender Frenchwoman.
The Canadian scowled at the pretty girl, furious at her interested in Tamaki, who had been dating Haruhi for two months, and his polite interest in her. She demanded, "Who is the bitch with the really fucking weird binoculars?"
A voice, familiar though abnormally soft, met our ears. Renge stopped beside the table that the Hosts, the girls, and I were gathered around to discuss the situation. She was very withdrawn. "Éclair Tonnerre is her name. She is the third daughter of the family that is taking control of Ootori Medical. She is…" Renge paused to glance at Haruhi. "…engaged to Tamaki-san."
A weight seemed to have smacked into Haruhi because the younger girl stumbled back to clutch at the rim of the fountain, hands covering her mouth and then falling into her lap. Renge spared her a sympathetic glance before turning back to the crowd, leaving with the large masses as our classmates and their parents headed for the Ouran Parade. Kotoko hesitated; however, Sammy and Kiki did not share her worry about overstepping friendly boundaries. They desperately hugged their friend, whispering reassurances.
"Do not fret too much, Haruhi-chan, because while it is easier for him to leave," Kyoya suddenly said, his back turned to us as a number of thoughts traveled through his brilliant mind, "Tamaki-kun has always been…pigheaded. He will pick the harder of the two paths and return to be with us, with the Host Club."
Gasping, Haruhi whirled around in place to stare at each of us. We were all standing there in a circle – Kyoya and Kiki, Mitsukuni and Kotoko, Hikaru and Kaoru, Sammy and myself – and smiling at her with warmth. Tears brimmed in her brown irises, but Haruhi smiled back, her expression brightening, and turned to Kyoya, awaiting his orders. He closed his cell phone, directed everybody to change costumes, and for once, no one argued with the cosplay.
Tamaki was more important.
"…Tama-chan!"
My cousin exclaimed his shock at the sight of the shiny red sports car. It zoomed by below like a red streak, visible through the square panes of the windows in the Third Music Room. We all wasted little time in taking action then, the Twins and the girls following Kyoya down the stairs at breakneck speeds, running to the student parking lot in search of his family car. Meanwhile, Mitsukuni and I reclaimed the horse carriage and raced through the parking lot, only to find –
"Stand back," I ordered, legs spread and fists in front of my small fiancée, knowing that the girl had always been incredibly headstrong and protective of her friends; Sammy might try to fight. To the left, Hikaru and Kaoru pushed Haruhi behind them, Mitsukuni shielded Kotoko, and Kyoya stepped in front of Kiki. All of the girls reluctantly listened to us.
The Black Onion Squad, though claiming to have orders from both Lord Ootori and Lady Éclair, proved less adamant about keeping us on ice after Kyoya lost his temper and Mitsukuni and I arrived with the horses. Their sudden wariness might have had something to do with the two Andalusian horses nearly crushing two of their members, but I liked to think that it was awe, shock, and fear of the Haninozuka and Morinozuka Clans. We had helped train them…
As Mitsukuni and I dropped into offensive stances, I ordered the Twins to leave via the bypass behind Ouran. It might buy them enough time to overtake the red sports car and cut in front of them, giving the trio the chance to talk Tamaki out of leaving Japan – and also Haruhi – for Lady Éclair of Paris, France. As Hikaru grabbed the reigns and Kaoru pulled Haruhi into the horse carriage, driving it out to the streets, Kyoya and Kiki both crouched protectively in front of Kotoko and Sammy. And Mitsukuni and I dove at the Black Onion Squad.
Sometime later, I cracked the kinks out of my neck, and Mitsukuni clapped his hands to get rid of the dust and dirt covering his palms. "Sheesh," My cousin exclaimed, pointing his finger at the pile of twitching men. "You idiots just don't listen! I said not to bully people in the Host Club, didn't I?"
"Do not underestimate the Host Club," Kyoya added, smirking lazily down at his girlfriend and kissing the top of her head in a rare display of affection. The Canadian sputtered for a moment, red in the face, before reaching her boyfriend, slamming her big hands down atop his shoulders, and yanking him down by his bowtie to kiss him soundly. We all cheered for the crazy couple.
In time, Mitsukuni, Kotoko, Sammy, and I had other things to celebrate. We had all graduated from Ouran High School with honors and been accepted into the most prestigious university in all of Japan to study in our respective fields of interest. Mitsukuni and I would study business, continuing the Clans, Kotoko planned to become a psychologist to help others, and Sammy wanted to pursue a career as a veterinarian.
Yes. Time would continue on. For the moment, however, the Host Club was once again whole. Night had fallen, but the Hosts had risen to defend their friends, their families, and their futures. We had all gathered in the square in front of the clock tower to dance, to celebrate, and to move on. We had all made mistakes, tripped and stumbled, losing ourselves. We had also learned to love, to protect those dear to us, and gained valuable friends while growing up…
Time – and love – had been kind to us.
"May I have this dance?"
My fiancée smiled gently at the request and placed her small hand in my much larger palm, over which I bowed at her. Sammy curled happily into my arms, and I guided her through the dance with one palm to her hip and the other to the small of her back. She rested her head against my chest and hummed in time to the lilting tune of the music, the sound rumbling into my soul. I danced her into the middle of the crowd, observing her face as a warm pair of sky blue irises began moving over our collective friends, lips curling in satisfaction.
Tamaki had returned, claiming Haruhi for his own in front of the entire school, at which point Kyoya announced his own engagement to Kiki. Mitsukuni, not to be outdone, promptly gave everyone a surprise by crowing to the crowd that Kotoko would be his wife in five months. I laughed at the three dancing couples, the sound happy and bright and hopeful, before looking upon my own sweet fiancée. And Sammy smiled mischievously at me.
"You know, I think this situation is kind of like déjà vu," Sammy drawled through parted pink lips, blue eyes warm and dancing in the light of the decorative lamps. Seeing my confused expression, Sammy laughed, leaned forward, and whispered, "Do you want hints?"
"Yes," I whispered back to her, barely conscious enough to sway in time with the music because the small, beautiful girl proved hypnotizing with the love shining in her blue eyes. My face lowered to hers.
"We danced together, and I leaned forward…" Here, Sammy pressed her chest to mine and stared straight at me, eyes shuttered almost completely beneath her glittery white eyelids. "…and then I…" Lips moved to cover my own.
Fireworks erupted in the skies, all the colors of the rainbow, with deep reds and blues and golden whites. Sammy and I pulled apart, staring at the night sky in awe, eyes wide and sparking with each burst of fire. Tamaki and Haruhi stopped beside us, as did the other couples, to stare into the endless night, the stars glittering like diamonds and the fireworks showering Ouran High School in beautiful light. Brilliant fire chased the worries of the future away as one chapter ended, and another began.
***Author's Note***
Hey, hey! :) What do you all think of this chapter? A bit rushed at the end, but I also thought that it should be quicker paced because of the nature of the episodes (25 and 26) that this chapter is based off of. It is still longer than the chapters that I have been posting, too, so... ;)
Anyway, I have finished the chapter and, oddly enough, I love it! It has reminiscing, drama, fighting, and fluff. Who could ask for more?! I also added to it in two separate one-shots, those little pieces that I promised to write for Kyoya and Kiki and Mitsukuni and Kotoko, like, months ago! XD They have to do with Kiki and Kotoko at this Festival, and take place during this chapter.
Question: My question for you, my readers, is should I put these two little stories in this story as our next chapters? Or should I put them up as one-shots? Lemme know! They're already finished. All I have to do is upload them. :)
EDIT: One-Shots Are Up! They're called Beneath the Masks (Kyoya and Kiki) and Sweet and Sour (Mitsukuni and Kotoko).
Wow! We're close to the goal of 1,000! It would be awesome to reach 1,000 reviews by the end of Picking Up the Pieces, so...
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
Update = ~ 915 Reviews
:)