A/N: I am sorry for posting so late
The appearance of the sun in the sky was scarce in the winter months, but it was still a bright afternoon. The fir-trees planted in the Ouran garden were as green as during the rest of the year. The benches were cleared of snow, but they were cold. She didn't like having lunch inside the school with all of those rich kids. She felt more comfortable eating outside without any noise and snarky comments about her commoner lunchbox.
The afternoon was chilly. Despite, there was no breeze, and Haruhi didn't feel particularly unhappy. The green trees surrounding her made her feel hopeful and excited for the spring. It's not that she hated winter or cold, it was just harder economically speaking during the winter. She didn't have extra money to spare to buy a warmer coat, and her old one had already worn out.
She fixed her scarf around her neck, and cozily situating herself on the bench, reached for her lunchbox. She had managed to buy strawberries with discount and had baked chocolate cookies the day before. That was not exactly the best lunch she had, but it sure was one of her more delicious ones. She was so glad she didn't throw away the cooking materials left from Renge-chan's attempt at baking pastry, as the cookies were delicious. She set aside two to give the auburn haired girl and ate the rest, humming under her nose.
She was about to eat sweet, plump strawberries when she realized someone was watching her. She turned and noticed a boy standing a few meters away. His raven bangs were disheveled. He looked very pale, almost sick. His silver eyes concentrated on her, and he looked like he was about to faint from extreme pain. She looked at him for a second and then recognized him. It was the same guy from the library. He was the kind of boy, Renge-chan would call drop dead gorgeous. Though he looked a little strange if she looked at him closely. There was something unnatural about his rigid posture and pale skin.
She looked away and stared back at her lunchbox. He looked so... hungry. Maybe that was why he was staring at her. She remembered her mother teaching her about sharing with others. She looked at him again. He seemed to be concentrated on something so intensely that he didn't even noticed her glances to his direction. She stood up. Her sudden movement caused a shuffling sound and grabbed his attention. He looked surprised and stepped back as if caught in crime. Haruhi stretched the lunchbox to his direction.
"Would you like to have some?" she asked with a smile.
He blinked surprised. She heard him swallow hard, and then he walked to her cautiously, as if scared she would run away. Haruhi couldn't keep but notice how rigid and stiff his body was. His skin has paled even more as he approached her, of course if it was possible, because he was already ghostly. She bet his name was Yuki. Looked like a lifeless, cold snow. He stopped a step away from her and looked at her with weird curiosity, as if testing something. She smiled again and, taking out a strawberry, handed it to him.
"Here," she said, giving him the blood-red berry, that he took almost mechanically. "No one can resist those red strawberries, I know."
He didn't say anything, just stared at the red bundle in his palm and then back at her.
"Thank you," he finally spoke―his voice was solid and more clean than she would expect because of his sick appearance.
"If you are hungry," she said with a soft smile, "let's share the lunch together. I know how it is like in this school where students are just bunch of rich bastards."
Kyoya's eyes widened at her suggestion. He didn't know how to react. She felt so comfortable with him, as if they were friends. She even wanted to share her food with him, too bad he could never tasted it. The wind slowly blew and brought her sweet scent and he nearly fainted at how delicious her blood smells. He could hear the delicious liquid running in her veins and his body tensed. He needed to run away from her. This kind of thing never happened to him. But before he could apologize and leave, she pulled him to the bench and forced him to sit next to her.
"I don't have much," she said with a laugh, "but these cookies are great."
"Are you a first-year student?" he asked slowly, looking at the food with well clocked disgust.
"Yes," she smiled and bit from the cookie, "and you are?"
"I am Ootori Kyoya," he introduced himself, and it almost felt like a threat, "a second-year student."
"Fujioka Haruhi," she beamed, "it's nice to meet you, Kyoya-san."
"You are the honour student," he suddenly realized, "you must have worked hard to get a scholarship for Ouran."
She didn't say anything, just sighed and looked at the Ouran high school's extravagant building. She did work very hard to be a student at Ouran. She wanted to make the promise she had given to her mother come true. If it meant working all the time and studying day and night, it was a very small price to pay. The bell for the next class rang, and Kyoya Ootori stood up and left as if he was in a great hurry. She looked after the handsome second-year student and sighed. She needed to get to the library before Renge-chan would drag her to the damn host club she wouldn't shut up about.
Renge Houshakoji was an eccentric, auburn-haired, first-year student and was in the same class with her. While she was not a bad person and didn't treat her as some unworthy commoner like some of the kids, her crazy personality was enough to twirl Haruhi's head around. There was a host club in the school, and she had no idea why, but apparently it was very popular, and Renge had a crush on one of the hosts. She wanted to go there to collect what she called intelligence on the subject of her dreams, and there was no better person to go with than Haruhi in the girl's opinion.
She took her lunchbox and wanted to leave when noticed a book on the bench. It wasn't there when she sat down. Must have been left by the handsome, weird Ootori Kyoya. She took the book, looked around and decided to keep it and return to the owner next time she sees him.
"'Feather dust' by Hiroki Hirayama," Haruhi read on the cover of the book.
She snorted and put it into her bag. She wondered what the book was about and was even tempted to open and read a few pages, just because the guy who had left it made her very curious. She walked towards the school, still thinking about the handsome Ootori, who just looked too different to be forgotten so easily, when suddenly someone grabbed her and pulled her into a corner near the bushes. She winced in surprise and nearly punched Renge-chan, who was the one behind her mini-abduction.
"You shouldn't do that," she said, breathing hard, "you gave me a heart attack."
"I just wanted to make sure you won't sneak into the library and refuse to accompany me for our mission," the auburn-haired girl complained.
The word "our" made Haruhi roll her eyes. Renge-chan seemed awfully excited, and she didn't want to upset the poor girl. She sighed and nodded. After all, she was very nice to her, even though, she was a crazy bat. The girl clapped enthusiastically and dragged Haruhi to the infamous Host Club. She couldn't believe these idiots were actually students of a prestigious high school. The blonde guy was the most annoying out of all, and she couldn't wrap her head around the fact that he was the chairman's son. There was a little boy, eating cakes and rubbing his eyes sleepily. She wondered why they dragged the poor elementary school kid to the horrendous club, until she was told by Renge that he was a 3rd year student, and his name was Honey-senpai.
Of course, the two goofs from their class were there too. They were playing some weird game that Haruhi wasn't interested in. She kept staring at the silent guy that Renge was smitten with and didn't know what to do. Renge-chan seemed very happy sitting there in front of the guy. She constantly batted her lashes and smiled at him, and it kind of crept Haruhi out. The entire thing seemed like some weird spectacle in a nightmare.
"There is a strange darkness surrounding you," suddenly a low, whispering voice was heard from her side.
She turned to face the person and nearly screamed, seeing a guy covered all in black. He even had a hood over his head. He was one of those weirdos that proclaimed themselves a host. While the other guys looked pretty attractive, this one was actually scary, maybe an acquired taste or something for extra adventurous ones. She didn't want to be there at all, but what could she do?
"And it will cling to you and consume you," he announced creepily and left.
Even though she knew that it was all an act and nothing more, the guy's words gave her goosebumps all over her skin. She realized if she was going to sit in this madhouse and wait to finish her "mission", she needed to find something really interesting to do. That book was still in her bag, and if she read it, no harm would be done. She would finish it and return to the guy. He wouldn't mind. After all, he forgot his book there in the first place.
The hours passed, and she had finished the book, but Renge didn't finish talking to the guy who only uttered a word at a time to her long, explosive speeches. If the club didn't close, Haruhi was sure Renge would stick there longer. She looked flustered and very happy.
"He is such a sweetie," she said with a sigh to Haruhi after they walked out of the club. "He is going to be my future husband."
Haruhi nodded, deciding that if she made her mind it was most likely going to come true.
"What were you reading?" Renge asked, frowning, "I mean there there so many gorgeous boys all around you, and all you could do is to stick your nose into that book of yours."
"I actually found it on the bench," Haruhi laughed, "the owner left it there, and I took it to return to him."
Renge rolled her eyes, as if disgusted to speak about something as boring and unworthy as books.
"It doesn't even have pictures in it," she complained, "what were you even reading?"
"Surprisingly, it was very good," Haruhi said, ignoring Renge's comment on pictures. She knew that the girl was a shoujo manga enthusiast. "A second-year student left it there. I think I should find him and give it back to him. Do you know Ootori Kyoya."
Renge looked at Haruhi surprised for a moment and then nodded. "I do," she said, "To be honest with, I came here to see him."
Haruhi blinked and brows rose up. She didn't know that. She looked at the girl questioningly, hoping she would explain without her having to ask more question.
"He is handsome, isn't he?" Renge grinned mischievously.
The vacant expression on Haruhi's face didn't change and she was glad for it. There was no need to give Renge-chan anything to pester her about. Even though she agreed that Ootori guy was as handsome as one could be. But if Renge came to Japan for him, why wasn't she running after him like she would normally do. As if reading her mind the auburn haired girl continued, "He is strange though, in a bad way."
"Strange?" Haruhi asked curiously, "how do you mean?"
Renge just shook her head, "He is very quiet and very vacant. It's as if there is nobody behind his beautiful face, as if his body is an empty shell with no soul in it," she sighed, "He is very cold and unfriendly. Doesn't talk to anyone. He is always by himself and..." she lowered her voice, "I don't think he even likes girls. Some people say, he looks at chairman's son creepily from time to time. He is scary. Just thinking about him freaks me out."
The information was too much to take in, and Haruhi wondered what amount of that nonsense was actually true and how much of it was made up and exaggerated. Sure he was strange, but he definitely wasn't scary.
"You are not in love with him, or something, right?" Renge suddenly questioned her.
Haruhi shook her head, "No, of course not! Only you fall in love that easily."
"Alright," Renge smiled, "see you tomorrow, Haru-chan!"
Haruhi nodded and waved at the leaving girl, who was walking to the car waiting for her. "See you tomorrow!" she muttered.
She turned to walk to the bus-stop and return home, when suddenly she spotted Ootori Kyoya's thin beautiful form. She stood there for a moment surprised and ran after him. He seemed to be too distracted to actually hear her voice.
"Ootori-san," she called after him again when he walked towards the trees that was leaving to the parking lot outside. He stopped and looked back at her. She was breathing heavily. She leaned to hug her knees and relax her breathing.
"I am sorry," she said, walking towards him and then she narrowed her eyes, "are you feeling well? You have lost all your color."
"I am fine," he mumbled, looking at her comprehensively and cautiously.
She smiled and, taking her bag off, walked towards him. She stopped and swallowed nervously, "Are you sure you are fine? You don't look so well, and your hands are shaking. Maybe, it's better to go to the infirmary. You might have a fever."
She stretched her hand to touch his forehead to check the temperature, but as her fingers gently brushed against his skin, he quickly stepped back and stared at her terrified.
"I am sorry," she quickly apologized realizing that she shouldn't have touched him without his permission. She just didn't think about it when she saw his lifeless face, dry lips and shaking body.
"I actually―" he suddenly grabbed her shoulders and pushed her towards the tree and smashed her against it.
Kyoya couldn't hear anything. If she screamed, he didn't hear anything as there was a blurry silence in his head. Everything was muted and dulled. He couldn't comprehend anything except her warm blood flooding in her veins, so close, so delicious. His hands pressed her against the tree, scared she will run away, and he wouldn't be able to taste her blood. His body was breaking already. He was getting crazy with the need to drink. His thirst was driving him mad. It was making all the muscles of his body collapse. He opened his mouth, and his sharp fangs, glistered like deathly weapons when he pierced her skin with them. She squirmed in his hold, but he was bigger than her, and his entire body was concentrated on keeping her still and drinking her blood.
When he tasted her blood, his frozen body started to warm up. Her blood was nothing he had ever tasted. It was so smooth and silky against his tongue, so rich and sweet in taste. It made his dried and stretched muscles to come alive. The gulps of blood, he swallowed, made him shudder with pleasure. He didn't even notice when she stopped fighting. Her body was warm and comfortable against his in the secluded area of the school, where nobody would stumble upon them. There was only the light wind, playing with their short hair. And her sweet energy flowing down his throat. But then the realization struck him, and he pulled away from her, disgusted with himself and completely terrified.
His cheeks were rosy from her blood. Its crimson drops were flowing down his lips on his white shirt. Her face was shocked. Her ugly glasses had fallen on the floor, revealing her big, brown beautiful eyes that stared at him in shock. Her neck was bleeding. The two small wounds left from his fangs were red and swollen. She mechanically touched the wound and winced. Kyoya stared at her astounded.
How could he do it? What was he thinking? He was completely out of control, out of his mind. What would happen to this girl? What would she do now? She shook her head in disbelief, looking at him surprised, and then without saying a word, ran away. He stood there scared and slowly licked his lips, tasting her addictive, sweet blood. It made the illness, surrounding his body, go away, and he felt filled with life and strength. She was so delicious. She was pretty...
A/N: I will be honest, I didn't expect to be this late with this chapter, especially when I wrote the first part of it long time ago. But what happened, that happened. Of course, there are some changes in this story to make it happen. Like Kyoya is not part of the host club, while Nekozawa is, and no one thinks that Haruhi is a guy. I hope everyone are forgiving of the changes made and like the story. Tell me what you think of this chapter? 😺