I think I might finish this story very soon if I keep this pace.
The rain had stopped, the pools of melted snow smeared on the ground and plashed down against the flower-patterned tiles. The raindrops sparked in translucent colors as they plummeted against the hard surface of the steps to the school, falling from the sides of multifaceted roofs that looked enormous and impressive in the grey, murky hues of late winter. The air smelled of earth and freshness. It was warmer than a week before, and students had walked out to stare at the puddles of rainwater. If the day were a person, he would be an old melancholic who always forgot where he stored the tea cookies, tea bags and served them only when they were old and stale, smelled of mildew and age.
Students chattered loudly, and everyone seemed to be still intrigued by the morning incident. When the vice-principle announced that photo was fake and was a prank, some of the students decided to approach and apologize to the honor student who suddenly became involuntarily famous in Ouran. Haruhi had to still explain to Renge that she didn't do anything, but Renge-chan, to Haruhi's surprise, seemed upset that she didn't have a secret boyfriend, after all.
"It seemed too good to be true," she knitted her eyebrows and snorted in disapproval. "Such a disappointment!"
The classes went well after that, and people stopped staring at her. Inside, Haruhi felt very content. She was so worried and scared that she didn't even know she could come out of the situation without getting any penalties. Kyoya-senpai was very good at convincing people and coming up with believable excuses. He had said everything to Kazama-sensei in such a tone and manner, that for a moment, Haruhi herself believed, she had merely asked him to take a look at her wounds. But there was something else that made her slightly upset, and she didn't figure out why. The way Kyoya-senpai dismissed the possibility of him kissing her arm kind of made her feel disappointed.
And what was she even thinking?
When the classes were over, she hurried to leave the school. The oval-shaped windows displayed the sullen and dark coloring outside, making her feel empty inside. The mood of the weather suddenly became her own mood, and she frowned, glaring at the sunless scenery. There was some hardness in her chest, something heavy and pressuring that didn't let her breathe freely. Was she sick?
"I was looking for you," she heard Kyoya-senpai's voice and spun to face him.
A soft blush tinted her cheeks when she met his ice-cold, grey eyes. Why did his eyes look at her in that way? Was there something new in his gaze that she didn't observe before? She looked up at him timidly and sighed.
"I am heading home now, senpai," she said with a friendly smile. "Thank you for today. I didn't know what would happen to me if you didn't interfere."
His impassive face slightly lit up, and sides of his eyes widened to show affection and friendliness. The way he shifted closer, though, didn't make Haruhi feel comfortable. But she didn't shy away from his closeness. He was usually reserved and kept a respectful distance from her, so this sudden proximity affected her breathing and heartbeat. His uniform smelled of cool, relaxing detergent or maybe cologne―she could never tell the difference, and her brain found a sudden pleasant interpretation. His smell evoked feelings of completion and happiness in her.
He seemed to realize that his sudden propinquity had startled her, thus he took a short step back and straightened his posture in reassurance that the small allowance won't repeat. "You don't need to thank me, Haruhi," he said sincerely. "I am very upset for what happened, and I assure you, this won't happen again. I will make sure you don't have to face any troubles because you have helped me."
She waved her hands and smiled at him softly. "You speak as if it was your fault, senpai," she said. "I am really thankful. I was so shocked, I didn't even know what to say to Kazama-san. He must have thought that my silence meant I was guilty."
"Please, consider to tell me when you are in any trouble," he said politely. "I would hope our friendship is not one-sided in your eyes. If I can help you with anything, don't hesitate to tell me."
She nodded and smiled. His heart flattered, fawned and joyed to have that pleasant affection on her lips directed at him. "I will," she said.
"I rarely promise anything, but I think I will make an exception and promise you that I won't let anyone to do anything that will result in you losing your scholarship or being expelled from school."
Haruhi stared at him wide-eyed and lost. She understood what those words meant. "Senpai," she whispered in a low tone, blushing furiously.
"I mean it," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you," she mumbled again. "But it's alright, Kyoya-senpai. I will try to solve my problems with the person themselves."
"You know who did that?" Kyoya asked surprised. "Why didn't you tell me? Who was it?"
"Ayanakoji Seika," Haruhi sighed with a sad smile. "It's alright. It doesn't bother me at all."
"Why didn't you do something about it?" he asked surprised.
"What should I have done?" she laughed. "Wrote a complaint that she photographed me with you, senpai?"
Kyoya shook his head. He wasn't going to let this slide. He wasn't Haruhi, after all. She could be all sweet she wanted. He wasn't sweet, was he? He looked at the girl. There was only one person he saw that he intended to be remotely sweet with. It was Haruhi, and she was standing in front of him now, looking so cute. What was he even thinking? They were just friends, he'd better remember that.
"Alright," he nodded gracefully. "I won't hold you back any longer. You must want to return home."
"Yes," she agreed. "I have a lot of schoolwork to do."
She waved at him awkwardly and ran away. Kyoya looked after her and pressed his hand on his chest. What the hell was going on with him? His frail heart, that never beat steadily and was weak and void of blood, suddenly gained a hard pace and was thumping against his chest. His muscles tightened as she thought of him. The uncomfortable thoughts he never had of anyone suddenly were always around his mind whenever she was close. She has trapped him, didn't she?
He sighed and turned his head away when she was no longer in his sight. He needed to take care of that girl, or she was going to cause more problems. He had no intentions of letting Haruhi go from Ouran. In all honesty, Kyoya was quite pissed that he was being dragged into a silly high school drama. But Ayanakoji needed to be reprimanded. He could have always used the footage of her throwing Haruhi's bag into the pool, but that wouldn't accomplish much, rather than an half-assed detention.
The school wasn't going to punish her strictly. So, he needed to find something new about her. She was walking his way, a grumpy expression on her face, almost like a child who had been denied her daily candies. Kyoya stared at her pointedly, warning in his eyes and promise of retribution. He wanted her to know that she made a big mistake. She snorted lightly and made a small remark about his poor tastes.
As she passed by, Kyoya's face relaxed when he smelled her. He smiled. He would never assume he would be happy to smell burnt cigarettes clinging to someone's clothes. Her parents won't care about her abusing some poor commoner at school, but surely they would care to know that she was smoking at school, wouldn't they? Some of his peers' parents didn't care what their child did as long as it didn't directly hurt them. On that note, his father―Yoshio Ootori, was quite admirable. He would find it equally punishment-worthy had any of his children engaged in acts involving others.
That wasn't, of course, because his father was a saint, concerned with well being of others, but merely any kind of misconduct was a shortcoming of a character, and every flaw in person's character was a vulnerability his father detested. Anyone standing lower than him was purely ignored by the older Ootori, unless they dared to cross him, then his father was ruthless. Kyoya knew Ayanakoji's parents, and the only reason why she behaved in such a despicable manner was because they were spoiling her, forgiving all her actions, tantrums.
But he knew they wouldn't accept a scandal involving their daughter in the press. Scandal of her smoking cigarettes at school. Many people would love such scandals. And he knew couple of idiots just right in Ouran who wouldn't miss the opportunity to print their own 'scandalous' papers.
He took out his phone, "Hotta-san," he said politely. "There is something you need to do."
.
She didn't want to go home. She felt strange and a little empty, like something was missing, like she was sad, like someone had cut her air supply. Only there was no reason for her to feel this way. It must have been something she ate. She loved to eat and ended up always sick. Yes, all of these feelings of sadness and longing were a new kind of food poisoning. Haruhi shook her head, as she realized it was a bit ridiculous to think whatever she felt was food related.
Yet, she felt sad like the day her mother left them. She felt that longing in her chest, she felt the day after her funeral. She felt there was something that could make her feel fulfilled, but she didn't know what it was. Maybe it was the rain, and maybe, it was aftershocks of her panic that day earlier when she was called and questioned, or maybe it was something else.
And then there was Kyoya-senpai. He would come to her mind constantly, and she worried about his health. Maybe, she could grab a few books on the subject and read. The library was open, and there were rarely people at this hour. It was the perfect time for a visit. Maybe, she could find something useful. Her steps took her to the public library that wasn't located too far away from the school. And she quickly headed for the biology and medicine section.
There were many books, but none of them seemed to be what she was searching. She rubbed her forehead and kept shuffling through the books on the shelf. The books on genetic disorders didn't contain any information that would help her understand what was happening to Kyoya.
"I can't believe they don't have any books on that," a young woman's frustrated voice reached her ears, and Haruhi span around surprised.
It was a young woman, who had pretty, long hair and deep, dark eyes. She was pushing the books around and had a frown on her face. It seemed like someone wasn't happy, either. Haruhi smiled when the girl looked at her, and she smiled back.
"I am sorry," she said apologetically. "You might think I am crazy, screaming at a shelf of books. I just can't find a book I am looking for, and that's so frustrating."
"I understand," Haruhi nodded. "I am looking for a book too that I can't find, either, and if only these damn shelves could have talked back and told us if they had the books we wanted it would have been amazing."
The girl laughed wholeheartedly and honestly. "Now that would have been fantastic," she agreed. "What are you looking for?"
She bent her head and tilted it, "Books on Genetics and Molecular Biology?" Her eyebrows shot up. "You have quite the interest, or is it for school?"
Haruhi shook her head, "Personal interest," she admitted.
"Planning on becoming a biogeneticist?" she asked curiously, brushing back a soft curl that fell on her face.
"No," Haruhi smiled. "A lawyer actually. Seems strange, huh? And you? What are you trying to find that they don't have?"
"Not at all," she smiled, cheerfully. "You are just a lucky person to be interested in many things. I was just looking for a few good books on different cultures of the world. I study anthropology in the university of Madrid. I mean I was studying in Madrid, now I had to transfer to Tokyo by the request or should I say demand of my father."
"Oh," Haruhi looked at her sympathetically. "It must be difficult for you to transfer."
"I wasn't happy to be honest," she grinned. "But then I met this amazing guy, and now I don't regret coming back to Japan. Don't tell my father."
She winked at Haruhi, and Haruhi smiled in response. It was strange to converse with such a friendly, lighthearted person. She felt suddenly comfortable around her. She looked at the books in the shelf and spotted a book that seemed interesting.
"How about that book over there," she pointed.
Thw girl pulled it out and looked at it, then beamed. "This seems interesting. You have quite the eye for books I was staring at them for a while now. Thank you. Oh, so rude of me, I didn't introduce myself, I am Nanako, Nanako Shouji."
"It's nice to meet you, Nanako-san," Haruhi nodded with a friendly smile. "I am Fujioka Haruhi."
"It is nice to meet you, too," Nanako smiled and then she, startled by her phone buzzing, took out her cellphone, stared at the screen and rolled her eyes unhappily. "Seems like the world doesn't move forward if I am not around. I have to go. Thank you for finding the book and hope you will find what you were looking for."
Haruhi nodded and then waved at her when she waved her goodbye. It was strange. It was unusual, but lately unusual things stopped seeming so extraordinary, and she just shrugged what happened, turning her attention to the books on the shelf. If only she was as lucky finding what she was searching for, as she was for spotting the book for that strange girl.
Haruhi's attention snapped at a grey colored book that sat on the highest shelf on the right corner. For some reason, she thought it was what she was looking for, even though she couldn't quite see the title and the name of the author of the said book. She stood on the tips of her toes and stretched her arm up. Too short. She hopped, the floor made a screeching sound, stopping Haruhi. She frowned and sat down on the floor. Why were these shelves so tall?
She stood up angrily and, using another book, knocked the books from upper shelf. They fell on the ground emitting loud banging sounds. The gray book was on genetics and food. Haruhi smiled. She knew that it was what she was looking for. Very rarely, but in truth anyways, she would get a feeling about something, and it would come true or happen.
When she came home, her father was still at home. He was planning to leave for work though. Haruhi sat on the couch and started to read the books. She had taken almost every single one that had any relation to Kyoya's condition possibly.
"What are you reading?" her father asked, seeing all the books messily spread around her. He grabbed a book and wrinkled his face. "Biology?"
"I am helping a friend," Haruhi admitted, snatching back the book from her father's hands.
Ranka sniffled surprised, but didn't say anything. Recently, Haruhi became strange. She would stare at things for minutes and forget that she was in the room at all. First, he didn't pay attention to that, but her daydreaming became worse. Was there someone lurking around his sweet, little daughter? The mere thought made him fume inside him and angered him; nobody deserved Haruhi.
"I am leaving now," he told his little girl, but she only made a tiny sound, not caring to look at him, completely immersed in the book she was reading.
There must be someone, occupying her thoughts, Ranka thought gloomily.
"Kotoko, our little daughter has grown up."
It was already deep evening when Haruhi started a book concerning genetic abnormalities that affected one's eating habits, made them sensitive to sunlight. The author went on to describe a particular genetic disorder that developed with age and affected the dietary habits of those who had the disorder. He argued that their bodies not only didn't exhibit intestinal maltase activity, thus not breaking glucose in food, but their digestive system deteriorated and stopped functioning completely. His arguments were that these type of abnormalities connected with the disorder made those suffering from it to engage in hematophagy.
Haruhi's heart started to beat faster. She wanted to know more. But the author didn't elaborate much on the causes and possible treatment. She looked up the man on the internet, hoping to find some more information on him, but it turned out that he had been discredited for his 'insane and ridiculous claims, making mockery out of the scientific community'. His current address was listed as a remote island in Japan. Haruhi sighed. She couldn't go there, but maybe she could email him.
She wrote a small letter, asking him about his research on the subject and, after moment of consideration, sent it.
She was about to relax when her phone started to buzz impatiently. She reached for it and was surprised to see the caller id. Kyoya-senpai never called her, unless he had some reason. And there was no reason to call her at this hour. Did something happen? Her heart panicked. She clenched the hems of her sweater to calm her unexpectedly excited breathing and answered the phone.
"Kyoya-senpai?"
"Haruhi," his voice sent shivers down her spine. "Are you at home?"
"Yes," she mumbled confused.
"I apologize for not calling you beforehand," he said politely. "I am waiting outside your house."
A/N-So, guys, hope you had great Christmas and got plenty of presents. :) I am so thankful for the people who give attention to this story. You guys make me happy.