AUTHOR'S NOTE: There is a minor character death in the chapter that my plot bunnies have been adding chapters to avoid. Although this plot point was part of the original plan, my bunnies still wanted to delay the inevitable.

Haruhi pulled into her parking space in the garage at Hinansho. Before she could open her door, Kyoya reached over and placed his hand on her knee. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

Turning to face him, Haruhi stroked his cheek with the tips of her fingers before placing them on his lips. "I told you, no more apologizing. It wasn't your fault and you're fine." She looked deep into his eyes, hoping to see that he finally understood how she felt.

He kissed the fingers on his lips and then grinned. "Thank you for taking a week out of your busy study schedule to relax with me in Okinawa. I really needed it after all that business in Hong Kong."

Before Haruhi could respond, Rene was banging on the passenger window. "Where have you two been? Do you have any idea how you worried all of us?"

The couple in the car shook their heads and laughed at his antics. "I guess we should go face the music," Kyoya said as he opened his door and knocked Rene off balance when he didn't step away.

Haruhi got out of the car and walked around to the back, opening it to retrieve their luggage. "Since you're here, Rene, you can help us carry things in."

Rene grabbed a suitcase. He looked down at it and froze. Glancing from the suitcase to Haruhi to Kyoya, his expression became more and more alarmed. "You two didn't elope, did you?" he demanded.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Kyoya asked teasingly as he wrapped an arm around Haruhi's waist.

Haruhi swatted his shoulder playfully as she handed Kyoya his briefcase and laptop bag. After grabbing her weekend bag and his travel case, she closed the trunk.

"Well, this is a new suitcase. Why did you need to buy a new suitcase if you didn't run off unprepared?" Rene asked quizzically.

Grinning, Haruhi replied, "Because we did run off unprepared."

Rene's jaw dropped. "What!?"

Slipping the strap of his laptop case onto his shoulder, Kyoya freed up a hand to pat Rene's back. "We planned to go away for a weekend, but decided to extend it to a week, so we needed more clothes."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense." Rene deflated slightly, following the couple as they headed for their apartments.

OHSHC

Following the opening fashion event of their week in New York City, the twins and the Beringar sisters headed to their suite in the hotel adjacent to the venue. Between the champagne, the jostling by the others, and his own laughter, it took Hikaru three tries to swipe the key card and open the door. The quartet stumbled into their suite and collapsed on the sofa in a heap.

"Could you believe the look on Gabriel's face when Adrien walked in wearing one of Marinette's debut outfits rather than something from the Gabriel Line?" Kaoru wheezed as he held his sides.

Coco shook her head. "I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance. His face was so purple, I thought he was having a stroke."

"Audrey looked like the cat that ate the canary when she saw Gabriel's expression," Estee added.

"Well, Michael Kors and Vera Wang looked like they were laughing themselves sick before they finally pulled it together and went to congratulate Marinette on her debut," Hikaru said with a smirk.

Estee headed to the kitchen and grabbed water bottles for all of them out of the refrigerator. Returning, she handed out the bottles before opening hers and taking a long drink. "The looks of disappointment on their faces because they couldn't even get close was hysterical."

"Like two toddlers having to wait for a treat," Hikaru noted with a chuckle. "Marinette sure turned out to be the belle of the ball. I'm glad we talked them into coming with us."

Coco piped up, "Do any of you remember which fashion house Marinette's internship was with?"

"It was Vanessa Bruno. Marinette felt the vibe there fit better with her trajectory and experience," Kaoru said off-handedly.

"Ooo, my little brother is trying to sound intellectual," Hikaru teased. Kaoru reached over and poked his brother in the ribs. This started a tussle that tipped over one of the armchairs.

"Enough you two," Estee commanded. "I think we're all still feeling the effects of the champagne and absurdities of the event this evening."

The twins looked sheepish as they righted the chair and settled on the sofa next to their fiancées. The two couples snuggled up and let the peace wash over them.

After musing for a moment, Coco asked, "Do you think Adrien is going to go through with it?"

"By 'it' you mean suing his dad for stealing from him, right?" Kaoru clarified.

Nodding, she confirmed, "Yes, that's what I mean. I thought Aunt Yvette was awful when she stole our inheritance. Gabriel stole Adrien's inheritance from his maternal grandfather as well as all the money he earned—well, should have earned from modeling."

Hikaru answered, "Adrien contacted an attorney before we left for Milan." He hummed in thought before he continued, "It's funny how Marinette's models not showing up for her premiere resulted in Adrien's discovery that his university bills had not been paid and he had very little money in his bank account despite nearly constant photoshoots for his father's company."

Grinning, Kaoru inserted, "I gave Adrien Kyoya's phone number-with Kyoya's permission, of course—in the event that he needs help with the matter."

"That could get interesting," Estee noted before she was interrupted by a yawn.

Coco stood up and pulled Kaoru to his feet while giving her sister a significant look. "That's it. It's time to call it a night. We have a big week ahead of us."

OHSHC

Fuyumi fell into bed, exhausted from the busy day. "Were we at Universal Studios or Sea World today?" she pondered. "I feel like those three have unlimited energy while I'm running on a half-charged battery. I don't know what I would have done if Yu, Aki, and Matsu hadn't come along."

She looked over at the bed Hibiki and Ageha were sharing. They were sprawled out, fast asleep.

"I need to upload the photos from today. Chiharu sent me a message that she's been printing and posting them in the hallway of the apartments so everyone can see them." Fuyumi rolled over on her side and levered herself out of bed.

Sitting at the desk, she set up her laptop and connected her phone to download the day's photos so she could preview before uploading them to the cloud account. Fuyumi chuckled at the antics of both the children and her former bodyguards.

While the photos were uploading, Fuyumi noticed a piece of paper on the desk. She picked it up and read the list of places Hibiki, Ageha, and Masaya wanted to visit while they were in California. "Hopefully two weeks will be enough time to get to all of these. I should email this list to Hikaru, Estee, Kaoru, and Coco and ask which ones they aren't interested in. We can do those during their fashion week." Yawning, she thought, "I'll do it in the morning." Then she climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.

Masaya sat on the sofa with Matsu and Aki. Yu had headed to a nearby store to get snacks. "I'm really glad you guys came along on this trip," Masaya said quietly.

Matsu ruffled the boy's hair. "I must confess I've really been enjoying this trip. I never had opportunities like this as a kid."

Sighing, Masaya admitted, "It was better when my dad was here. This is fun, but I really miss him." He got quiet and seemed to shrink in on himself.

Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Aki said, "I understand that you miss him. I wish things could have been different, but this is reality, and you seem to be handling it well."

Before anything more could be said, Yu opened the door and announced, "Could I get some help here? I think I got a little carried away with the snacks. There are so many different types in America." Matsu got up to help him while Aki remained on the sofa with Masaya.

As Yu and Matsu set out the snacks on the table in front of the sofa, Aki asked Masaya quietly, "You okay?"

Considering for a moment, Masaya responded, "Yeah, I think I feel better now. Let's pick a movie so we can get started on the snacks."

OHSHC

Haruhi pushed her books aside and rubbed her eyes. "I really need to think about something else for a while. I have six weeks until the second half of the bar exam. I'm going to peak early if I keep on like this." She looked around the apartment, trying to decide on some sort of distraction.

Standing up and stretching, she noticed the calendar on the wall. "That's right, the world travelers will be back next week. Right now, they're in California seeing the sights together." Haruhi's face lit up as she thought of the distraction she needed.

Kyoya looked up and smiled as Haruhi tapped on his office door. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he purred.

Blushing lightly, she responded, "I have an idea for a break from my studies. I wanted to run it by you first."

He gestured to the chair next to his desk, leaned forward, and said teasingly, "Thinking of running off for another romantic getaway?"

Settling into the chair, she folded her hands on the corner of the desk. "Actually, I was thinking about cooking dinner in my apartment and inviting Chiharu, Takashi, Yuzuru, Shima, Rene, Reiko, and Mitsukuni. After dinner, we can watch a slideshow of the photos from Fuyumi and the twins' trips."

Kyoya sat back and pondered for a moment. "You know, that would be a good idea. Chiharu has posted some of the pictures in the hallway upstairs, but it would be nice to see all that the world travelers have been up to. It would also be good to see everyone who has been here all summer. We've all been so busy we've barely had time to do more than wave as we pass each other."

"Well, then I better get to work," Haruhi said as she stood up. She took a step toward the door before turning around and walking around the desk. Leaning over she kissed Kyoya's cheek. "Dinner will be at six. Don't be late."

Smiling softly, he replied, "I'll be there." He watched distractedly as she left his office. Sighing, he shook his head and returned his focus to his work.

Leaving Kyoya's office, Haruhi turned down the hallway. She decided to start by asking Chiharu. If Chiharu wasn't at the front desk, whoever was on duty should know where to find her. Haruhi was delighted that not only was Chiharu at the front desk, but Shima was with her.

"Just the people I was looking for," Haruhi exclaimed before explaining her idea to them.

Chiharu responded, "That is a great idea. I'll text Takashi to let him know."

"I shall inform Yuzuru and Rene of the dinner plans," Shima agreed.

Haruhi smiled brightly. "That means I just have to call Reiko and Mitsukuni."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Reiko said penitently. "We've got so much to do to get things ready before we head to Hinansho for the twins' birthday party because we plan on staying until after your wedding."

"No problem," Haruhi assured her. "You two can watch the photo slideshow yourselves after dinner tonight if you want to feel like you're sharing the experience with us."

"That's a great idea," Reiko replied. There was a pause before she continued, "I have to go. One of my interns is waving frantically for my attention. We'll see you next week."

"Looking forward to it," Haruhi murmured as she ended the call.

Rene held his sides as he laughed at the antics of Masaya, Hibiki, and Ageha in the photos from Disney World. "Just look at Fuyumi's expression," he wheezed before collapsing onto the floor.

Chuckling, Takashi added, "Yu, Aki, and Matsu look like they have their hands full with that trio."

The photos moved on to the twins' show in New York. Everyone pointed at the celebrities they recognized on the red carpet. "It certainly looks like it was well attended," Kyoya commented.

After the slideshow finished, Haruhi brought out tea and daifuku. They enjoyed the dessert while relaxing and chatting about their week. They also spent some time discussing plans for the twins' birthday that was fast approaching.

Yuzuru looked at the time and exclaimed, "I really must call it a night. I have a lot to do tomorrow."

"I hadn't realized how long we'd been talking," Takashi commented. "I have a busy day at work tomorrow myself. Haruhi, I thoroughly enjoyed our time together tonight. Thank you for suggesting it."

There were murmurs of agreement as everyone gathered their things and headed off to their own apartments.

OHSHC

Atsuhiro waited in the VIP lounge for the charter flight carrying Fuyumi and the twins' traveling groups. When he arrived, the concierge informed him that the flight was delayed by headwinds and would be about an hour late. After calling the front desk at Hinansho to let them know about the delay, he settled into a chair and pulled out the current book he was reading. "Glad I remember to bring this," he thought as he got comfortable and found his place.

He was so engrossed in the novel that he was startled when he was poked in the knee by the tip of a crutch. Marking his place and looking up, Atsuhiro asked, "Okay, Yu, what did you do?"

Gesturing with his chin at Matsu, Yu replied, "Someone thought he was being funny when we got off the tour bus at one of the studios. I'm not even sure where he got the marbles."

Grinning widely, Atsuhiro said, "So what you're telling me is Matsu lost his marbles and you found them."

"Hey!" Matsu cried indignantly, realizing that he had been insulted.

Aki piped up, "I thought you'd lost those long ago, Matsu."

"Anyway," Yu said, drawing Atsuhiro's attention back to the original question. "I slipped on some marbles and hit a bench with my shin. The doctor said the angle was just right to break my leg. Luckily, the tour terminal was near an emergency room, so they didn't have far to take me."

Fuyumi, Ageha, and Hibiki joined the group while Yu was explaining. "He was an absolute trooper about the whole thing. It really upset Ageha and Hibiki to see his leg at that odd angle with the break."

Masaya finally arrived and flopped down in the chair next to Atsuhiro. "I am so ready to sleep in my own bed," he said around a yawn.

Ruffling Masaya's hair as he stood up, Atsuhiro said, "Why don't Aki and Matsu gather the luggage while I walked Yu out to get him settled and the cargo area opened." He looked around before asking, "So where are Hikaru, Kaoru, Estee, and Coco? I thought you guys were all traveling together."

Fuyumi waved offhandedly in the direction of the freight terminal. "They wanted to be sure the trunks were loaded correctly for transport to the Hitachiin Studio. They should be here in a few minutes."

"Should we wait for them?" Atsuhiro asked.

"Why don't you all head to the transport and I'll wait here for them?" Fuyumi suggested. "Are you parked in the usual place?"

"Of course," he said with a grin. "That's one of the great things about having a reserved parking space for Hinansho near the K12 VIP lounge."

Smiling, Fuyumi waved them off. "You go on. We'll join you soon."

Atsuhiro stopped and snapped his fingers. "That reminds me. Kairi insisted on dinner in the dining room this evening so you all can catch up and don't need to worry about groceries or cooking tonight."

"That's very thoughtful of him," Fuyumi acknowledged. "I'll pass the word along."

OHSHC

Hikaru scrubbed his hand across his face before picking up his phone to check the time. "Wait, it's eleven o'clock already? Why didn't someone wake me?" He rolled over, sat up, and stuck out his foot to jostle Kaoru's bed. "Hey, little brother, it's time to get up."

Kaoru grunted and threw his pillow at his brother. "Minutes older than me, that's all you are," he grumbled as he tried to burrow back into his blankets. He was still trying to get comfortable without his pillow when his stomach made a loud growling noise.

Snorting as he tried to hide a laugh, Hikaru prodded his brother again. "Come on, let's go get some breakfast."

"Ugh, fine," Kaoru grunted as he threw his blankets aside and sat up.

Fifteen minutes later they were dressed and about to knock on Estee and Coco's door when they noticed a note taped to their own door. Kaoru pulled it off and read it. "Great. They decided to let us sleep in for our birthday and they went off to run errands."

"Since it's so close to lunch, how about we see if Haruhi and Kyoya will eat with us?" Hikaru suggested as he walked down the hall to knock on Haruhi's door. When there was no answer, he said, "Maybe she's down in Kyoya's office studying."

Kyoya looked up from his computer screen at the tap on his office door. "Good…" He looked down at the time. "Good morning, Hikaru and Kaoru, and happy birthday. To what do I owe this honor?"

Hikaru shrugged nonchalantly. "We thought we might have lunch with you and Haruhi."

Steepling his fingers, Kyoya said regretfully, "Haruhi will be at the law library all day. The book she has been waiting for has finally become available for today only. She promised she would be back in time for your birthday dinner. I planned to forego lunch today so I can finish my work early so I can attend." After a brief pause, he added, "Mitsukuni called this morning. He and Reiko are running late but they will definitely be here by dinner time."

Trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice, Kaoru said, "That's fine. We'll see you at dinner."

The twins wandered down the hall to the kitchen where they peeked in and asked one of the staff if they could get some breakfast even though it was nearly lunch time.

"Sure thing," he replied. "I can bring it to you in the private dining room in just a few minutes."

Settling into chairs to wait, Hikaru dropped his hands on the table. "So, what shall we do today? It seems everyone's busy but us."

Before Kaoru could respond the kitchen door opened and one of the staff members came in with a tray of breakfast items for them. Just as he finished putting the last dish on the table, there was a CRASH from the kitchen, followed by a loud, "Oh no!"

Curious about what could fluster Kairi and his staff, Hikaru and Kaoru opened the door and looked into the kitchen. On the floor was what appeared to be the remnants of a large cake. Kairi's assistant looked between the twins and the mess in horror. "That was your birthday cake."

Kaoru tried to reassure him. "There's time for Kairi to make another before tonight."

"But Kairi's not here," the man replied. "He made the cake early because he had a big catering job today and he won't be back until late. Don't worry. I can make another one, it just won't be anywhere near as nice."

"It's okay," Hikaru assured him as several members of the kitchen staff began cleaning up the mess. "Just let us get out of your way."

The twins returned to the table where their breakfast was waiting. After they finished, they decided to head back to their apartment and play some video games since everyone else was busy or at work.

Just before five o'clock, Kaoru's phone rang, showing the caller ID as Hitachiin Studio. "Yes?" he answered.

The head designer's voice was shrill with panic. "You have to come right away! It's a tragedy! Two of the wardrobe trunks were damaged in transit and something is oozing out of them."

Groaning at more bad news on their birthday, Kaoru poked Hikaru and pointed to the car keys as he replied, "We'll be there soon. Try to contain things as best you can."

The pair raced down the hallway and waited impatiently at the elevator while Kaoru explained the situation to Hikaru.

Once they reached the garage, they headed to their parking spaces. "I'll drive," Hikaru stated as he unlocked his car and flung himself into the driver's seat.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up to the Hitachiin mansion. However, there were no lights on, and the place appeared to be deserted. Kaoru pulled out his keys and opened the front door. Hikaru flipped the lights on and they headed down the hall toward the Studio.

As they were passing the dining room, Kaoru saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He grabbed Hikaru's arm and whispered, "Wait. I thought I saw something."

Cautiously, they pushed open the dining room door and were rocked back on their heels when the lights were suddenly turned on and everyone yelled, "SURPRISE!"

As they looked around, they saw Kairi standing in the corner with a smirk on his face. The table was set with dinner and an elaborate cake was waiting on the sideboard. Estee and Coco grinned at them from near a table piled with gifts. Fuyumi was trying to corral Ageha and Hibiki who were jumping up and down while clapping their hands. Masaya was rolling his eyes at their antics. Mitsukuni, Reiko, Takashi, Chiharu, Kyoya, and Haruhi surrounded them for a group hug. Yuzuru stood and Shima sat off to one side, watching the twins' reaction.

Kaoru looked around at everyone. "Please tell me the call from my head designer was just a ruse to get us here."

Haruhi poked him in the ribs. "Of course it was. How else would we get you to come here so promptly on your birthday without spoiling the surprise?"

"Thank you, everyone," the twins said in unison. "Now, let's eat."

OHSHC

The week after the twins' birthday, Kyoya and Haruhi were in his office. He was working and she was studying. Glancing at his calendar, Kyoya noted, "I have a ten o'clock meeting with Shima listed here. However, it is already ten-fifteen. That is very unlike her."

"Would you like me to go see if she's running late?" Haruhi offered.

Kyoya looked pensive before he answered, "I think we should both go. Something has seemed off the past few days and I can't put my finger on it."

On their way to Shima's apartment, they stopped by the security office and asked Tachibana to accompany them.

When there was no response to their knock, Tachibana opened the door with the security key. While the men looked in the kitchen and living room, Haruhi checked the bedroom.

Seeing a form in the bed, Haruhi walked in and touched the hand laying on the blanket. It was cold and Haruhi gasped as the reality of the situation hit her.

Kyoya and Tachibana heard Haruhi and joined her in the bedroom. Kyoya wrapped his arms around Haruhi. Tachibana pulled out his phone and began making arrangements for the proper authorities to come as soon as possible.

Tachibana escorted Kyoya and Haruhi out to the living room and they settled on the sofa. "We'll wait here for the authorities."

After sitting in silence for several minutes, Haruhi whispered, "How are we going to tell everyone?"

"I'll call a security briefing for the Hinan family for this evening," Tachibana said as he pulled out his phone and started drafting a group text. His shoulders slumped after he sent off the message. "She will be greatly missed," he murmured.

"Especially by Yuzuru and Rene," Haruhi added quietly.

They were all lost in thought when there was a tap on the door before Hotta opened it and escorted the police personnel in. Tachibana gestured to the bedroom. One of the officers stayed in the living room to take statements while the others headed to the bedroom.

The Hinan family gathered in the private dining room at eight o'clock as Tachibana had requested. Everyone else was seated when he arrived with a somber expression, carrying a small stack of envelopes.

Sitting in the chair left for him, Tachibana laid the stack on the table and folded his hands. "There is no easy way to deliver this news. Shima passed away this morning. Kyoya, Haruhi, and I discovered her body when she missed a meeting with Kyoya."

The room was absolutely still except for Rene. He stood up and waved his hand in front of his face rapidly. "No! It can't be true! She can't be gone!"

Yuzuru stood up to wrap his arms around Rene. Rene collapsed and Yuzuru was barely able to grab him in time to slow Rene's descent to the floor so he wouldn't hurt himself.

Reiko hurried to Rene's side and checked his pulse. "I think he just passed out, but we should get him to the hospital. I don't know how this may affect his medical condition."

Takashi picked Rene up gently. Haruhi pulled out her keys and announced, "I'll drive. Yuzuru, you should come too. Rene will need you."

As she passed, Tachibana handed her four envelopes. "These were found on Shima's desk addressed to each of you."

Nodding, she slipped them into her pocket as she led the way to her car.

OHSHC

Rene picked at the blanket on the hospital bed, looking at his doctor with a stubborn expression. "Why can't I go home?" he whined. "I've been here for a month."

The doctor sat on the corner of Rene's bed. "And you don't remember most of that month, do you?" Patting Rene's foot, the doctor continued, "As I told you before, some of your tests came back with abnormal results. I want to keep you here a little longer for observation." He paused and then added, "There is also the fact that you passed out yesterday on the way back to your bed from the bathroom. If your friend had not caught you before you hit the floor, you would probably have a concussion."

They were interrupted by a tap on the door. The doctor looked over and said, "Haruhi, thank you for coming. Maybe you can talk some sense into him."

Smiling, Haruhi replied, "I've been trying for years, and it hasn't worked yet."

The doctor left with a parting wave. Haruhi walked to the side of the bed and looked at Rene. "What do you need right now?"

After pouting for a moment, he asked softly, "Could I have a hug, okaa-san?"

"Of course," she replied as she wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. When he finally pulled away, she said, "The others will be here soon. I just wanted to check on you first to be sure you want to see them."

Rene lit up. "They're all coming?" he asked excitedly. He stilled before inquiring tentatively, "Is there any possibility we could have a cuddle pile tonight? I've been really lonely here. I mean, Mitsukuni has had lunch with me on his workdays, but I miss everyone else."

His infectious joy caused Haruhi to grin. "I already made arrangements with your doctor and the hospital for us to do just that tonight. HE and KC feel bad that they will be leaving soon for the Comicpalooza in Houston, Texas." Her voice tapered off at the conclusion of her sentence.

Sensing an undercurrent of worry, Rene asked, "Is something wrong?"

Huffing, Haruhi said, "I'm scheduled to go to Hokkaido for a week to study for the next part of my bar exam. I can skip it if you want me to."

Rene sat up straight in bed. "No, I don't want you to skip it any more than I want HE and KC to skip their Comicpalooza. I want all of you to continue to pursue your dreams."

"If you're sure?" Haruhi asked for confirmation.

Patting the bed next to him, he invited her to sit down. "I'm sure. I've followed mine as best I could knowing my time was short." He glanced at the letter from Shima on the table by his bed. "Did you know that Yuzuru took Shima to the courthouse after Yoshio's trial and added her to the Hinan family registry?"

A little surprised by the sudden shift in the conversation, Haruhi said, "No. Did Yuzuru tell you that?" She looked at him questioningly.

Shaking his head, he replied, "It was in the letter she wrote to me. Yuzuru was afraid Shizue would try something during her trial, so he wanted to protect Shima as much as possible. Shima didn't even remember her family name or her birthdate."

Haruhi didn't know what to say to that so she just waited for Rene to continue.

"Yuzuru went to Akito and asked to look through the old family records. He found out that her family name was Endo and we shared a birthday. She turned one hundred the same day I turned twenty-two." Rene paused to take a breath. "In her letter, she said the past eight years with me were the best ones of her life." He reached for Haruhi because he could no longer fight the tears.

Haruhi wrapped her arms around him and whispered soothingly, "I know you miss her. We all do. I'm not sure what we will do without her."

The group arrived unnoticed while Rene was talking, and they surrounded his bed in a group hug, joining him in mourning the loss of a piece of their foundation.

OHSHC

Hinansho was abuzz with activity even before the sun rose on the day of Kyoya and Haruhi's wedding. The gazebo was decorated and the chairs arrayed in the formal garden. The ballroom was decorated and prepared for the wedding dinner following the ceremony. Kairi and his kitchen staff double-checked everything before heading to the ceremony.

The ladies were in one of the cottages while the men were in the other. As soon as Haruhi was ready, Masaya was sent to get Ryoji so the father and daughter could have a few minutes alone together before the ceremony began. The ladies joined the men in the other cottage to get ready for the procession.

Fuyumi grabbed Rene's hands to still them. "There may not be any haori at this wedding, but if you don't stop pulling at your collar and cuffs, there may be another wardrobe malfunction."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I'm just nervous. Otou-san and okaa-san are finally getting married."

Smiling softly, Fuyumi said, "You've had a rough summer, haven't you?"

Shrugging, Rene murmured, "I suppose." He looked down at his feet. "I don't want to ruin things for them."

He was startled when several pairs of arms wrapped around him. "We hurt with you, you know?" Mitsukuni whispered and Reiko nodded in confirmation. The others gathered around to add to the group hug.

Masaya interrupted the moment when he tapped on the door and said, "It's time for you guys to line up. Ryoji and Haruhi are ready." Looking over his shoulder, he added, "And the girls are driving me crazy."

Fuyumi smiled at him. "Thank you for letting us know." She took Rene's arm and called for the others to get in position. Rene was the best man and she was the matron of honor so they would lead. Mitsukuni and Reiko followed with Takashi and Chiharu after them. Then came Hikaru and Estee followed by Kaoru and Coco.

As they followed the flower girls down the aisle, Rene glanced at Yuzuru and the empty chair next to him, purposely left to acknowledge the absence of Shima. He drew a deep breath as he took his place at Kyoya's side and looked over at Shimura waiting for Ryoji to join her.

After Kaoru and Coco took their places, there was a pause in the music before it changed. Everyone rose and turned to watch Ryoji walk Haruhi down the aisle. Kaoru smirked at himself as he watched the wedding gown shift and flow as Haruhi walked sedately.

Rene smiled softly and thought, "She looks nothing like the little ragamuffin that stumbled into Music Room Three and our hearts all those years ago."

Kyoya was stunned. "What did I ever do to deserve the love of this beautiful woman? I only hope I can be worthy of her."

As Kyoya accepted Haruhi's hand from Ryoji, the rest of the world seemed to melt away as they looked deeply into each other's eyes. Rene and Fuyumi had to nudge them to respond at the appropriate times during the ceremony, until finally the officiant pronounced them husband and wife.

As the newlyweds approached the spot they were expecting a limousine to take them to the ballroom for the reception, they were surprised to see a carriage. Kyoya looked at Rene with a raised eyebrow. "Is that the carriage from the Ouran Fair?"

Sheepishly, Rene shrugged and said, "It just seemed to be fitting for your wedding."

"Well, I'm not driving this time," Haruhi commented loudly.

Chuckling, Takashi stepped forward. "No, I'm driving this time. And no racing with cars will be involved." The former hosts all laughed while the other guests looked puzzled by the inside joke.

After receiving a long line of well-wishers, Kyoya and Haruhi were finally seated at the head table to begin the wedding dinner. Kairi made a point of personally delivering a plate of fancy tuna to Haruhi while Kyoya looked on with a smirk. "Still taking advantage of my weakness?" Haruhi teased.

"Just spoiling you like you deserve," Kyoya responded before placing a kiss on the back of her hand.

Conversations around the head table centered on anecdotes from their time in the Host Club, making the newlyweds blush frequently.

After dinner, Rene stood up to give his toast while the tables were being rearranged to allow for dancing. Holding his glass aloft, Rene looked around and said, "Our family is now complete. Otou-san and okaa-san are finally married and okaa-san is a Hinan." Seeing puzzled looks on some faces, he elaborated, "Haruhi has always been okaa-san of the Hinan family. She is the one who gave birth to the idea of a family of refuge for those who needed it. Kyoya has always been otou-san because he provided the means of support for the family. We would not be the same without the two of them together."

The toast was met with cheers and applause. Someone called out, "So what are your plans for the honeymoon?"

14