*Disclaimer I do not own Ouran Host Club, and never will.
Back In Our World
Chapter 14 Last night.
Kaoru's POV
A burst of chilled water cupped in my shaky hands splashes against my smooth face. Leaving pin like tingles across my freshly shaven skin. Dripping fingers push against the speckled granite counter allowing my face to rise above the pooled water in the sink. My eyes open to a pair of golden sleep deprived eyes, with purplish bags beginning to emerge just under the pupils. Wondering if I'm coming down with cold from all the damn Portland rain. It's been an exhausting few days and a long sleep is what my body is screaming for. Sad to say, it wasn't in the cards for me just yet. Tonight, if I'm lucky, is the first chance I'll be able to rest my head on my cool pillow for at least a few hours.
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Clear drips of the cold water trail down my cheeks to messily drop from my sharp jawline. Reaching up with my damp hands I swipe the excess water away from my skin. A long breath blows out against my damp lips causing a slight cooling feeling. Blindly extending a hand out for a fluffy cotton ball like towel into my dripping fingers. Bringing the absorbent towel to my face I take another calming breath with my nose buried deep into the soft fabric as swirls of lavender assault my senses. I never really cared for the overly intense aroma, I always cared for something lighter. With my faced being patted dry my golden eyes fall to my lips …and the memories of last night's stolen kiss.
Flashback…
I'm unable to take a breath as I arrive at a pair of round astonished chocolate eyes to suddenly wrap my arms around her tightly. My heart beats frantically for the only woman I've so desperately yearned to hold in my arms. The overwhelming feeling causes me to crash down on her lips while gently lifting a tender hand to slide in the back of her hair …..At the incredible moment I felt time stand still …As I finally kiss her soft, sweet lips for the first time….
End of flashback …
Being lost in the tantalizing vivid image replaying in my head causes the terry cloth material to fall from my fingers, to tumble in the freshly used sink. With my head unclear I deliberately reach to touch my newly christened skin that lies just under my nose. Is it my imagination or did my fingertips feel a deep warmth emanating from the silky pink skin?
"Knock ….Knock"
"Ah, Yes?" My eyes slide to the bathroom door.
"Sir, I was wondering if you wanted me to bring the car around." My driver's voice could be heard from the other side of the door.
Reluctantly, I pull my fingers from my lips. "Ah, no, not just yet."
"Very good, I'll be here when you need me." With my drivers words I chuckle to myself and shake my head with a bemused thought…..Well at least I've fixed my driver problem for the momment.
Turning from the mirror I begin to roll down my sleeves and diligently button the cuffs back up on my shirt. While exiting the bathroom my eyes glance over with some distain to a rumpled couch with a thin blue blanket tossed over its back. A freshly cased pillow that's folded onto itself next to the foot of the rather stiff cream couch.
"Anything yet? ...Ah, I 'm sorry?" I ask curiously while giving the shaggy gentleman an enquiring look.
"Uh…Jake, my name is Jake, sir …. No nothing yet, but I'm sure it will be soon." Jakes eyes glance over to the other side of the room.
"Well thanks for the break….Jake, why don't you grab something to eat in the kitchen? I'll call you when I need you." Giving the man a polite smile before reaching for my phone.
"Sir?" His eyes glanced to the other side of the room before giving me a confused look.
I waved a dismissive hand to the man with light brown hair as I let out an exasperated tone. "Please leave, I need to make a call…. in private." I really shouldn't be too annoyed, after all I can't imagine what would have happened without him.
"Oh, of course sir." The shaggy haired man wearing one of Hitachiin previous years designs stood before me giving me a concerned look.
After catching his face I quickly soften my expression to give him a small smile before he turns to leave the room for the kitchen. It's not his fault he wasn't trained for something like this. Knowing his old job consisted of him picking up camera strapped tourists from the airport. Driving them all over town to see the local quaint sites, such as waterfalls and giant balls of string.
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I quickly stretch my lengthy muscles over my head and adjust my shoulders in attempt to crack my back into place .With a bit of annoyance my eyes scowl at the couch with the thin, blue blanket that wasn't much comfort, much less warmth. With my fingers laced around my stainless steel phone I decide to lean up against a wall and avoid the uncomfortable cream couch. My finger hovers over the button I intend to use when an onslaught questions begin to whirl around in my head. What the hell was I going to tell him? Could I even tell him about her slipping through my fingers …..Let alone last night? Would he be disappointed of my actions?
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With a slide of my thumb my phone rings.
"Ring." My eyes glance over across the room to a white door with my stomach twisting.
"Ring" The next thing I hear is someone roughly fumble with the phone until a groggy, hoarse voice speaks over the other end. "K...Kao …Is it you?"
"Hey Hika, I'm sorry, did I wake you? Are you not feeling well…..it's pretty early for you to be in bed." Immediately a wave of concern and guilt washes over me for my twin, who I have lied to this entire time. While leaving him in Japan for my crazy, rain soaked adventure.
I hear my exhausted brother rummage around him causing a bottle to crash to the floor. "Uh, fuck ….well at least it was almost empty."
He lets out a long boisterous yawn over the speaker before my sleepy, irritated brother hisses out. "Damn it Kaoru, what are you talking about? It's like two in the morning here!"
A bit confused at my brother's action my eyes glance over to my watch. "Uh Hika, it's like 7:30 at night in Japan."
My brother lets out another yawn before his sleepy demeanor snaps to a clear anxious tone. "Oh, what was I thinking? Sorry about that, it's been a rough couple of days. I must have just fell asleep….So uh how's the preparation for the show going?"
"Oh …..Well um, you could say the team is running so smoothly that it feels like I wasn't even there to help out …. How about you?" The half-truths I was spewing from my lips caused my heart to ache with betrayal.
"Oh, just the norm…..nothing really new going on at the office, you know how it is, it practically runs itself." Hikaru nervously spoke.
The urge to tell my brother everything burns at my lips…I never liked keeping anything from him …and I never use to lie to him until now….. But seeing he would flip knowing I actually flew out of the country not for work but to find our long last friend he's supposedly over, left me little choice.
"Hey Kao, I need to tell you something that happened yesterday …I'm not sure if it's a good thing but it involves you in away." My brother's anxious tone tears my attention from my burning lips and my thoughts of betrayal.
"Oh, what happened?"
"Well, uh, I've spoken with …Honey-sempi."
"Honey?" My eyes widen with my brother's words in shock. Knowing he would be the last one to speak with anyone from our old club. Ever since that fateful day we found out she left us behind. He lashed out with a frantic iron grip around my wrist to pull us both behind the gates to permanently slam them shut behind us.
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"Uh yeah, he asked about the property we share." I can tell by Hikaru's nervous tone wrapped around his words that he's uncomfortable with the entire topic.
"You don't mean?" My eyes glance to the other end of the room with my heart freezing. Hikaru has been pushing me to follow is example….."To get over her". Would Honey-sempi's call give him a reason to sell the property while I'm gone?
Hikaru lets out an exhausted breath. "I'm afraid I do."
Shaking my head I turn my back to the other side of the room. "Well, what did he want to know?"
"He received an offer for it …..his wife wants him to sell .She thinks it would better if Honey-sempi ….." My brother trails off?
Letting out a painful sigh before my woeful words almost whisper pass my lips. "Forgets?"
Glancing over to the other side of the room causes my heart to clench in my chest. My eyes fall to my phone in disgust. It's almost like she never existed ….everyone is turning away to forget. First the club's so called leaders toss her from our world and slam the door behind them. Now both Mori, Honey and my brother turn away in an attempt to forget and move on with their lives. Only leaving myself as my fingernails stubbornly grasp on to the very edge of her ghostly existence. Can she really evaporate from our past so easily?
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My brother lets out a sigh before speaking in a depressed tone. "Yeah, something like that?"
My heart begins to beat madly beneath my button up shirt as I begin to panic and ramble out words with the thought of losing something so precious to me …..To us. "Please tell me you didn't ,I'll buy it myself ….I know how you feel about her."
"Relax Kao, I said we would buy him out." He nervously chuckles at my behavior that would normally remain concealed behind my well-constructed mask.
Stunned at my twins' words, my mouth just kind of blurts out words. "Wait, you did what …..But I thought you were over-?"
Hikaru speaks over me with a nonchalant attitude. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, it was our old hangout."
A small warming feeling tears at my chest as my almost tearful eyes glance over to a white door across the room …...Has my twin finally dropped his womanizing charade of lying to himself? "Does this mean?" I timidly ask with a hopeful feeling brimming over my entire thing.
My brother's voice snaps with annoyance. "I'm not sure what it means, for now let's just leave it at that …..Okay?" Hikaru's words almost sounded painfully pleading at the end.
The sound of my brother's voice rips at me. "Alright Hika. Hey, I…I miss you man."
"Kao, are you ok…. you sound like something is bothering you." My twin speaks with concern in his voice.
"Wow, who are you and what have you done with my twin?" Playing off his rather astute observation.
"Shut up! Even I can recognize when my own twin is troubled." He snaps back with annoyance.
"Really?" I sarcastically tease him.
"Oh, knock it off, see if I open up to you!" My ginger headed twin scoffs with irritation.
"No, Hika you know I love that about you .No, matter what it is you can never keep your feelings hidden. …I just miss you that's all."
"I miss you too …..Kao, are you flying back for the weekend, after the New York show?" He nervously asks.
"Uh no, not this time …I'm afraid something came up. I'm headed straight out after this."
"Oh, you usually-"His voice trails off with disappointed words, causing my hand to be tossed over my stomach as it twists with the bile of my betrayal.
"I'm sorry Hika, I wish I could….Hey why don't you fly out and meet me? I could use your assistance on something?" With my stomach twisting from betraying my brother my miserable golden eyes stare at the other side of the room where a white closed door sits undisturbed.
Hikaru is a bit hesitant before he speaks with uncertainty. "Uh, I don't know I'm kind of in the middle of something here."
Finding it a bit odd that he wasn't hopping a plane at the mere suggestion of meeting me. "Well, just think about it, ok?"
Hikaru lets out a long exhausted sigh before speaking. "Yeah, yeah, let me see if I can tie up some loose ends in the next few days. If all works out I may need to see you anyway ."
"Well great, let me know …." I gradually walk to the white door that tears at my heart.
The feeling tearing at my chest forces my bottom lip to be release from beneath my teeth. As my guilty words fall from my lips. "Hika ….I….I need to t…tell you…"With one hand holding my stainless steel phone to my ear. The fingertips from my free hand timidly reach out to touch the glossy wood of the undisturbed white door. My hand finally rests gently on the door with a tugging at my chest.
"Yeah, Kao, you've already told me …..I miss you too, I'll see you soon."
My head slowly falls to rest my forehead on the closed white door.
"Alright Hika …bye." Letting out a depressed sigh from my lips before masking my tone. My head drops in defeat and my mouth sealing shut with the lies I've been keeping from my brother.
…..I should have told him.
How will my brother react to what I've done? He says he's over her but any blind man can see that's simply isn't true and with what he just told me, the evidence is clearly there ….but how will he react to my little side trip? With the heart wrenching fact that she slipped through my fingers ….what about last night ….Will he forgive me for last night ….for what had to be done?
Flash back….. Last night in Portland ….
"Hey you, get your hands off of her!" A deep male voice could be heard in the distance. My head whips around to see two thugs, in fact the same two thugs Ranka unpleasantly introduced me to from the night before. Sprinting towards us, just two blocks away .My eyes glance down to see her chocolate eyes closed. I begin to panic causing my breathing to accelerate …Damn it, I can't lose her.
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Shielding her from the large drops of frigid water I gently extend a damp hand to wipe her saturated strands away from her face. My heart clenched at the sight of the unconscious brunet beauty held within my arms. She's been lost to me for so long …..The thought of purposely laying her down on the cold, wet pavement after her forced absence caused a sharp excruciating pain to burn in my chest. Could I really intentionally let her go for the last time?
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Hell no!
The hell with Ranka's thugs! Spending the entire day lost in darkness with the unbearable feeling of knowing I had blown the only chance I had ever been given from years of searching. Having a choice between being beaten senselessly and the darkness? I would choose the thugs, it's far less painful. The mere thought of losing her by choice….by turning my back on her would cause an unreachable, never ending pain.
.
Maybe when Ranka sees that I've taken his beating and still came back for her it will change his mind. Regardless, of his rather brute force warning it could help me persuade him of my true feelings for his daughter. My tense body knew at any minute the thugs will be crashing down on top of me, ripping her out of my hands. My arms tighten around the beautiful woman I just met as my golden eyes remain locked on my lost love's face for one last embrace.
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"Hey drop the girl, damn it!" The angry male voice screams out as it comes closer.
Two beams of light slice through the surrounding darkness to shine a lighted path against the rain soaked blacktop. "Hey, Boss!" A voice suddenly causes me to jerk my drenched ginger head up to see an answer to my prayers through the heavy drops.
The furious men's voices yell from down the block. "Get the fuck away from her!"
Without even thinking I hastily sweep my sopping wet arm under her limp legs to gather her into my arms. Pulling her close into my chest to frantically reach the silver handle to swing my door open. Stuffing myself and my friend in the entrance all at the same time.
"Go ….GO ….GO! " My panicked voice yells out to the driver.
Not seconds later the startled driver jumps back in his seat as the thugs arrive at the front of the car. Both men smash down clenched fists on the polished metal of the hood of the car. The driver stomps his foot down causing the engine to roar awake and blast forward with squealing tires.
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With one hand braced around my brunet beauty I stretch out my other arm to barely brush the handle of the erratically swinging door with my fingertips. Blasts of cold rain sting my face as I lean half way out of the speeding car. Stretching my hand against the whipping headwinds I manage to barely clasp on to the slippery handle. The muscles in my overstretched arm shake while I use all my strength to give it a good hard yank to finally cause the door to slam shut.
"Bang! Bang! ...Bang!" Shots slice through the air and hit the back of the car.
Hearing the shots I throw my body on top of the unconscious woman in a protective way. I quickly tuck my ginger head into her body as the car fishtails down the street. "Oh fuck, their firing at us!"
"Bang!" …..The rear window explodes into a million pieces of glass that rain down on top of us.
"Boss, hang on!" The driver quickly throws his arms into a sharp turn to avoid the shots. The momentum of his turn slams us into the other side of the car.
"Okay, boss we've lost them ….so what the hell was that about?" I quickly lift my head to snap it in the direction of the blown out window to see the shaggy headed driver is correct. My head turns to see a pair of astonished, pale blue eyes stare at me in the rearview mirror.
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My attention snaps back to brush away the glass and check to see if she was harmed in any way .Once I was satisfied I quickly extend a hand to brush away the tiny bits of cubed glass from myself. "That? Oh that, was just a …..Yukuza family I know?" I hated myself for involving him.
"The Japanese mob!? What hell boss!" The light brown haired driver spats out.
He quickly glances over his shoulder as he drives. "What's with the chick?"
"Hey turn around, it would be pointless to survive the bullets to die in a car crash seconds later!" The driver whips his head back around. He takes in a slow breath in an attempt to calm down while concentrating on the road.
My eyes fall to the unconscious woman lying in my arms with a dream like feeling filling my chest. "Ah, let's just say she's a woman that suddenly fell into my arms."
"A woman who happens to be involved with the Japanese mob! "My driver scoffs as he rolls his eyes." Seeing my attention needed to be pulled away from Haruhi he shakes his head. With no warning he slams his foot on to the breaks. My left shoulder crashes into the back of the front seat as the car screeches to an abrupt halt.
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He pushes up the brim of his hat with a finger. Turning his body to peek over the front seat. "What the hell was that for?" I scream out to the driver while pushing myself away from the back of the seat. Once sitting up my hand tries to sooth my aching shoulder from the abrupt halt.
Looking at the concerned man a little younger than myself. "Okay, Boss now that I have your undivided attention. Where to next?"
Sliding my hand away from Haruhi to run through my hair as I consider what needs to be done. "I'm not really sure….It's not like I planned for any of this… If you recall I was just walking in the damn rain for a cup of coffee after having a few too many scotches. All of this just came out of nowhere."
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My eyes fall to her face as I lift a hand to gently brush her long brunette strands from her face. "I won't lose her again." Speaking to myself in a soft determined tone.
The blue eyed driver slowly reaches into his front jacket pocket before striking a match, bathing the darken cab into an orange glow. He carefully brings the flame close to his stubbled face to light the white cigarette dangling from his lips. He takes in a deep breath causing the cigarette's end to spark cherry red hot before letting the white smoke swirl out of his lips. "Well boss, you can bet their looking for us as we speak …..We need a plan, and quick."
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Flipping my astonished eyes to the blown out window my head raced with ideas but their only seemed to be one screaming to be the inevitable answer.
Turning my head ,my eyes fall on the woman I held in my arms .It seemed I haven't learned my lesson from my old host club days as I once thought. It hasn't been an hour and I'm already risking pissing her off.
He pulls the cigarette from his lips to blow spinning clouds of white into the air. "Ah… boss, we kind of need a decision…like now?"
Several sirens could be heard rushing into the opposite direction. After a moment I looked up with my shoulders straightened not particularly in love with my new nickname. "Airport."
My driver lets out a chuckle while taking an extended drag from his cigarette. He slides his window down before flicking the remainder of it to spiral into a nearby puddle. He swiftly closes the window while flipping his chauffeur's cap to face backwards. "Works for me …hang on!" The sandy haired man roughly throws the engine into drive with his hand and stomps on the gas.
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The sudden momentum slams me back into my seat as my arms jerk Haruhi's unconscious body into me. I begin to feel an odd warming sensation brush against my soaked lower stomach. My eyes drop down to see Haruhi's lips lightly touch the area in question. With her lips accidently so close to such an intimate place my arms abruptly push her back with burning cheeks. A little embarrassed for what just happened my head snaps up to the driver's pale blue eyes staring back at me in the rearview mirror.
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"Look Boss it seems to me like you're a little ill prepared for the lady to travel…If you have the green I might have a friend that can help you out …The thing is.."
Figuring the guy was going to blackmail me for a little hush money I ask in a tired, cynical tone. "What do you want?"
"Well you see boss thanks to you. The mob will be hunting all over town for my sorry ass …I need to catch a ride with you." His pale blue eye winked at me in the mirror.
"Wait, that's all you want …..But you have no idea where I'm going?" A little taken back by my shaggy headed driver's request.
He lets out a dark chuckle before speaking. "At the moment, do you really think I care? Here's the deal. No ride …No Papers."
Seeing as this was my fault. I couldn't just leave him to face the consequences of my actions. Well, it looks like I've found a replacement for James. "Fine, how long will your friend need?" Keeping an indifferent expression on my face as I discuss the terms.
"With his equipment he can break into the DMV in a matter of minutes to retrieve your chicky's ID after that it's very little time ….Hell, I can have him meet us at the airport and ditch the car."
"Can you give her an alias?"
"Yeah, she could be the queen of England if you want. Although, I wouldn't recommend it. It would be a nightmare with security." He chuckles at his little joke.
Amused with the kid's personality I curiously ask with a mischievous grin emerging on my face. "What's your name kid?"
"Ah, Jake sir."
Takeing one last look at her face wondering if she will ever forgive me for what I'm about to do. I look up and reluctantly nod my head. "Well Jake …..Do it."
End of flashback.
End chapter.
I apologize for updating this chapter again. It seems the followers didn't care for it as I have not heard much about it .So I shortened it and split it in half so it flows better with the story. See yeah later Thanks for taking a peek ;) Please Follow and Review I would love to hear what your thoughts are about the story.
