*Disclaimer I do not own Ouran Host Club, and never will.
Back In Our World
Chapter 15 Hello from the other side.
Kaoru's POV
Reaching up to run a shaky hand through my ginger hair I force out an uneasy breath from my constricting lungs. Thinking back to my crazy mob filled night my pained chest begs to ask the question.
Will he forgive me …will she… for what needed to be done last night? To keep her from vanishing into the crowd once more and being forgotten?
With the uncertain feeling I nervously swallow roughly in a failed attempt to sooth my aching dry throat. My golden eyes fall to the handle where my anxious moist palm rests. The thought of what I faced on the other side of the door caused an increasing nauseous feeling in my churning stomach. My hand comes up to knock against the glossy wood. "Hello, it's me." I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet…..To go over everything. My pained heart couldn't help but question silently.
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"Come in." A firm female voice can be heard on the other side of the door.
I can't help but grab at the miserable sharp pain I lived with for so long, from missing her….wondering where and why she vanished from us. They say that time's supposed to heal ya…But I ain't done much healing.
"Hello, can you hear me?" Slowly pulling the hand laced around the knob to cause the brass hinges to slowly creak open. Sounds of my lonely footsteps on the glazed wooden floor echo out into the room ahead of me. Until I gradually walk through to the other side with my head staring at my feet.
"Kaoru…why am I here?" Familiar voice rings out with irritation.
With my name falling from her sweet lips I raise my head to the long haired woman I've only met. I could only see small glimpses of the tomboy in the Ouran school blazer, of happier times. My mind flashed to the inn and that stupid contest for the last room my brother and I had won with the help of a precariously placed vase.
….When we were younger and free… I've forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet.
"Haru." Seeing the brunette beauty stand before me sent a tidal wave of emotions over my body.
She stood next to a tall rain rippled window with glimpses of reflected broken light being danced against her form and throughout the room. Her arms folded against her chest while dressed in a black and white hotel serving uniform, a far cry from her dream of being an attorney. Her glossy chestnut locks were kept high on her head with the help of a black elastic band that had seen better days. Her angry chocolate eyes glared into my very soul ….It was nothing of what I dreamed them to be. "I'll ask you again, why the hell am I here? …All of you tossed me away years ago."
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She angrily waves an animated arm down her body. "Remember, I'm the damn commoner plaything that was an embarrassment to your families! I was the one you turned your backs on to be pushed out of Japan years ago. " The blunt tomboy no longer stood before me, a timid broken woman did. She attempted to hold up a mask and roar like the lioness but I could see the uneasy kitten behind the mask. After all, if it's one thing I know, it's hiding your true feelings from almost everyone.
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Timidly taking a step forward to get a little closer. "Your wrong, think back to before you left. Did Hika or I ever treat you like you embarrassed us, ever? Hell, my entire loved you…..why would we even attempt to banish you…You're the only one who could tell us apart. "
"I can't explain it, I only know what happened to me, to my father."
I slowly extend a hand out to tenderly touch her hand. Her smooth skin sends ripples of heat up my arm by the mere touch of a few fingers. "How can you honestly think that ….Hell, I'm not stupid, I know we embarrassed you plenty of times? …But we were all best friends just hanging out together."
Her eyes fall to our hands and she snatches it away from my needful fingers in disgust.
There's such a difference between us….And a million miles.
"Is that how you treat your best friends? Strip everything within their grasp…. That they've ever cared about! ….That they've ever dreamed for!" She tried to act like the old blunt Haruhi but I could see her curve into herself as she physically and emotionally attempted to protect herself from just being in the same room with me. Damn, she's just a shell of her former self…Ranka's words flashed into my head.
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Flash back to Ranka's words. "My little girl was so distraught she couldn't think for herself."
Seeing her broken just about shattered my heart. Damn, just as I thought ,Kyoya took everything from her…but as much as I burn to touch her once more to comfort her in my arms I force myself to hold back as I speak out in the most honest tone. "I swear to you Haru it's not what you think …I'm not sure what exactly happened. ….But, Hika, Honey-sempi and Mori-sempi and myself have never turned our backs on you …You were lied to by people you trusted."
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I deliberately kneeled down to catch her fallen eyes. "People we all trusted."
Her eyes burn down as she motions to the room and the grey rainy weather outside ….I quickly stand to try and calm her down. "Really Kaoru, then where have you taken me? I'm not the same girl you can kidnap off the street on a whim, for the club's amusement ….like some damn toy." Haruhi sneered out.
Her chosen words shot straight threw my chest with a sharp pain like some damn arrow. I reached my hand up to ease the pain but it was no use. It was so deep it could never be reached physically .So I took a deep breath and spoke honestly, knowing she was going to be pissed when I told her. "You're in New York at a small estate my mother owns for extended trips …..Normally, I wouldn't stay here but seeing as your words would be heated when we finally talked …..I brought you here."
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A streak of fury spreads in her eyes as she glared into mine. "New York …you brought me across the damn country …..Where it all ended….What the hell were you thinking?"
Extending two hands out in front of my chest in an attempt to calm her down. "I know …..I know it sounds awful but please listen to me." Giving her my best molten, golden eyes while pleading to her.
She doesn't say a word with her arms folded at her chest and her heated eyes burning a hole through me.
Stepping forward I grab both her arms to try and get her to look at my honest expression. "Look…..Haru, I've been searching for you for years, I wasn't about to let you slip through my fingers …because of your father's thugs."
"My father …..You're making no sense ….If you knew where I was, why didn't you come and speak with me?" She attempted to struggle from my grasp but failed.
I must've called a thousand times… To tell you I'm sorry, for everything that we've done.
With the lonely memories of year after year of searching my eyes moisten. Letting out a long painful breath before speaking. "Because I didn't know where you were …..It's just by pure luck my private investigator found your father ….and from that I was able to get a picture of both of you." Redundantly I allow my hands to drop to carefully reach into my pocket. With a quick swipe to my phone's screen I hand her the picture.
I desperately pointed to the picture on my phone. "After that, it was a matter of hours before I was on a plane to the states…You see, I'm telling you the truth, I never stopped searching for you."
Her moisten eyes glanced up into mine with a miserable look on her face. "Oh, Kaoru." Holding the phone she reaches to cover her mouth.
I begin to see her soften and believe in something my mouth was saying for the first time. She shakes her head to clear the creeping feeling before shoving the picture roughly at my chest. "If that's true, why didn't you just come to the bar and ask my father?"
Reaching out to firmly grab hold of her arms again, trying desperately to get her to look into my eyes. "I did Haru….the first night I arrived…I was served some massive, overly pink drink and I tried to explain to him what I knew. He told me to go back to Japan before having his thugs beat the crap out of me."
She struggles in my arms before violently pushing against my chest to free herself. She turns away from me and shakes her head. "He wouldn't do that." At the moment the rain filtered light shimmered off her confused face.
Seeing as I must have struck a nerve I let out a long breath before speaking with honesty, once again. "I've had enough personal experience with the man to know he would if it would protect you, even from yourself. …and you know he would, Haru."
Hearing my words she walks over to the rain drizzled window to stare out of it. Her hands rub up and down her own arms, like she was either cold or giving herself some emotional support. Seeing it's rather warm in the room I'm betting on the latter then the former. I really can't blame her, being told such hurtful lies and believing them for years….Just seeing her like this is crushing me. Her miserable voice barely whispers out. "I don't know if you're telling me the truth or you're lying like the rest."
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Hearing her pained filled words strikes at my heart causing my fingers to hastily undo the buttons of my shirt. With my shirt completely open I cautiously make my way to stand behind her. "Haru, look at me." My soft, urging words blow against her neck.
"I can't, I don't know what to think." She continues to stare out the window as she shakes her head.
I gently grab the sides of her shoulders while my head falls forward against the back of her head. "Damn it Haru, will you please look at me for just one second? That's all I ask." Using soft pleading words I let go and take one step away from her.
With my docile actions she gradually turns her body away from the window. Her eyes grow in horror with the sight of dark purple splotches across my stomach and chest. Her hand timidly traces along the dark purple bruises causing my stomach muscles to shutter with her mere touch. "Kaoru is that from my father?"
Soothing sounds of trickling rain drops splatter against the window while my hand lightly traces along her shoulder. I tenderly lock on to her moistened chocolate eyes while giving her a small nod of my head in reply before softly speaking. "Can't you see, I'm telling you the truth…..I've been telling the truth this entire time."
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The hand lightly touching my bruises moves to my chest to give out a small confused shove. Catching her wrist I compassionately pull her closer in my bare chest. "Kaoru, I don't know what to believe …your world has caused so much pain …..So many lies." Confused she drops her eyes from mine and turns her head away. Gently holding her in my arms causes our quarrelsome words to pause for the moment. Allowing a soft tune to meander from the radio.
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~Hello from the other side… I must have called a thousand times~
~To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done…..But when I call you never seem to be home.~
"Kaoru, that doesn't explain why I'm here."
My hand softly cups her face causing her to flinch but not turn her head. With my hand I carefully raise it so I can see her troubled chocolate eyes. When I'm sure my golden eyes are locked on to hers I begin to speak softly. "Once I saw you on the street after so many years of searching …I just couldn't let you go and turn away. Your father's thugs left me little choice after you fainted in my arms." I forcibly restrained myself back from getting any closer…from falling into those lips where I so desperately wanted to lose myself.
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~Hello from the outside….At least I can say that I've tried …To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart~
She pulls away from my arms but doesn't break eye contact. "I'm sorry Kaoru, I'm not the same girl you use to know .Your friends have seen to that. …..Just take me back home ….to where I belong ….I don't have anything else to talk to you about." Her cold, distant tone causes a sickening feeling in my stomach.
~But it don't matter. It clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore. ~
Stepping away as I pull back my shoulders to strengthen my resolve. "I'm sorry too, Haruhi…..but I can't do that …I won't do that." I vehemently shake my head.
"What? You can't just keep me prisoner!" She begins to repeatedly strike at my bare chest with her closed fists in overwhelming anger.
"Damn it, I have a life back in Oregon, it's nothing like my dreams ….but hay dreams are for kids….and damn rich bastards such as yourself …..Not for people like me….I demand you to take me home!"
I can't take seeing the pain we caused this woman as I step forward and lock her into a protective hug. A protective hug I burn to always keep around her. She struggles and punches my face and chest, with all her pent up anger from over the years. I do nothing but allow her strikes. Holding my arms around her as I begin to serve my penance for the pain the club has caused her.
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Her punches begin to slow as I lean down to whisper in her ear. "I'm so sorry Haru, I'm begging you, please give me some time to fix what my world has done to you …all I ask is for you to trust me…..I swear to you I will fix this." Tears stream down my cheeks with the emotional promise. Not because of her blows but from what the so called host club inflicted on her …If we had just left her alone there isn't a doubt in my mind she would have succeeded in her dreams.
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Her head falls against my chest. "I don't think I can do that." My heart tugs at my chest when I feel small drops fall onto my bare skin.
One of my hands lifts up to slide my hand over her silky hair in a comforting manner. "Please Haru try…..If I ever meant anything to you at all …will you please just try?"
~And it's no secret that the both of us Are running out of time~
"What about Hikaru …and the others?" She sniffles as she softly speaks in my chest.
Raising a hand to gently lift her head to wipe away her tears while I give her a small reassuring smile between wandering trails of tears on my own skin. "No one else knows I found you."
"Why are you looking for me anyway …wasn't it a long time ago?" Her voice cracks while softly asking the question with her confused chocolate eyes burning into mine.
"It was a long time ago but I couldn't just let you vanish from our past." My tear filled eyes stare down into hers… Because I'm in love with you over the years and couldn't let you go.
"Oh Kaoru, that's sweet and all but you pulled an old host club trick and flew me across country, and I'm supposed to trust you ?" Her untrusting eyes glare into my direction.
Noticing her glare I nervously scratch the back of my back before speaking honestly. "And if I'm being perfectly honest. We won't be in New York for long. I plan on flying us out shortly after I tie up a few loose ends with my work."
She pulls her face away from my hand. "Yeah, you both have followed in your mother's footsteps….fashion week is it?"
"Wait, you know?" astonished to hear her words.
She shrugs her shoulders as she steps away and turns back to the window. "Even though I'm pissed at you and I can't trust you…. it didn't keep me from looking you up on the internet …..I was curious."
Speaking honestly once again….. I will always tell her the truth…So hopefully one day I can earn back her trust. Of course at the moment friendship looked impossible….forget about love of any sort. The mere thought caused my stomach to bubble up with bile….because I burned for so much more. "Well, I plan on taking you to London next."
"You just can't fly someone out of the country against their will."
"Well, I'm hoping it won't be …..But if need be, I'll do what needs to be done. Hell, I've been threatened, shot at, beaten up….I'm already running from the Japanese mob for you .What's a little jump over the pound to another country?
I gave her a serious CEO kind of face before speaking with determination. "Even if you end up hating me I will fix this….please, trust me."
~ Hello from the other side … I must have called a thousand times... ~
~To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done…But when I call you never seem to be home~
"I'm sorry I can't." She never turns away from the window to look at me.
Letting out an exasperated sigh I glance down at my watch. "Look, this isn't getting us anywhere and I need to get to work. Jake, my driver, will bring you anything you need ….well except for a phone and computer for obvious reasons.…We'll talk more when I get back …...Please try and look pass the pain…..I'm not lying to you." I look back to the beautiful troubled woman facing the window as I twist the handle to slip through the door.
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"Kaoru, I don't know what to believe …your world has caused so much pain …..So many lies." Her confused, soft words float into my ears before the door clicks shut. Exhausted, my determined exterior crumbles while my back falls against the door. My head drops in defeat with pained words whispered pass my lips as tears begin to silently fall. "She will never love me."
~Hello from the outside... At least I can say that I've tried… ~
~To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart….. But it don't matter. It clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore~
End of Kaoru's POV….
A/N When you see the print in italic its Kaoru's thoughts or words that just happen to be lines from the song.
When you see it in bold italic it's the actual song playing over the radio. I don't really want to spoil the moment so I'm explaining it better you know then not know and be confused.
Hikaru's POV …later that night.
Starving and my feet still blistered from my search I decided tonight I would take the car to get dinner…when my eyes fell onto some rather attractive women dressed in scantly black dresses and bright pink feather boas around each of them. I had to raise an eyebrow to the feather boas and the tiaras but the giggling girls boosted my curiosity as I watched them enter a garishly bright building. There was a sign hanging over the entrance with the words ….."Darrcelle's"
"Driver, pull over I need to stop for a drink before dinner."
End of Hikaru's POV
End of chapter 15.
Sorry again for splitting the chapter it flows better with the story.
A/N So I wanted to thank 0rchidd for the awesome idea for this chapter….The song fits beautifully. Wherever you are I hope this finds you well.
I also wanted to explain about the twin phone call .Kaoru and Hikaru are 4 hours apart but Kaoru thinks Hikaru is still in Japan which would be 17 hours apart.
Okay sorry for the delay of this update I came down with a horrible cold, I'm slowly getting over it but I can now lift my head off my pillow to type so that's a plus. I really wanted this chapter to be just right.
Wow this story now has 61 followers Thank you so much. Please Follow/review/share. I can't say a few words wouldn't be appreciated from you all. This week alone I've written over 18,000 words.
Well I better get moving on the next Ouran with Hikaru's Doodles after that the land of vampires.
Thanks for taking a peek ;) Alimackatjac.
