It had been a month, the best month of Takashi's life in his estimation since Haruhi agreed to be his. Tonight, he, Honey, Reiko, and the hosts were spending the night at the Sumeragi estate to spend time with Haruhi and Yuki.
They would be leaving soon. He hated it, and he was taught not to hate things, but the separation from Haruhi was like a giant maw waiting to suck him inside, the empty feeling welled up inside him each time he thought about it.
He would support her dreams. He had another month to spend with her before she left, and he would make every moment count.
For the last month, they lived in their own bubble. Tonight they would tell their other friends that they were together. He supposed they would be supportive. They were a family. But, he was still uneasy when it came to Hikaru. He had feelings for Haruhi and was her best friend, too. He didn't want to interfere with that. He never would. He wasn't a neanderthal that dictated her life, who she could associate with.
No. He would never be that person.
"Takashi, a word before you go," his father said nodding towards the office.
He entered the office and slid the door shut and sat in front of his father, folding his legs gracefully as they sat at the small table in the corner of the room.
His father waited for the maid to pour the tea before he spoke. He was much more relaxed knowing this wasn't a dressing down or a serious talk, otherwise, his father would be sitting behind his massive desk. This was casual.
"Takashi," he started after he took a sip of his tea. The cup made a whisper of a sound when he placed it on the saucer. "I know you and Haruhi have only been together for a month, but this is the first time you'll be sleeping in the same place as a couple. I wanted to remind you of our ways."
Takahi felt his face heat up and nodded, his hands folded in his lap. "I understand father. We are not at that point in our relationship. We have three years to go before we can marry."
"Be that as it may, you know if you decide to share yourself with her there is no turning back for either of you. You will marry her if that's the path you decide to go down. We won't judge, as long as you remember your teachings. You could ask her to marry you today and you know you have both families support."
"Thank you, father, and I do remember."
His father chuckled and picked up his cup once again and pressed it to his lips and studied his son. "It will take discipline to curve your desires for her. I know she's been on your mind for years, just remember."
"I will," he said as his father inclined his head towards him. "Mitsukuni is waiting for you. You may go and have fun now."
He formally bowed to his father and stood to his full height.
"One more thing, Takashi, make sure you use protection when you do."
He wanted to run out of the room, but he knew his father wouldn't accept or appreciate that. "Hn," he replied and slid the door open and saw Mitsukuni standing there with a knowing grin on his face.
He just narrowed his eyes at his cousin and moved down the hall, grabbing his bag as he walked straight to the limo.
"Kyoya, where are you off to?"
Kyoya froze for a moment before he turned fully to see his father there waiting for an answer. For the last month, he had been hounding him to ask Haruhi to be his. He hadn't had the opportunity, she had been busy and didn't get a chance to see her to ask.
He didn't sit ideally by while waiting for her, no, he had been busy making his move against his father. When he was still in high school he bought most of his father's companies knowing he would never be considered his heir.
The one thing he regretted was giving some of those companies back to him. He thought he would be proud of Kyoya for outsmarting him, but it had the opposite effect. He was incensed that Kyoya had done it.
Steeling himself he said, "I'm going over to the Sameragi estate to spend time with Haruhi and the others for a few days."
His father brightened at his words.
"She'll be going to Harvard in the fall and will be leaving soon."
His father frowned and cocked his head to the side for a moment. "Well, what's wrong with Ouran University?"
"Nothing," Kyoya said. "She just wants to be the best lawyer and she decided she wanted to go to Harvard to reach her dreams."
"I don't like it. We need her to stay here in Japan. What if she gets a job offer in America." He pursed his lips for a moment, deep in thought. Kyoya wanted to turn away and make his leave, but he knew that he hadn't been dismissed.
"You'll ask her to be yours this weekend, and demand that she stay here in Japan."
He wanted to snort at that. Telling Haruhi to do anything was impossible. That was one of the things that he loved about her. He cared deeply for her, and in reality, he would want to be with her, but she deserved someone better than him. He didn't have what it took to be a good husband. He needed someone who would be just as driven as him, which she was, but she would want someone who loved her and spent time with her. He couldn't offer that.
So it was plan B.
"Yes, sir," Kyoya said. He wanted to sneer the words at his father. He would have to speak to Haruhi and the others about his plan. He needed the help. He would take down his father and his righteous attitude.
"Get it done, Kyoya. Do not disappoint me again."
Kyoya let out his breath when his father spun on his heel and stalked back to his office or the pits of hell from which he came.
"Ready, sir?" Tachibana asked, holding the door open, Kyoya's bag in his hand.
He simply nodded and stepped out into the twilight.
Haruhi's house was like a spa. Now that Kyoya had time to look around he was impressed with the beauty. He didn't have time to appreciate it for when they had dinner that night as a family, they were dropped a bomb.
Haruhi was dating Mori-senpai.
His stomach rolled with the thought. Not that he wanted her as his own, no. He had planned on asking her for her help, but now his plan seemed impossible.
For the next day he kept to himself and tried to rework his plan, but each step he would take seemed impossible. His father wanted Haruhi.
He needed reinforcements and needed to come clean with everyone. He placed several calls and waited for them to arrive all the while trying to emote.
He watched his friends, his family, and felt dread creep inside his non-existent soul. It was almost time to come clean to all of them and he was fretting about their reaction. Not that his outward appearance showed it at all. He looked calm and collected.
There was a tentative knock on Haruhi's door and it swung open on well-oiled hinges her father stepped in, followed by Mori and Hunny-senpai's fathers. There was also the twins' mother, and of course, Tamaki's father.
"Father, is everything alright?" Haruhi asked and jumped up from her seat.
Sumeragi-san came to his daughter and wrapped his arm around her thin shoulders and kissed her temple. He pegged him with a look and raised a brow at him. "Everything is fine, love," he said. "Kyoya needed to speak to all of us."
Kyoya swallowed his fear and stood and began to pace as everyone found a seat. Haruhi sat next to Mori-senpai and grabbed his hand, worry etched on her face as he watched him.
He did appreciate the concern she exuded from her, she was always their champion trying to right what was wrong in their lives, so maybe this could work.
He straightened out and sat elegantly in his chair grabbing his laptop. "I need your help… Haruhi."
She furrowed her brows for a moment looking around the room before her eyes landed on his once again. "Whatever you need Kyoya-senpai, just let us know."
"It's not an easy request," he started. "I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend."
She paled and stiffened, her body leaning into Mori-senpai who sent him a murderous glare.
"Wait," he said as Tamaki and Hikaru began to read him the riot act. "As you know my father is less than kind." He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He wants Haruhi to be an Ootori in the worst way and it's my fear he will go to extremes to make that happen."
Her father grunted and shifted closer to his daughter. "What do you need from us?"
He laid out his plan. "I'm taking over his companies again. I need resources to do so. I could do it on my own, just not in the time frame that my father is demanding. He wants to see progress soon. Before he left he demanded that I make it happen."
Haruhi was quiet as he listened to him. He watched her expression and saw her trying to come up with something, anything to help him.
"Kyoya, I…" she whispered, tears misting her eyes. "I… I'm with Takashi. I won't disrespect him or our decision to be together just to pretend to be your girlfriend."
"I understand," he said with a nod. He knew she wouldn't agree to this. She had principles, yet another thing he loved and respected her for. His love for her wasn't a romantic love, although it could easily go there if he gave it time. He loved her as his family, someone he was protective of.
The parents started to speak to each other, their eyes worried as they studied the group of them. It was finally their chance to knock Ootori down, as Sumeragi-san said, and they wanted to help.
"Haruhi," her father started.
She raised her hand and shook her head, "No, dad, I'm with Takashi."
"We know," he said with a sigh. "It would be just for one night. Go over to the Ootori's and give Yoshio no reason to doubt his son. Then he will back off."
"Why?" she asked, bewildered. "Takashi is my choice. You said…"
"Yes, we know he's your choice, and we're proud you're part of the family," Mori-senpai's father said. "This will help all of us get ahead of Yoshio for once. Think of it as a game."
"It's too dangerous," Haruhi said. "No offence Kyoya, but I don't trust your father."
"You'll be leaving soon, so there be no reason for you to be near him after that night. You'll be in America where he can't get to you," Hunny-senpai's father said. "We'll all work at taking him down."
"I don't want my feelings for Takashi to be tainted."
"They won't be," Mori-senpai said. "I don't like this either, but they're right. This might be the only way to get Ootori-san out of Kyoya's life."
"Takashi," she whispered as she stared at him.
"We'll know the truth, our truth, that we are together," he said, wiping at the tears that tumbled down her cheeks.
"It just feels dirty," she said with a shudder.
He gathered her to him and kissed the top of her head. "I know, but the sooner we do this, the sooner we can get it behind us."
She pressed her lips to his chest in a tender moment and Kyoya had to look away.
She sniffed and pressed her lips to his and then gained his attention. "Alright, Kyoya-senpai. I'll help." She had fire behind her eyes as she looked at him. The fire he missed seeing.
His father didn't stand a chance.