Pairing: KyouyaxHaruhi
Rating: eto...PG. Nothing serious in this chapter.
Written for: the sake of writing
Dedicated to: all of my readers and reviewers! Thank you so much for giving me support and critiques without hurting my feelings (much) xD You are all wonderful!
Warning: Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. This fanfic is also slightly songfic like AND SLIGHTLY BORING. (What's up with me and boring chapters?) And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there /

Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...if I had a penny every time I wish I owned Ouran, I would be filthy rich by now but since I'm not, that would mean I don't own Ouran xP

Kimi no Koe

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

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Chapter Four:

Ootori Kyouya rarely woke up before nine a.m. (in a good mood no less), but for some strange reason, he was up at seven a.m. and even felt energetic enough to jog at the Ootori private park for an hour before returning to his condo and showering.

Just a few days ago, he was forced out of bed by Tamaki and whisked away in a limo with his sister before stopping at a circus who claimed to be in town for only one day. Of course, Suou Tamaki, the rightful heir to the Suou name and was now very successful, just had to go before they "missed a spectacular event that may one day unite commoners and rich folk alike." Then he was whisked away once more to some sort of freak carnival before ending up at Haruhi's workplace.

He had expected at least some sort of peace there but instead opened the door only to find that a rodent had landed in his arms as if it had been running away from something and expected him to protect it. While Tamaki was buoyant to see Haruhi in proper girlish clothes (does he even remember that she had rejected his proposal a few years back?) Kyouya secretly felt that Haruhi was fine just the way she was, in men's and women's clothes.

Remembering the little lie he told Haruhi during Tamaki's and Fuyumi's little chat, his mind blanked out for a moment. Why had he told her that Tamaki requested her presence when Tamaki clearly was more interested in chatting with his sister? Why on earth did he, Ootori Kyouya, request for her presence anyway and then lied about it?

"Ootori-sama," a voice came over the intercom as he sat at his laptop, finishing up a few business documents that needed to be sent out the next day.

"Yes?" He replied, saving his documents and shutting his laptop with a soft click.

"Your car is ready,"

He stood and walked over to his bed where he placed his jacket and pulled on the said casual jacket (though the price was not-so-casual) over his black turtleneck.

"Thank you," Kyouya grabbed his car keys and prepared to leave his home, placing his wallet and cell phone carefully in his pockets.

Haruhi had been very considerate and asked for him to meet her at her apartment at eleven a.m. When he had raised an eyebrow at the rather bizarre time, she only smiled her innocent smile and said, "Kyouya-senpai isn't a morning person, right?"

He stopped at the door, his hand resting on the doorknob. This feeling that welled up in his throat was indistinguishable to him. There was something about this feeling that would have made any expressive human being feel like crying, or feel the need to be embraced by warm, loving arms.

Kyouya shook his head violently and boldly opened his condo door, locking it behind him. There wasn't any time in his life to be thinking useless, sentimental thoughts. He was a busy man, investing in his own investments to satisfy his father, struggling to become better businessmen than his brothers, and…

He walked down to his car and waved away the valet who was prepared to open the door for him. There were rare times when he wanted to escape this routine life with servants and all. That was always a strange thought for him, considering he looked down on commoners ever since he was a child. They were always known as scum and nothing higher.

But that changed when he met Haruhi. Sure, he was skeptical of her at first and had fun raising her debt and playing games with her mind but as he watched her from the shadows, he found that she wasn't at all what he had predicted. She was beautiful (in her own way, of course), her eyes looking into the horizon, giving her an almost-dreamy appeal. Playing games with her was just a way to pass the time at Ouran and he had enjoyed it. He didn't realize just how much his world revolved around her until the day of his and Tamaki's graduation.

While Tamaki was stone-faced and looking positively miserable that night, fingering the velvet box in his pocket nervously all during the chairman's speech and whatnot, he had felt relieved that he was leaving Ouran for good. School had only hindered his time and his future plans for the Ootori company and leaving the confining marble school was probably the best moment in his life. (Well, that and then the time when he will finally be named the heir of the Ootori company.)

It wasn't until the graduation dinner that he noticed that Haruhi had accepted Tamaki's invitation to their graduation and was standing to the side with the Hitachiin twins. They were speaking in low tones and he caught a look of frustration on Hikaru's face (who else would make such a sour face when Tamaki waltzed up to Haruhi and asked her to dance?) when Haruhi was whisked away.

The moment Tamaki and Haruhi disappeared into the crowded dance floor, Kyouya realized that the next day, he would no longer have the chance to manipulate her, or to see her unravel into a blossoming woman, who will one day capture men's eyes and hearts. At that thought, he felt a little bit of emptiness inside of his chest. He was a proud person and he hated the thought that Haruhi could rouse any sort of feeling within those ice barriers he placed over himself. Why was she the only person who could stir up the feeling that he's shunned the entire eighteen years of his existence?

"Kyouya," Tamaki had spoken to him when the night came to an end and everyone was exchanging teary good-byes.

"What is it, Tamaki?" Kyouya had asked in return, pulling at his blasted tie with irritation.

"Haruhi—she, well, she said no," Tamaki had looked so horribly depressed and on the verge of killing himself that Kyouya immediately felt sorry for the man in front of him. "I don't suppose it's manly to cry now, is it?"

"No," Kyouya allowed his voice to soften a bit. "No, I suppose not."

After that night, Tamaki concentrated on winning his grandmother's affections and was then named the heir before working diligently as the master of the Suou empire. He had even dated a few women through omiai before politely declining their presence when the time came. Suou Tamaki declared that he would love Haruhi and only Haruhi before running into another large, brown-eyed commoner (although she was remarkably sweeter and just as cute as Haruhi) who he was currently courting with the utmost delight.

Kyouya had always wondered what Tamaki saw in Haruhi. She was blunt, nothing at all like a girl, and did not indulge in material pleasures as all other girls did at their age. She shot Tamaki down repeatedly, expressing her disinterest in him and yet, he kept chasing after her, like an unattainable dream.

He's still an idiot, Kyouya thought to himself with a light chuckle as he drove off to Haruhi's apartment complex, glancing at his watch quickly. But I'll give him credit for being a man—no matter how idiotic he may be.

When he arrived at the front of Haruhi's apartment complex, he was slightly surprised to find Haruhi already waiting for him. She was wearing a pair of girly jeans and a casual long-sleeved top that only made her look even more feminine. Her hair was slightly clipped back and a smile made its way to her face when she recognized his car.

Well then, He thought to himself. I suppose I can see why Tamaki was so infatuated with her.

--

Haruhi breathed in the cool air as she watched Kyouya's black car drive up to her apartment complex. It was so like him to buy a black car, and an expensive European one at that. He wasn't the type to buy a flashy car, considering his conservative personality.

She had just returned from an idle stroll around the block (the fall weather was too nice today to stay cooped up at home) before she recognized the black car driving towards her. She's only seen his car once but she knew it at first glance because the driver in the driver's seat gave a detached and mysterious air that was easy to place.

"Kyouya-senpai," She greeted him with a smile as he pulled up next to her. "Good morning."

"Good morning," He replied as he shut off the engine.

"Would you like to come inside for a bit?" Haruhi asked him, pulling the collar of her jacket up to block the icy wind. "My things are inside."

Kyouya didn't reply but instead, joined her at the curb and followed her inside the warm complex. She greeted the security amiably and led him up to her apartment in silence. Opening the door, she welcomed the warm atmosphere of her home and glanced up at Kyouya to see his reaction.

He was emotionless, as usual, but his appearance seemed a bit gentler than before as he gazed around her apartment in forged disinterest. Her home was most definitely not as magnificent as his, nor was it stylishly furnished, but Haruhi found it comfortable and homey. It was the perfect place to study in and relax in whenever she needed to.

Haruhi headed for the small kitchen on her left and grabbed the paper bag sitting on the counter before she smiled lightly at Kyouya and spoke, "Would you like a tour of my home now or after?"

"After would be fine," Kyouya answered, giving the brown bag in her hand an apprehensive glance before gesturing towards the door. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Haruhi spoke, slipping back into her shoes before following him out of her home.

Their trip out of the warm complex was silent but Haruhi found it to her liking. As a child, she never liked loud noises; when it got loud enough, it would remind her of thunder and the very thought of it made her jumpy and nervous. Besides that, Kyouya possessed an atmosphere that made her feel like she was sinking into a nice warm bath after a day's worth of hard work and endless studying. It was a very comfortable feeling.

"Where are we going?" Kyouya inquired, pulling his car keys back out of his pocket as they walked back out into the cool air. He looked like he was ready to jump inside his luxurious car in attempt to avoid any other commoner sight he might have to get in involved with.

"We don't need a car for where we're going," Haruhi gave a small chuckle. "We'll be walking there. The weather's wonderful today for walking, don't you think so?"

Haruhi watched as Kyouya paused, processed her words for a moment before murmuring, "Yes, the weather is nice today."

At those words, Haruhi felt a foreign warmth spreading throughout her body. That was strange, wasn't it? They weren't sweet words directed at her, nor did they have any intention of any feelings for her on his part, but she felt as if she was slightly floating on air and felt a twinge of happiness in her chest.

As they walked towards the park, Haruhi remembered the years they spent at Ouran. She was never close to Kyouya and only truly talked to him about once or twice, but other than that, all she could do was watch him. He was always known to be the "Shadow King" and manipulated everyone, and anyone, who could pose to be some kind of financial benefit, but as she watched him, she began to realize that the "Shadow King" wasn't as evil as she first thought of him to be. He was strangely gentle and careful around his friends and even though he would deny it, he cared a lot about them. He never showed his emotions on his face (or, his true emotions anyway) but she knew deep down inside of him that he was probably suffering under the weight of the rich society.

"Good morning, Haruhi-chan!" The lady at the fruit stand waved at her as they passed by.

"Good morning," Haruhi answered cheerfully. Haruhi felt Kyouya's eyes on her and she looked up to meet his eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Kyouya answered, looking ahead once more. "Are commoners always like this?"

"Like what?" Haruhi asked, slightly confused.

"Like this," Kyouya waved a hand at smiling merchants and customers exchanging hearty hellos and 'see you later's. "Cheerful, unsophisticated,"

"Well," Haruhi began thoughtfully. "If we're unsophisticated but happy, I think we'd rather be unsophisticated."

"I see," Kyouya said quietly before looking somewhere ahead of them.

Haruhi felt a sliver of melancholy-like feeling coming from him and stared up at him in wonder. Did he finally understand the ways of the commoner—simple living with a happy existence? Or was he reflecting on his own life, surrounded by riches and loneliness?

"Ah, we're here," Haruhi spoke up as they reached the entrance to the park.

"We're going in here?" Kyouya raised an eyebrow at the laughing children, running about the park chasing each other.

"Yes," Haruhi replied. "We're going to feed the ducks."

After a short moment's hesitation, Kyouya joined her and they fell in step with each other as they headed for the pond.

The trees were not bare yet; the leaves on their branches turning a light bronze color, indicating that they have begun their yearly change. The air was refreshing and cool, and the slight breeze played over the idle beings in the park. Many were seated underneath those trees with blankets spread out, munching happily on picnic food. Laughter filled the air as children ran past them and couples looked on fondly with hands intertwined and bodies close. Music played lightly in the background from someone's stereo and gave the park an almost-romantic atmosphere, but not quite.

Haruhi opened the brown bag when they reached the pond and broke off bits and pieces of bread before throwing it at the rippling waters. She seated herself at its shore and watched as the ducks swam cautiously up to the crumbs before snatching at it and swimming away until they were back at a safe distance.

"Is this what commoners do for fun?" Kyouya asked her, seating himself at the pond's edge next to her. "Feeding wildlife and sitting outside?"

Haruhi thought for a moment before, "Yes, I suppose it's what we do for fun. But there are other ways we have fun too."

Kyouya fell silent once more and gazed out at the pond with faraway eyes. The breeze wafted through his dark hair, mussing it up enough to make him look less refined but somehow, he still held that natural intensity. Was it his thoughts that made him seem almost impossible to reach? Or was it the ice barriers that she wasn't able to overcome, no matter how hard she tried?

I suppose I'll have to wait until those ice barriers melt, Haruhi thought with a sigh. Or else I'll never understand what goes through his head.

Haruhi broke off another piece of bread and threw it into the pond. She watched as it arched gracefully into the blue sky and fall with a silent plop onto the water before a nearby duck dove for it eagerly.

"Why don't you give it a try?" Haruhi asked, handing him the bag.

Kyouya gave her a rather subtle glare before releasing a sigh and reaching into the bag to break off a piece of bread. Then, he tossed it into the pond rather carelessly and watched in slight amusement as a hoard of ducks rushed towards the crumb.

It went like this for half an hour—Kyouya breaking off a piece and throwing it into the pond before handing Haruhi the bag and the vice versa would occur. This happened until they finished ripping the bread to pieces and ended up just staring out at the park.

Haruhi felt at peace and for once her mind wasn't on her studies or her work. The atmosphere of the park was nice, the weather was nice, and the person she sat next to was silent, something she cherished in her loud, chaotic life. Perhaps it was because of the silence and comfort that his presence offered that made her feel this not-quite-infatuated feeling? She felt as if she was infatuated but there was something different and yet…she felt that she knew the feeling well. It was quite a complicated concept and she decided not to dwell on it any longer.

As noon slowly approached, they listened to the various songs that came over the nearby stereo. Many couples were leaving the park for lunch but Haruhi felt too comfortable to bring up the subject of leaving the park. Suddenly, she perked up when she heard the popular American song "When You Say Nothing At All" by the singer Alison Krauss.

Haruhi closed her eyes to the sweet tune before opening them to find a hand outstretched to her.

"May I have this dance?" Kyouya asked her with a small smile.

Haruhi felt her eyes widen before replying with a small smile and blush, "Yes."

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word, you can light up the dark
Try as I may I could never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing

Haruhi took his hand and allowed him to help her up. He wrapped his arm around her waist and entwined his free hand with hers, pulling her into his tall frame. She couldn't remove the dark blush staining her cheeks but smiled to herself as she allowed him to dance with her.

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

His movements were graceful and experienced, as if he's been dancing to this song since the beginning of time. Haruhi found it easy to dance to his steps, considering she was always told she had two left feet when it came to dancing (not to forget to mention that her two left feet appeared when she first met the Host Club in the Third Music Room.)

All day long I can hear people talking out loud
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd
Old Mr. Webster could never define
What's being said between your heart and mine

The only things that Haruhi could hear was her own breathing and his, matched evenly. The random chattering of the lingering couples and families were gone—it was as if she was caught in a world that only consisted of her and Kyouya.

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

Haruhi felt slightly concerned as she dwelled upon their situation—what was this feeling that was materializing in her stomach? Something sweet, yet slightly melancholy, like a dream.

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

She snapped out of her thoughts as Kyouya twirled her around and dipped her deeply. Her eyes widened and she burst out laughing as he brought her back up to a standing position once more. Their eyes met and Haruhi felt her laugh fade away as he gave her a single, sincere smile that couldn't have lasted more than a second before he leaned down, his face only centimeters from her own. Haruhi allowed her eyes to close before…

"LOOK, IT'S HARUHI!" Two familiar voices called out to them. "AND KYOUYA-SENPAI!"

Haruhi only felt a bit disappointed when Kyouya pulled away, putting at least an arm's length of distance between them. She sighed and turned towards the voices to find two redheads sprinting towards them.

"Kaoru? Hikaru?"

--

Author's Note: MUWAHHAHA! CLIFFHANGER...kind of. xD

I'm so sorry that this chapter was late (I know...if I was a real writer, I would never make the deadlines on time and my editor would be planning my ultimate death right now) but Nya-san got me into neopets again and...well, those of you who has played neopets before know how addicting it is, right? xP (AND FFNET WOULDN'T LET ME UPLOAD THE DOCUMENT! STUPID STUPID STUPID!)

...but also, it's thanks to Nya-san that I actually got this chapter out, instead of completely giving up on this fic.

- "Ootori-sama" translates to "Master Ootori." The prefix -sama is addressed to those above someone else. (Like a servant to a king)
- "Kyouya-senpai" The prefix -senpai is used for those higher than you. For example, an 8th grader would call an 11th grader "-senpai"
- "omiai" is a formal date between an eligible man and woman with the intention of marriage.
- "Haruhi-chan!" The prefix -chan is used for those either younger than you, or someone you are affectionately close to.

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!