She held that same annoyed direct eye contact with me for a solid thirty seconds.

"You know I don't like surprises, senpai." Her eyebrows still furrowed.

"You know, I thought you'd have learned to trust me a little by now, hm?" I smiled at her. "It's nothing Tamaki crazy."

"Nothing is Tamaki crazy but Tamaki. And the twins occasionally, but normally only when a dash of Suoh is added to the mix…" I mean, she wasn't wrong.

"So what, you want to sit in my bedroom forever? I guess I couldn't oppose that…" Her eyes darted from mine, to around the room, to straight ahead of her, wide open. I think she may have forgotten that this was in fact my personal bedroom. I'd tell her that I was having a guest room a few doors down made up for her later.

"I guess you're right, I most certainly can't stay in your room forever." She still wouldn't look at me. "I guess I have to trust you at this point, huh."

"Well, I'm glad you see it my way." Honestly, I've always kind of enjoyed using slightly sexual undertones when talking to Haruhi. Not because I ever had any intention of trying anything with her, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy seeing her blush a little. It was cute.

A gentle knock on my door. "Yes, come in." I casually responded back.

"Good morning, Haruhi! I see my brother is in here being himself, hm?" My sister, Fuyumi walked in, and straight over to sit on the bed next to Haruhi. "Kyoya, could you excuse us a moment?" She waved her hand towards the door. Haruhi barely knew my sister, I honestly had no idea what she wanted, but I nodded and went into the hallway, trying my hardest not to eavesdrop through the door.

I decided to take the time to go down to Haruhi's new room, unpack some of her things for her. I always like how this bedroom in particular was decorated. The walls were a very light grayish-lavender, and the bedding was a similar color, embroidered with small flowers along the bottom edge. I'd already put the bags I'd packed of her things in there. Her uniform was already steamed and hung up in the otherwise empty closet. I'd brought her phone and charger into my bedroom, so I figured I'd hang up her less "delicate" clothing. I didn't really want her thinking I was doing something...unsavory with them. Not that I was. But, better safe than sorry…

Hanging everything only took five or so minutes. I really hadn't grabbed very much, I only had one bag to put it all in, after all. I then took out the pictures I'd grabbed, putting them on the dresser that was across from her bed.

I wanted to go back to her apartment and grab the rest of her things, but at this point, I had no idea how to get around Ranka. I did still have a key, but god knows if he'd gotten worse with Haruhi leaving how she did. He worked at night, so maybe I'd try to go back tonight after Haruhi goes to sleep…

The door opened, and there was Fuyimi and Haruhi, now dressed in something other than what she'd been wearing last night, sitting in a wheelchair, looking thrilled.

"So, Haruhi! This is your roo- oh, Kyoya! I didn't expect you to be in here." Fuyumi laughed. I was kind of embarrassed and I wasn't exactly sure why.

"Kyoya… did you go back and get my pictures…?" Haruhi asked quietly, looking genuinely astonished. Even though I knew the answer, I didn't know what to say.

"I mean, I-" I started.

"I'll leave you guys alone now! Lemme know if you need anything Haruhi! I don't live far at all!" Fuyumi smiled and winked at me and she walked away. She's never really been given a chance to tease me in front of a girl, I guess she was taking her chance while she had it.

"This room is beautiful…" She slowly rolled herself all the way into the room, looking around. "Kyoya...you didn't have to do all of this…" she trailed off looking at the bags, and the photos.

"Yes I did, Haruhi."

"But you didn't-"

"Haruhi." I interrupted her. "I know I can come off as a very… self centered person, but…" Why was I saying this?

"And in a lot of ways, I am. But…you…and the Hosts. You're different. I care about you."

"Kyoya.."

"I'm not done." I interjected again. "Haruhi. You are very important to me. I had to get you out of your situation. I had to do it in a way that I thought would make you the most comfortable, I…"

"Kyoya. You have no idea how upset I was when I realised you knew. Back in the music room. If I've learned anything from you, it's that you're an unbelievably observant guy. But. As upset as I was, I'm really glad it was you. At first, it was because I knew you wouldn't tell everyone else. But now, it's… God, I'm really bad at this kind of thing...Thanks, Kyoya, is what I think I'm trying to get at here." She was bright red, looking a little down and to the left.

"You know, you didn't have to trust me. But I'm really glad you did. And hopefully, still do. Enough to come see the little surprise, maybe?"

She smirked at me. "Okay, fiiiinnnneeee. I guess I don't have much choice do I? I *am* in a chair with wheels and handles."

That she was. I grabbed the handles and pushed her down the hallway. A few maids passed by us as we walked, all of them whispering to each other.

"This is killing you, isn't it, Haruhi?"

"I have never wanted to use my legs and walk more passionately than I do at this moment in time."

"Not a fan of being waited on hand and foot, hm?"

"You know I hate it."

"I do. And the entire staff of this home know that too." She looked up at me, confused. "They all know that they aren't to attempt to wait on you unless you explicitly ask. Once you're able to get around on your own effectively, chair or no, you have the full run of the house. Now, if you want a meal delivered to you, or your room cleaned, or anything else, you have all of the phone numbers you need in your room, but you don't have to use any of it."

"That… is strangely thoughtful. I think Tamaki would have guards posted at my door at all times!" She laughed a little at the thought. Even though she didn't realise that that was a complete understatement."

"Where are we going anyway? I forgot how massive your house was..."

"Don't you know the definition of a surprise, Haruhi?" We were almost there, anyway. "Close your eyes."

"Do I have too?"

"If you don't mind"

She looked up at me. "Well maybe I DO mind, I don't like surpri…" She stopped mid thought. We were there. "Woah…"

I'd taken her to our back garden. In my time knowing her, I knew she secretly adored colorful flowers and plants and the like. Our garden was massive, and I thought it might bring her at least a little joy.

"Kyoya, this is incredible! Some of these flowers aren't even from Japan and...How do you not spend every moment you're home out here?"

"Who's to say I don't?" I pointed to a table under a gazebo with roses growing up the sides. "Most Host events are planned right there. Me in the right chair, Tamaki in the left."

"So...is he here a lot?" She was clearly a little concerned.

"A couple of times a month, at least. Luckily, he doesn't wander around without me. So even if he should come before anyone knows you're here, I can keep him away from you pretty easily."

"You really planned for everything…" her thoughts seemed to leave her as she looked at the koi pond. "Hey, so, how long do I have to use this stupid chair? I'd love to wander around here at my own pace, you know?"

"The chairs probably only necessary for a couple of days. Our families doctors are going to look you over again in a day or two, and they'll probably clear you to use an orthopedic boot for the remaining healing time. From what they told me, the fracture didn't seem too unmanageable."

"What about school…?"

"You'll be cleared for school as soon as they know for sure the concussion is healed properly. Probably a week. And before you ask, the administration is already aware of your new living lituation, without having given them any details, and cannot give out any of your details to anyone. Even the Hosts. Or your father…" I felt bad bringing Ranka up, but I wanted her to know she was safe, at least.

"I'm okay with the situation. With dad." She looked up at me, no real sadness on her face. "Well. Not okay. But. You don't have to walk around talking about him. I'm fine talking about it. With you, at least. I know you had more questions. So. I'm going to tell you everything I know, okay?"

"Haruhi, you don't have to.."

"I mean, you deserve to know. Besides, I haven't had anyone to talk about it with, so. I want to tell you everything." She took a deep breath.

"One day, after we'd all been gone for a weekend for an event, I walked into the apartment while dad was at work, we'd gotten home kind of late. It was a mess. Plates and glasses broken on the kitchen floor, all of mom's things were knocked over, even her urn. I thought we'd been robbed or something, so I called dad. He screamed at me on the phone, not to touch anything. Probably in a tone similar to what you must have heard when you called him. I told him okay, that I loved him, and hung up. I realised my bedroom door was open. Drawers open, a picture frame broken, a bunch of my pockets were turned inside out. Which is, I think, when I kind of realised what happened. Dad had been looking for money. Which I now realise was probably just to drink. But anyway…"

"Did he actually TAKE any money?" I asked her, trying not to sound rude, but I was genuinely curious.

"No, I didn't have any in there. Which is, I assume, why the rest of the house was trashed. He was drunk and angry. I went back out into the living room to start picking up, starting with moms urn. It was locked, luckily, but I moved it into my bedroom closet, kind of tucked away in a corner. I felt like mom wouldn't have liked the mess, so I moved her out of there. I got everything cleaned up relatively quickly, and about when I finished is when dad came home. I asked him if he was looking for money, and told him I really only had a few dollars to give him if he needed it, and that's kind of where everything went downhill. That's when it went from being drunk a lot to being downright violent." She lifted up her shirt a little bit, exposing the big bruise I'd seen before. "That's the day this happened."

I didn't even know what to say to her. "Why didn't you tell anyone…?"

"I thought I could handle it. He is my dad, after all. I was just… wrong."

We sat outside for hours, just talking. About anything and everything. Time had really gotten away from us, It was starting to get dark.

"Haruhi, it's getting late, and you look tired. How about I bring you upstairs, and we'll talk more tomorrow." She nodded, yawning and stretching.

We made our way back upstairs, and I took her into her room. "By the way, I will be going to school tomorrow. I will keep my phone on me though, please, don't hesitate to text me if you need me, okay? And Fuyumi told me she'd be around to help you out while I'm gone, to help you get acquainted with the house."

"That sounds as okay as anything could right now...Oh shoot!" She'd clearly realised something. "I left my phone in your room."

"Well, I'll be right back then." I walked over to my room and grabbed it. It lit up as I picked it up. A bunch of notifications from Tamaki, and a couple from Hikaru and Kaoru. I wasn't about to snoop. I walked it back over to her room, along with the charger, which I plugged in for her, next to the bed.

"Good luck answering all of those texts, Haruhi." she looked down and groaned.

"That can be for tomorrow Haruhi." She said, throwing her phone on the end table. "Today Haruhi is somehow exhausted at seven pm."

"Get some sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Haruhi." She nodded at me. "Good night." I smiled at her, turning the main lights off.

"Good night!" She chimed back. I could tell she'd be out in a matter of minutes.

While I'd like to have gotten caught up on what I'd missed at school, I wanted to go to Haruhi's apartment and get the rest of her things while she was asleep. I knew she'd stop me if she knew I was going.

I grabbed all of my large suitcases, walked downstairs and threw them in my car, and just went on my way down to her apartment complex, quiet classical music playing through the speakers of my car.

Never in my life, had I both wanted to kill a man, and also hug a person at the same time. But there's a first for everything, I suppose.