One Month Later


The walk to the place was quiet, if not for Haruhi or Hikaru occasionally giggling at what happened a half hour prior.

After the initial laughing stopped, they'd both talked it out and made an agreement.

Going out for the items not five minutes later due to their excitement. Sure, the others couldn't know. They'd surely be furious. Especially considering that only the couple and their coworkers knew that the pair was living together.

However, the thought didn't put a damper on their moods. Still light on their feet as they made their way to the store. Both of them had been saving up for this, even if the other wasn't completely aware. Then the surprise popped up, prompting the activities of that afternoon.

When they made it, they were approached by the person they talked to on the phone who did commissions. Aside from one detail, the order wasn't the most difficult thing they had to do.

After making the payment, plus an good tip for the trouble, the person made them. The pendants of the black rings were metal roses. Red for Haruhi, orange for Hikaru. The same went for two beads placed on wither side of the pendants.

Afterward, they proudly wore their new engagement rings everywhere.

"No rush right? To get the license and whatnot?"

Haruhi shook her head. Still looking at what would also be her wedding ring, whenever it happened.

"No. We can get married at any time, it's just not a priority for me."

Hikaru laughed. Still reeling from becoming engaged as he looked at his ring with a metal rose as the pendant. Haruhi's detailing red like her host club color and hair color.

"Me neither. Small scale anyway, yeah?"

Haruhi nodded.

"Yeah, assuming anyone would want to go to our wedding after we tell them, anyhow..."

Hikaru grimaced.

"Ugh, I didn't even think about that. Well, we'll think of something. We're giving ourselves time, anyway."

Haruhi smiled.

"Yeah."


The Next Day


"This is amazing, Haruhi! I'm surprised you never considered a career in cooking!"

Haruhi flinched, but played it off with a mild laugh as she blushed at the compliment. Having made a batch of soup for lunch and brought it over to share with everyone. Even she was incredibly proud of how it turned out in comparison to her other attempts. And was glad there was still plenty at home, as it was one of her and Hikaru's favorites.

Ranka snorted.

"Please, she's got more important things on her mind, like her career as a lawyer. You don't put nine years worth of effort into getting a scholarship at a prestigious academy and university just to give up and be a cook."

Haruhi glanced down as she hoped that her disbelief wasn't visible. Even though it so clearly wasn't intentional, the insult directed at what she did for a living was like a knife driving itself and twisting inside of her spine, stretching the two halves it separated further apart painfully.

"I like cooking, too, Dad."

She closed her mouth tight immediately as the remark came out. Her hurt was obvious, and the ensuing guilt prompted Ranka to backpedal a reasonable amount. Well, a reasonable amount to him.

"Sorry! I meant that you simply have a stronger passion for law. Hence why you picked that as your career and spent all that time and effort getting there."

Haruhi hummed curtly, nodding in agreement as she didn't have the energy to agree verbally.

Tamaki cleared his throat.

"So, where'd you learn the recipe?"

Haruhi was about to tell them that it was one of the dishes that was recently added on the menu where she worked. But knew how to hold herself back before speaking this time.

"I found the recipe online and thought I'd give it a try."

Hani spoke up.

"Well it's amazing, Haru-Chan!"

Haruhi couldn't force down her smile for the life of her.

"Thank you."

Kaoru glanced around.

"Did Hikaru have work?"

Haruhi nodded.

"Yeah. He texted me to let you guys know he couldn't make it. He's hoping to make it next time, though."

Tamaki frowned.

"I hope so too. It's been a long time since we've seen each other."

Kyoya hummed.

"I still don't understand what that was about, anyway. You'd think he'd mention what he wanted to do sooner. No doubt that was why his career choice was controversial. Especially leaving such a difficult job to someone who may be under-qualified."

Kaoru's face reddened as he shrank down a little.

"Well, it wasn't just his choice. I was more enthusiastic about the job then he was, I worked harder to try and get it while he worked to get a license for his job, and we brought it up with our family. It took a while to convince them, though."

Ranka frowned at Kaoru's demeanor, assuming it to mean something other than what it actually meant.

"Well, I'm sure they're proud of you for being responsible, Kaoru. I don't get why you would impulsively decide to chose being a hair stylist over being a CEO. Dropping that heavy of a responsibility onto your younger brother? Last minute, too? How irresponsible is that?"

Haruhi gripped the lid of her container tightly and practically shoved it onto the counter, resulting in a semi-loud crack. But, before anyone even had the chance to look at her, she quickly had it slide off the countertop to pretend she dropped it. Blushing in embarrassment and fear as she picked it up. Internally groaning as it was clear she'd need to wash it.

"Sorry."

Kaoru made an excuse to leave as paced out with his head down. Everyone else stayed, but Haruhi had noticeably withdrawn from the conversation. Leaving Ranka to come up to her as she made sure the lid of her container was clean and dried.

"Are you okay, kiddo?"

Haruhi shrugged.

"I'm a little tired. Just—this particular case is really tough. I'm surprised I was assigned to it in the first place."

An idea came to her mind, then. Perhaps one way she could lighten the blow was by dropping hints and subtly offering the reality that his perfect daughter wasn't actually perfect. Maybe she could even drop hints that told him that she didn't like being a lawyer...

"I'll be honest, I forgot how to handle a case like this. Or, I wasn't taught. Those kinds of colleges act like they're all fancy and informative, but all I gathered was "do whatever it takes to win the argument, even if it means digging up an old twitter post to get dirt on someone else who's irrelevant to the actual case". Most of the people who work in law are like that it seems."

Ranka stared, not expecting the short rant. But, instead of the direct reaction she wanted, he brought attention to something else.

"Is that why you never mentioned being close to any of your co workers?"

Haruhi tried to run with it and shook her head.

"No, I've kinda given up on them. None of them are pleasant."

The sincerity of that caught Ranka off guard. Even during the time she was a student at Harvard, it was exhausting being surrounded by students who thought the world of themselves because they got into the big fancy school. Most of whom were only there because their parents had connections.

Haruhi assumed Ranka couldn't surprise her more with his reply. And apparently she assumed wrong.

"Sweetie, I'm sure they're just trying to stay afloat. Maybe be a little more sympathetic? It's a competitive business, I'm sure you know that from experience. Though, I can agree with thinking overly close relationships will only get in the way. You don't need those distractions."

Haruhi swallowed, hoping that Ranka didn't hear. She already started forming an explanation for her engagement ring in case he saw it.

"Besides, you're doing the same, aren't you? Being competitive and doing whatever it takes to reach your goals? That's how you've gotten through all the trials and tribulations and made it to where you are."

Haruhi paused. There were parts of that she could apply to her real job. Sure, she didn't compete per se, but she did work hard to try and make her resume look good to get the job. A lot of that thanks to the three years stuck in Boston she had to prepare for her return. Taking job after job to take care of herself, and to hopefully pay her father back for that first semester. She made it eventually, getting her plane ticket and money to get an apartment by selling almost everything she had.

Still, how was he not taking the hint?

"I mean I have to, not that I feel like a good person doing it. Especially if I get saddled with a guilty person and have to defend them."

This seemed to be what partly got Ranka's attention. Haruhi was clearly drained, like she'd spent the whole time with him holding her breath. Ranka piled up his disbelief at her clear dislike of the job. Acknowledging it only then at the sound of her voice.

How long had she been feeling like this?

"Well, it would be a shame if those years of hard work went to waste. Maybe you're just a little burnt out? I'm sure you'll power through it. You powered through Harvard, after all."

"No I didn't."

Haruhi accepted defeat. Hikaru had suggested burnout when she was burnt out. It was relieving to finally put a name to something that had her stumbling for so long.

But this? This felt like grabbing at straws. Ranka didn't want to accept that she didn't like the career of being a lawyer. So she gave up.

"Yeah. That must be it."

Ranka wasn't sure how he could tell solely from the tone. But they both knew that the conversation was over. Not just the conversation, the entire meeting.

Haruhi placed the lid back on her container of soup. Going to the door and putting on her shoes.

"I need to head home, I'll see you guys around."

Then the apartment was silent again.