The next time Yuka walked through the club doors, it was by himself. He asked his aunt if she wanted to watch Emi for a while today. He knew she was missing his little girl and always wanted to spend time with her. She wholeheartedly agreed and whipped the little girl away for a fun girl's day, which was going to the park and out to eat with ice cream for dessert afterward.
Yuka knew he had to give an explanation of his sudden departure two days ago. He had to do this by himself though. He couldn't keep using Emi as an emotional crutch, even though he knew deep down he wasn't. It didn't stop the feelings that he was. He was determined to not let that happen. Emi deserves better than that. She deserves to have a healthy, happy childhood. Yuka was going to make that happen no matter what.
"Hey, guys!" greeted Yuka turning all attention to him.
"Yuka!" yelled Tamaki as he tackled the poor man into a hug, "We thought you weren't coming back. We all missed you. And Emi too."
"I told you I would be back," laughed a blushing Yuka, patting Tamaki on the back.
"No Emi today?" asked Honey as the rest of the host club ran up to him.
"Relax. She will be here tomorrow. I wanted to come here to explain why I left last time and to apologize…" explained Yuka.
"No need to apologize, Yuka. I should be the one saying sorry. I got carried away and didn't consider your feelings. Please accept my apology," Renge bowed down in front of him as the others watched.
"Renge, I am not going to lie and say what you said didn't bother me. Didn't upset me. That what you said didn't cause me to run away… Because it did... Some of what you said hit home and I can't change that…" explained Yuka as he grabbed ahold of Renge's hands, "It doesn't mean I can't forgive you, Renge. I know you didn't mean to hurt me, so I forgive you… But like I said before, I can give an explanation. Getting it off my chest would be the best thing, or so I am told." Letting Renge go, he looked back at the rest of the club.
"Some of what Renge said hit closer to home more than I would like. It brought up a lot of memories and bitter feelings. Losing Akari… it was hard. She was and always will be loved… She was my best friend. We were close. Just like the twins" Yuka grinned at that before continuing "I never thought I would be raising Emi alone. Single father at my age. It's hard, but I wouldn't change it for the world… I love that little girl. Nothing will change that…"
"It is silly, but I don't want Emi to think she was to blame, or that she isn't loved. That I feel any guilt towards her. She may not understand it now, but in the future she will. She is the best thing that has happened to me. My greatest joy…"
Yuka rubbed his eyes as he continued, "I miss her mother so much. I look at Emi and see Akari. Every day that little girl gets more and more beautiful. Just like her mom… Some days it is hard to look at her and not feel sadness. Guilt… But that goes away. The sadness gets buried for another day. Guilt too…"
Yuka sobbed, collapsing to the floor. The group circled him. Haruhi sat in front of Yuka, the twins on either side, Tamaki and Mori gripping his shoulders. Honey sitting on Mori's shoulders and Kyoya standing off to the side, his notebook and computer closed. Renge standing beside Kyoya, tears rolling down her face.
"It's ok to feel lonely and sad. But Yuka, you don't have to be alone anymore. You have us," whispered Haruhi "I doubt Emi will doubt your love for her. Everyone can see you love that little girl with all your heart." Yuka didn't think about what he did next. He didn't remember moving, just that he was hugging Haruhi like his life depended on it. For all he knew, it might have. So much grief, guilt, and sadness surfaced. He honestly thought he was drowning. Drowning in his sorrow. For so long he felt like that. But right now, it felt like the dam broke and all he could do was hold on tight and ride it out.
Renge slowly turned and walked away, out of the room to give the group more privacy and get a fresh breath of air. The least she could do now is to make sure no one walks in on this. It was a touching, heartbreaking moment no one outside of the club needed to see.
"Sorry about your jacket, Haruhi," whispered Yuka as he pulled away from the brunette.
"It's fine. Are you better?" asked Haruhi.
Yuka blushed as he glanced around before looking at Haruhi again, "Yeah, I am exhausted, but the weights not there for the moment. I haven't cried like that since forever."
"Can we ask you a question, Yuka?" asked Hikaru, sharing a look with Kaoru before looking back at Yuka.
"Well, you just did," joked Yuka before turning serious "Ask away."
"Do you have a picture of Akari?" asked Kaoru.
"Yea, I do" whispered Yuka. He pulled a picture out of his jacket and handed it to Kaoru. No one had to ask to know who was in the picture. Yuka was beside a girl as she held a newborn baby. It wasn't hard to guess. The girl looked like Emi. Both had dark brown hair, frickles. The only difference was their eye color. Akari's eyes were dark brown and Emi's were forest green. Yuka and Akari both looked so happy, had so much love and adoration on their face and in their eyes as they looked down at the little one, it was no wonder someone took a picture of the moment.
"She is beautiful," muttered Kaoru as he passed the picture to Hikaru.
"They both are," added Hikaru passing the picture around the group. No one disagreed as the picture made its rounds before arriving back to Yuka.
"It is one of my favorite pictures of us. Akari named her soon after this picture was taken. Emiko. She loved the different meanings for it. She also fell in love with her nickname, Emi... That one was my fault. When she told me what she planned on naming her as I held her for the first time, I whispered out, 'Hi, Emi-bear.' Akari overheard it and fell in love," Yuka recounted, letting the memories flow freely "She only got... She died an hour after this picture was taken. But it was the best hour."
"Hi!" shouted Emi, running into the room as fast as her little legs could carry her. Tamaki, who was closest to the door, held open his arms, waiting for her to run into them. Running past Tamaki, she made her way towards the twins. They were currently on the couch, playing video games, before putting the game aside. "Cookie?" she asked as she struggled to pull herself up onto the couch in the middle of the twins, not noticing that Tamaki retreated to his corner.
"Seems like everything is back to normal," stated Haruhi.
"Seems so," giggled Honey, "I think they trained her to do that."
Hikaru grabbed ahold of Emi and put her on his lap as he reached for the sugar cookies on the table. Handing one to Kaoru and Emi, he started to take a bite out of his cookie before getting a shock. Emi in all of her adorableness lend over and took a big bite out of his cookie, giggling while eating her stolen bite. While it was in his mouth. Eyes wide, he recalled how she must have been copying him from two days before. Looking over at Kaoru, he noticed that Emi had turned her attention to him. Before anyone could have stopped her, she smashed her cookie into his face. Laughing, she leaned over and licked some of the frosting and crumbs off of his face. Mori, seeing the potential danger, swooped in and carried the little girl away towards Honey's table.
Both twins slowly got up and backed away from two dangerous shadows looming towards them. Fire-breathing and glowing eyes, the two teens made their way over towards their prey.
"You thinking what I am thinking, Tamaki?" asked a fuming Yuka.
"If it's sending those twins sky high then yes. Yes, I am," growled Tamaki as the two lunged, the twins barely dodging. And so the chase began.
"Shouldn't we stop them?" asked Haruhi as she watched the scene before her.
"As long as they stop when customers come, I see no reason to stop them now. The less energy, the better," stated Kyoya without looking up from his notebook.
"Definitely back to normal then," Haruhi sighed with nods of agreements from the other Hosts. A giggling Emi watched the chaos she unknowingly started.