A/N: Hey guys, you did it again. I have always said I would never hold a story to ransom until I got reviews, but I put up four chapters in two days and didn't get a single review. I know people saw the chapters but not one of you thought to give me any feedback. Anyway… on to the next chapter.

Perhaps it was breaking it off with Kamiko, or telling his father to go fuck himself, or a little bit of both, but Kyouya was feeling strangely free right now. Maybe it was that he had realised that he COULD break off the engagement and knock his father down into his proper place.

But the point of the matter was that he was at liberty to put his little pet project into action. He made sure he had everything he would need saved on his laptop before shutting it and packing it away with a show of far more self-control than he felt. Then he called up for his driver and waited for the car to be pulled around to the front.

Once he was in the car, had given the address and was driving through the streets of Tokyo, he placed his head back and tried to relax… tried.

He was unconsciously running his hands through his hair, mussing it out of its usual perfect neatness. His breath was getting tight so he loosened his tie. His posture pulled his shirt slightly loose. All this meant that when he got out of the car he looked like a tired salaryman. Coming home to dinner, television and an argument with the wife.

Well, on that last topic, he thought with a wry mental tone as he climbed the numerous flights of stairs. He knocked on the door repeatedly but there was no answer and so he sat down in the doorway to wait.


Weekends have three traditions for students. Sleeping late, drinking heavily and dating. Haruhi never slept late, she studied better in the mornings. She didn't drink much, she didn't like the feeling. But she had been strong-armed into a date.

She had known Kizaru in middle school, he was one of her many confessors according to him. But he had gone on to the local high school while she had gone to Ouran and had pretty much lost contact with her middle school acquaintances.

Apparently he was also studying law and, when he had heard through the grapevine that she was single again, he had worked up the courage to ask her to a movie. The lunch before that had been decent, but the movie was some boring action flick and, in the darkness of the theatre he had tried to get grope-y. In short, Haruhi was not in the best of moods. Kizaru had wanted to 'walk her to her door' but she had used the stairs to dissuade him and it was with a heavy trudge that she made her way to her apartment.

At least he had respected the lectures the next morning and not kept her out too late. Haruhi was thankful for small… "What are you doing here?"

She had just caught sight of a less than immaculate looking person sitting in front of her door. It was Kyouya of all people. Probably the person she least wanted to see.

Kyouya smiled crookedly, she was as blunt as ever. "I have something to say to you."

Haruhi sighed through her nose. She was already not in the best of moods. "Well. Speak."

He stood with his briefcase. "It would be better if this was done inside."

"Yeah well no fine." Haruhi replied in exasperation. She elbowed past him and unlocked the door, indicating that he should go in first; which he did.

"Now speak."

"I have a proporsition for you."

"Not interested." And then remembering some of her manners she said, "would you like some tea?"

"Do you have coffee?"

"Nope."

"Then tea would be lovely, thank you."

Haruhi set about making it in the small kitchenette, making far more noise than was necessary as she clattered with cups and kettle. Kyouya watched her with that same small smile.

"Are you ever going to get to the point as to why you are here on a Sunday evening? I would have thought you had better things to do" That last bitter comment was aimed at how he was so often too busy to spend time with her. Something he now deeply regretted. Back then he had thought that they would have forever for him to make up for it.

"That is why I am here. I am starting a new business."

"That's nice, I don't care." She shoved the hot teacup into his empty hand. He did not flinch.

"That would be a pity. I will be starting a law firm and wanted to invite you to be partner once you have graduated." Haruhi paused for a moment. It was a massive opportunity.

"There is one condition though."

"Isn't there always. I know you better than you think Kyouya." The bitterness had left her voice but not the sharpness.

"For obvious reasons will be called Ootori Law. So you can only be a partner if that is your surname too."

"What? Are you offering to adopt me? Whatever would Miyamoto-san think?" She was positively dripping with sarcasm.

Now was the make or break moment. "That isn't what I had in mind, no."

"So what then, long lost cousin?"

She didn't seem to be understanding him. "Well, you see, I um…" Kyouya coughed, Ootori's didn't mince words, "I have left Kamiko. Kicked her out. It was a bad idea to get engaged to her, I know that now."

"I could have told you that. But what about pleasing your father or the stockholders or whatever the hell else you said." And that was when Kyouya had his epiphany. Haruhi didn't hate him, she was hurt and she was angry, but that was all. And that was something he could work with.

"I came to my senses. I am selling my shares. They can get stuffed and I want to marry you. Not her, you." He reached a hand out for her cheek, longing to feel her peaches and cream skin. He got slapped away.

"You come here. Invade my house, talk about business and now you want to marry me?" Her temper was rising. "Get out."

"But…"

"I said OUT!"

He turned away, shoulders very stiff to keep them from shaking and his grey eyes like ice. He put down the still untouched tea and left the flat without saying anything more. But that did not mean that he couldn't almost feel the cracks forming in his heart.

He had risked it all on one throw of the dice and had failed.

One more chapter, and maybe an epilogue if I get reviews asking for one. Hope you guys enjoy this as it gets to the end. The title is inspire by the poem If, you should check it out if you haven't.