Host Club closed for the afternoon at the same time as always, 4:30. The Hitachiin twins had already waved goodbye to their friends, and now made their way through the quiet, empty corridors of the Ouran High School Building. It was strange to see their school, which was usually alive with chatter and a constant flow of other students, so barren and lifeless. Only the cherry blossom trees dancing in the late afternoon breeze gave the two boys company.
At the front gate of the Ouran campus, a private car and chauffer awaited the twins' arrival. Doors were opened for them, the boys sliding inside silently. In fact, they'd exchanged few words since leaving the Music Room #3. Something had drained the twin devils' usual abundance of energy, dulling them both into an uncharacteristic silence.
What's wrong with the two of us? Kaoru wondered, studying his brother as closely as he could. Though the two were mirror images of one another, if anyone were going to be able to spot something amiss with Hikaru, it would be his brother. Or perhaps Haruhi. Haruhi…
Now that he set his mind to it, the younger twin wondered if it was the petite brunette who was causing the Hitachiin twins to lapse into such solemnity. Heartbreak, or even heart sore, was not an emotional stage either of the boys would be likely to recognize. Especially for them both to fall so hard for the same girl… It was truly peculiar.
"Hikaru, is something bothering you?" Kaoru asked tentatively as the twins hiked up the front steps of the Hitachiin family manor. The elder twin shifted his hands in his pockets. How does Kaoru always know exactly how I'm feeling?
"Is it Haruhi?" Damn you, Kaoru. Hikaru's only response to the question was a long stare, right into his brother's eyes.
Kaoru held his brother's gaze, searching those identical amber eyes for hints. Given enough time, Kaoru never failed to discern what was on his twin's mind. Hikaru, quite on the contrary, was preoccupied with wondering how his brother could see through him so easily. He'd certainly never been capable of understanding Kaoru; at least, not as in depth as the latter could understand him.
"Tamaki will never have class with her," Kaoru eventually said, leading the way through the mansion's front doors. It was the only thing he could think of to say that wouldn't push both twins further into their despair. Hikaru followed his brother inside after a moment's hesitation, turning Kaoru's words over and over in his head.
They could always dangle age over Tamaki. The Host Club King could never change that. But what use was forging jealousy? They had tried that before, and while they had won a few of the preliminary rounds, (at least, that's how they saw things) it was Tamaki who had taken the endgame.
With a wry smile, Hikaru realized Tamaki's prediction had come to fruition: he and Haruhi were the love interests, while the Hitachiins and the others were just supporting cast. Homosexual supporting cast, at that. Hikaru did not consider himself homosexual. That would possibly involve being romantically interested in his brother. It made a good show for the ladies, but Hikaru had never truly considered the possibility of the Hitachiin "Twincest" act being anything more than, well, an act.
Of course, there was always Kyoya, although the Shadow King was terrifying in his own way. As for Mori and Honey, Hikaru just couldn't view them in that way. Did that mean he could see Kaoru in that light, as a romantic interest? Hikaru snuck a glance toward his little brother as they climbed the stairs to their bedroom in unison.
Kaoru's thoughts were even less focused, though they were certainly more light-hearted than those of his brother. He had to fix this bother that Haruhi had instilled in the twins. Kaoru knew that Haruhi had never meant to pain the two of them, but certainly by describing any of the situation to her, the girl would immediately try to compensate for her actions, and they couldn't have that. If Haruhi had found herself a happy ending, who were they to disrupt that?
But, nonetheless, Kaoru could not stand to see Hikaru go on like this. The melancholy attitude needed to do no more than appear for Kaoru to immediately yearn to remove it, to put a smile back on his twin's face. Hikaru was often too ignorant to take care of his own emotions, so it was up to the younger twin to make sure his brother stayed emotionally healthy.
Having reached their shared bedroom, the twins stepped inside, and shut the door behind them. It closed with a soft click as if saluting the end of the school day. While Hikaru seated himself on the edge of the bed, frowning at his hands as if disappointed in something they'd done, Kaoru removed the purple jacket of his school uniform, absentmindedly beginning the task of changing into an attire more befitting their setting.
As the younger twin changed, Hikaru eyed his brother thoughtfully; Kaoru, thankfully, was too lost in thought to take notice. Our bodies are entirely the same, Hikaru thought. The elder Hitachiin seemed to have utterly lost himself in the grand pondering that sometimes results from realizing that there is another out there who is wholly and entirely one's equal.
Kaoru, in the meantime, had been struck with inspiration. When he had completed the process of dressing himself in more casual clothing, the younger Hitachiin sat beside his older brother on their bed. Hikaru, still lost in thought, (and visibly so) barely registered the other's presence.
"Hikaru." Kaoru laid a hand gently on his brother's forearm. Usually when something upset Hikaru, he would go off like a bomb, storming about the room, sometimes cussing like a sailor, other times hurling insults at his brother, (Kaoru knew better than to take him seriously in these times) and when he had exhausted all other options, just fuming silently. Today was different. Whether that was for better or for worse remained to be seen.
"Do you know any girls in our grade other than Haruhi?" Hikaru was caught completely off guard by this question. He straightened up and stared at Kaoru. Was he being serious?
"Well…" Now that Hikaru was trying to think of a girl other than Haruhi, he found he could not remember a single name. That was if he excluded the connections made in Host Club.
"I know Yuna, and Akari, and Nanami." All girls the twins had hosted before.
"And what do you think of them?" Kaoru asked. I don't understand what he wants me to say, Hikaru thought desperately.
"They're kind and beautiful girls, all of them," Hikaru suggested, though Kaoru either didn't notice the lack of certainty behind his brother's words, or simply overlooked the fact. Regardless, the younger Hitachiin smiled, indicating Hikaru had given him the answer he was looking for.
When Kaoru said nothing in reply, Hikaru took it as the end of their conversation. The elder Hitachiin stood up, walked to their wardrobe, and changed into casual clothes. Kaoru kept his eyes focused on the edge of the mattress, but his mind was far away, utilizing this new information to craft a plan to be carried out tomorrow at school. How he would be able to carry this out without Hikaru realizing his intentions, he did not know. There was only hoping and waiting.