Warning: This chapter is darker than the previous chapters and more graphic in some places. Everything still remains under the "Teen" rating, but please proceed with caution.
On a lighter note, I'd like to thank you all for reading and for the lovely reviews a few of you have left me. I truly appreciate your taking the time to do that. Thank you, and enjoy your chapter; the Hitachiins have been waiting for you.
Sunset painted the Hitachiin manor gold and red. Hikaru and Kaoru sat in the kitchen, attempting to throw together a combination of foods that could somewhat resemble what might pass as dinner. Why they didn't have the maids do it not even they knew. Perhaps the "commoner culture" Haruhi brought to Host Club was rubbing off on the lazy pair after all.
"Kaoru, how about we try this packaged ramen? Haruhi said it was good." Hikaru turned around from rummaging in their pantry to face his little brother, who was sitting on the counter reading a book. Kaoru looked up briefly, nodded his consent, then went back to reading.
He's had his nose stuck in a book this whole afternoon. It must be something really good, Hikaru thought, only half paying attention to the two packages of ramen he was in the process of cooking on the stovetop. He was doing his best to follow the instructions on the package, but how was he supposed to know which heat setting on the stovetop was 'medium'?
Kaoru turned another page in his book. The book itself was great, but Kaoru couldn't bring himself to pay much attention to it. It was something he'd read for a school project when he was in junior high; now the younger twin needed it solely for the purpose of distracting him. Between all the attention at Host Club and Renge-san's lecture afterward, Kaoru was afraid to let his mind wander freely.
The younger Hitachiin had become so immersed in his book that he didn't notice when his brother crawled up onto the counter behind him and wrapped his arms snugly around his little brother's waist. On the stove, the ramen was cooking on high heat. Hikaru propped his head on Kaoru's shoulder, and asked, "Watcha reading, Kao?"
It was his brother's arms around his waist that startled Kaoru first. I need to stay focused on my book. Then Hikaru's voice asked about his book, prompting the younger twin to immediately close the volume. Stay focused, Kaoru. It was impossible for Hikaru to read the novel's title at its current angle, but now the older twin simply wanted to sit and cuddle a little bit with his brother. Wait, did Hikaru just call me "Kao"?
With Kaoru distracted and Hikaru having completely forgotten that he was supposed to be cooking something, neither twin noticed right away when the ramen boiled over viciously, spilling hot water and overcooked noodles all over the stovetop and floors. Kaoru, who took notice of this fact first, looked up and sighed, "Hikaru, your ramen has had a temper tantrum."
The older twin now noticed the ramen's predicament as well, and reluctantly lowered himself off the counter to clean it up. Being careful not to step in the boiling water, Hikaru turned off the stove and dejectedly mopped up the mess with a rag. Kaoru stepped in to help after a minute.
"Well, now what are we going to eat?" Hikaru wondered aloud, frowning at the now clean kitchen.
"It's alright Hika, I'm not that hungry anyways. Let's just go to bed," Kaoru said with a yawn. Usually the twins would've stayed up much later than seven o'clock, but it had been a long day for them both. As they trudged up the stairs to their bedroom, Hikaru suddenly realized, Wait, did Kaoru just call me "Hika"?
The sky was not yet completely dark when the Hitachiin twins climbed into their bed together. Pale moonlight illuminated patches of the floor, while most others were left in shadow. A few stars could be seen, glimmering in the distance like a fish's silver scales reflecting the sunlight. Their breathing perfectly in sync, the Hitachiin twins fell asleep soon thereafter.
Hikaru dreamed of a beach. At first there was only blinding sunlight and warm, golden sand. Waves crashed against the seashore, but for the time being, it was only ambient. As the world took form around him, Hikaru identified it as the beach they'd visited in Okinawa about a year ago.
The elder twin was wearing colorful swim trunks, and walking down a cobblestone path. Jungle trees crowded either side of the walkway, and he got the sense that he was looking for someone. But who? Kaoru. Since the younger boy was nowhere in sight, he must've been looking for Kaoru.
It was around midday, and the sun was relentless and warm on his bare back. Several colorful birds flew across Hikaru's path. He admired each one. Said birds had flown past several times before the older Hitachiin realized it was the same four birds flying back and forth across his path. Each was a different color: one white, one purple, one pink, and one dark blue.
It was just now that the auburn-haired boy looked down to find himself clutching a pale blue rose, beautiful and in full bloom. But as Hikaru watched, a petal fell away from it, drifting slowly to the ground in the warm summer breeze. A sickening feeling made his gut churn; somehow he knew that this rose was a time limit, and if he didn't find his brother before all the petals were gone, something terrible was going to happen.
Now Hikaru ran down the path, growing ever closer to the sound of the ocean waves hitting the shore. He almost didn't notice the fact that he was desperately shouting Kaoru's name. The older boy's feet suddenly hit warm sand. The path he'd been following opened up onto a picturesque beach, but looking up and down the shoreline, Hikaru couldn't see his brother anywhere.
"Hikaru!" The elder twin would've recognized his brother's terrified shout anywhere. Hikaru burst into motion, his feet propelling him with increasing speed toward a new cobblestone path which had seemingly just now appeared in the knot of tropical forest. Kaoru was somewhere in this jungle, and he was in trouble.
"Hikaru!" This time it wasn't Kaoru's voice, but Mori's, that rang out from the jungle. Huh? Why does Mori need my help? Hikaru was so caught up in the shock of hearing Mori's panicked cry that he didn't notice when a new cobblestone path formed to his left. At the end of the path, a group of vicious looking wolves had surrounded Mori, and were slowly advancing, snapping their jaws in morbid anticipation.
Hikaru, catching sight of this scene, sprinted toward his friend. The older, dark-haired boy looked uncharacteristically fearful. As Hikaru approached, Mori cast the wolves a frightened glance, then shouted, "No, Hikaru! Leave me! Kaoru's in trouble, you have to help your brother!"
The mischievous ginger slid to a halt, breathing hard from so much running. He didn't want to believe his ears. Mori shouted again as the wolves crept closer, snarling, "Hikaru, go! Help Kaoru!"
I don't want to leave Mori here, but I have to believe he can get himself out of this. I have to help Kaoru. Hikaru kept running, back to his original path and continuing toward the sound of his baby brother's voice. Even as Hikaru ran away, he knew in his heart that Mori could not beat the wolves on his own. A few more petals fell from his rose.
"Hikaru!" There was suddenly another path, this time to Hikaru's right. It was Honey who cried out this time. Hikaru didn't think twice before turning toward the boy-Lolita host. The teen was deep in battle with five ninjas wearing dark clothing; they looked a little bit like the Black Onion Squad. Granted, Honey was an incredible martial artist, but whenever he kicked these ninja-guys down, they simply rose back up, unharmed. Even a distance of about 25 yards, Hikaru could see his friend was getting tired; Honey wouldn't last much longer.
"You have to help Kaoru, Hikaru! He needs your help!" Honey protested, kicking down two of the ninjas again. The smaller boy was panting. I can't leave Honey. Not after I left Mori. But Kaoru…
"Go, Hikaru! Now!" Honey screamed, judo-flipping another ninja. Swallowing down the lump of guilt that had risen to his throat, Hikaru turned around and sprinted back to the main path, wincing as he heard the thumps and grunts of battle behind him. Kaoru needs your help. The rose dropped a few more petals.
"Hikaru!" Kaoru's voice screamed his name at the same time as Kyoya's voice shouted it from a passage to Hikaru's left. The older Hitachiin froze, torn between saving his brother and going to help Kyoya. There was a chance that if he went to help Kyoya, the Shadow King would only turn him around as Honey and Mori had done. But if he helped Kyoya, who knew what could happen to Kaoru?
"I'm coming Kyoya!" Hikaru shouted. His voice had become hoarse and scratchy; it hurt to yell. As Hikaru sprinted down the path in the direction of Kyoya's voice, the jungle grew darker, until it was pitch black all around. Still the twin devil struggled forward.
"Hikaru, Kaoru's in danger! You can't help me!" Kyoya shouted from somewhere ahead in the darkness. An unknown source of light illuminated the Shadow King, who was suspended by black chains over a dark substance. The chains were slowly lowering him toward the substance, and when his feet hit the dark liquid, Kyoya's face twisted in pain. Hikaru now saw the dark substance bore a faint watermark; specifically, the light was shining on it in such a way that the Ootori family symbol was illuminated on its surface.
The Shadow King is being swallowed by his familial ties, and he wants me to just leave him? Kyoya was shouting at Hikaru to go, run, help Kaoru, but the older Hitachiin was stupefied, unable to move, think, respond, anything. Somewhere in the distance, Kaoru's voice called out for Hikaru. Tears pricked the edges of Hikaru's eyes as he ran back in the direction of his brother's voice, leaving the shadows and several more soft blue petals behind.
When Tamaki shouted, Hikaru was prepared. This is my last chance. I have to help Tamaki, if only because I couldn't help the others. But the Hitachiin boy was in no way prepared for what he saw. The king of Host Club knelt at the foot of a beautiful woman. And for once in his life, Tamaki looked completely and utterly powerless.
Hikaru couldn't hear the words Tamaki exchanged with that goddess of a woman, but the scene was so exotic, so intimately romantic… He couldn't bring himself to stick around. The Host Club King was finally undone by his own charms. Hikaru ran away from the scene. Behind him, he heard Tamaki scream in pain. The twin refused to turn back. Sky blue petals drifted behind him.
Running along the original path once more, Hikaru glanced nervously at the rose, still clutched tightly in his hands. More than two-thirds of the flower's petals had detached themselves and disappeared. A loud squawk drew the twin's attention toward the sky. He watched in horror as one by one, the colorful exotic birds he'd seen earlier plummeted to the ground and remained there, limp and lifeless.
By now, the older Hitachiin was shaking with nerves. He'd left his friends behind one by one, allowing them to suffer. You could've helped them. But you only cared about getting to Kaoru, Hikaru chided himself. Now, his only option was Kaoru.
"Hikaru!" This scream was the loudest, positively ear-splitting and definitely Kaoru's. Hikaru had never heard his little brother sound like this. His chest was tight and his legs quivered with exhaustion, but Hikaru ran as fast as he could manage. He had to reach Kaoru.
Hikaru burst into a clearing. It was a large open space, with tiki lamps blazing at random intervals throughout the area. Two large, wooden, altar-like structures had been set up on the far side of the cobblestone courtyard. On one of the altars, Kaoru slumped to the ground, bleeding and bruised. Anger tinted the edges of Hikaru's vision red. Whoever had injured his twin like this had hell to pay for it.
But on the other altar lay Haruhi, also limp and beaten. Never in his life had Hikaru seen the petite brunette so helpless and in pain. Even that time he'd found her in the church, frozen in fear from the thunderstorm, was nothing compared to the pained expression which now twisted her delicate features. Hikaru clenched his fists, shaking not from exhaustion, but from pure fury now.
Choose, Hikaru, Renge's voice whispered. Hikaru whirled around, but the owner of the voice was nowhere to be seen. Turning back to his brother and Haruhi, Hikaru shouted a warning as fire sparked itself into life beneath each wooden altar. You can only save one, Renge's voice went on.
I can't do this, Hikaru thought. I can't make this decision. My brother or Haruhi… I love Haruhi, but what would I do without Kaoru? Hikaru's stomach twisted nauseatingly –his rose had lost all of its petals- and the world turned black.
It was only a dream. No, not a dream. It was just a nightmare.
Kaoru dreamed of the hallways at Ouran. It was nighttime, and the entire school was dark with shadows. Outside, the only light came from the crescent moon and the glowing face of the clock tower. A raven cawed, the sound echoing hauntingly through the endless hallways.
The younger Hitachiin was standing in the hallway outside Music Room #3. Two figures walked hand in hand in the darkness ahead, moonlight outlining their figures. It was a boy and a girl. No, it was more than that. It was Haruhi and Hikaru.
Of course, Kaoru thought disappointedly. Today didn't change a thing. Hikaru is still head over heels for Haruhi, and so am I. Jealousy prickled along Kaoru's skin, biting like ants.
Now the younger devil realized that his brother and Haruhi were talking about something. He began to walk along the corridor with the intention of catching up to them just enough to eavesdrop on their conversation.
As Kaoru was walking past a shadowy set of doors, Mori's face appeared in front of them, illuminated as if the protective older student were a ghost. "Kaoru, you shouldn't eavesdrop. Don't your brother and Haruhi deserve some privacy?"
Kaoru turned toward Mori, eyes wide, but the dark-haired boy had entirely disappeared. The younger ginger leapt toward the door, reaching around in the darkness for Mori, but it seemed there was truly no one there. "Hey! Come back here!"
Deciding to shrug off the strange encounter, Kaoru kept after his brother and crush. Mori's strange intervention had caused Kaoru to fall behind. Unfortunately, Kaoru was not so far behind that he couldn't see Hikaru's and Haruhi's shoulders brush a few times as they walked. Haruhi was laughing at a joke Hikaru had made.
"Kaoru-sama, why are you following them? Are you jealous?" Honey's face appeared in front of another set of shadowed doors, also illuminated like some kind of otherworldly apparition. This time, Kaoru leapt toward it immediately.
"Honey! Get back here!" Kaoru growled as Honey's smiling face faded away. The younger Hitachiin looked nervously toward his twin, realizing that if he continued to yell, his older brother would eventually discover his presence. And everyone knew that the first rule of eavesdropping was to never get caught red-handed.
Kaoru now had to jog to keep his twin in clear sight. The way Haruhi leaned her head contentedly on Hikaru's shoulder was maddening. And still, the two talked quietly enough that Kaoru couldn't hear their words.
"Haruhi and Hikaru are in love, Kaoru. You need to accept the facts," Kyoya's ghostly face informed the younger twin. Kaoru leaped toward his target again, this time successfully clamping the Shadow King's face between his hands. His moment of triumph didn't last, though; Kyoya's face dissipated like fog in his fingers.
"Shut up," Kaoru murmured menacingly. His hands clamped into fists at his sides. Pouncing at the apparition had cost him even more time and distance. Now, Kaoru had to full out run to have even a hope of catching his brother and Haruhi. His eyes widened as Hikaru stopped and pulled Haruhi into a deep embrace.
"Kaoru, Kaoru. You're just upset because Hikaru chose Haruhi over you." The King of Host Club had selected the worst possible insult. Kaoru dove at the shadowy door where Tamaki's face flickered in a wall of fog with a shout of rage. Furious, Kaoru came up with only a handful of fug, which had already left his hands by the time he stood up.
"Kaoru?" The younger twin snapped his head toward his brother's voice. His stomach did a nervous flip. Hikaru had pushed Haruhi up against a wall, his arms on either side of her slender frame. The two were still barely touching, but it was the mixture of surprise and hurt on their faces that was the hardest to look at.
Kaoru bit his lip, trembling. He needed to hit something, break something, anything to release the build-up of tension inside. If this is truly what Hikaru wants, Kaoru's eyes dropped to the marble flooring, then who am I to take it from him?
"Kaoru, were you… following us?" Hikaru asked incredulously. Haruhi's wide brown eyes watched Kaoru with disbelief, her cheeks tinted pink at having been caught in such an embarrassing predicament. Slowly, the younger Hitachiin nodded his head.
And then everything exploded. Not the fire and bombs kind, but the angry kind, the one that caused Kaoru to fly toward Hikaru with one fist drawn back. It sailed forward, delivering a strong right hook that hit Hikaru square in the jaw. Kaoru's vision went entirely blood red. For a minute or two, he could see nothing. When he could see again, he immediately wished he'd closed his eyes.
Kaoru had landed on Hikaru's chest, pinning his brother to the floor. Hikaru's face was bleeding in a few places and badly bruised. Kaoru looked down at his hands, which were equally as much of a mess. He'd done this. He'd hurt his own twin brother. Gasping at his own actions, Kaoru stumbled to his feet, still dizzy and in a stupor. The world seemed to spin and tilt like a top as he ran down the hallway, away from his brother and Haruhi. They both called after him, but it was no use; Kaoru was inconsolable at this point. The world turned black.
It was only a dream. No, not a dream. It was just a nightmare.