"Ladies, please enjoy this simple spread our chefs have prepared for you." Kyouya motioned his hand to the tables covered in pure white linen. On silver platters served cream puffs, sushi, and finger sandwiches made with lobster and lamb. Miniature cheesecakes and tiramatsu filled the tier trays next to teapots of jasmine and oolong teas.

Simple, huh? Haruhi thought as she eyed the plates with fancy tuna sandwiches. She reached over to grab one when some of Tamaki's regulars approached her.

"Haruhi, is Tamaki okay?"

"What do you mean?" She knew exactly what she was talking about, but there was a rule about getting clients worried.

"He looks like he's not getting enough sleep," another girl spoke.

"I'm sure it's not something you ladies should stress over." With that as their answer, they walked away, still looking distressed.

Even they can tell something is wrong with Tamaki. Kyouya came up to her.

"Haruhi, have you seen Renge anywhere?"

"Now that you mention it, it is strange that she's missing a host club event."

"Haruhi~!" Speak of the devil...

"Renge, where have you been?" she asked.

"Oh, I was just preparing a few finishing touches on my surprise!"

"Surprise?" Kyouya inquired, "Renge, I didn't authorize any surprises. What are you planning?"

"I told you: it's a surprise," she said and with a wink, she skipped away.

"Should we be concerned?"

"Most likely."

•••

Tamaki took a sip of his tea, his third cup since he arrived to the music room. He wasn't in the mood to make conversation with his guests and spent most of the time nodding and answering yes or no questions while giving an occasional compliment.

"Tamaki, you haven't said anything all day. Are you alright?" A female student would ask.

"Yes milady, I just don't have the words to decribe how happy I am to see you," he would reply with his usual charismatic smile. And for some, they believed it while others were still suspicious but went along with the answer.

A knock on the door revealed a mail carrier with dozens of bouquets.

"Delivery for Tamaki Suoh?"

Tamaki, along with everyone in the room, watched as the man brought in one by one giant bunches of blue and purple flowers surrounded by white roses in full bloom and placed them in front of him.

"What is all this?" Kyouya asked, annoyed at the disruption the man was causing.

"Irises," Tamaki mumbled in shock.

"Ladies, may I have your attention please!" Renge announced. She pointed her finger at Tamaki. "There is more to this Casanova wannabe than meets the eye. I have discovered our prince, a tormented soul struggling through the agonizing pain-"

"Get to the point!" Hikaru shouted curtly.

"Today is his mother's birthday and he couldn't go to France to see her."

The hosts looked at each other in panic, no one outside the host club knew about Tamaki's mother. The guests murmured in surprised.

"Yes," Renge continued, tears of pity in her eyes, "his mother is living with an incurable disease and he hasn't seen her in years. It's so sad."

"Renge!" Kyouya shouted, which shocked her since he rarely loses his cool demeanor. "That is private information of one of our members, how did you learn about this?!"

"I-I may have looked through your clipboard."

"You had a file on me?" Tamaki asked in disbelief. He then turned to Renge, his anger growing. "And you read what was in there? What the hell, Renge?! You had no right to look through my files!"

"Tamaki, calm d-"

"Just SHUT UP! I've had enough with everyone getting involved with my life!"

"Tamaki-sempai, there's no need to shout. Just because you couldn't go see your mo-"

"Don't bring my mother into this!" Tamaki shouted. He coughed, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. I have to get out of here, he thought and stormed out of the room.

"Sempai!" Haruhi called out as she ran after him.

Kyouya rubbed his forehead. How did everything get like this? His eye caught something on the floor where Tamaki once stood. It was the card Kanazuki had given the prince. He picked it up inspected it closely.

"My God...how could I have not realize this sooner?" he mumbled before running after them.

•••

Tamaki ran to the gazebo located in the courtyard. He sat on the stone bench, panting. Not long after, Haruhi caught up to him.

"So...you...ready to talk...now?" She asked between breaths. She leaned against a stone pillar and recalled the memory of when the host club played hide-n-seek, when she and Tamaki talked about their childhood as they hid in the gazebo.

"Remember the last time we came to this place? It was first time I've ever heard you spoke about your mother," she said softly, but he said nothing and kept his head down. She saw his frame shaking and realized he was crying.

"Sempai, i-if you really miss her, maybe we can Kyouya-sempai to get a you private jet there and-"

"Haruhi, I can't! Don't you get it?! She's dead!" He broke down sobbing- loud, powerful sobs he had held in for so long.

"Tamaki..."

"My mother is dead...and I couldn't even go to her funeral." With that, he let the tears flow down his face. "I tried so hard not to think about it, but with my grandmother banishing me from the main residence and my father...God, my own father doesn't want to see me. I thought maybe if I keep it quiet, the pain could go away..." He closed his eyes tightly. "But now it hurts more than ever."

Haruhi tried to blink back the tears. She understood how hard it is to lose a mother, but to be separated from her until her untimely death, and not even get to see her burial...

"Augh!" Tamaki grabbed a fist full of his blazer and curled himself up.

"What's wrong?"

"I think...I'm having a heart attack," he managed to say before screaming in pain again.

"Oh no. Help! Somebody please!" she yelled while she pulled the prince into her arms.

"Haruhi," Kyouya breathed out once he reached the gazebo.

"Kyouya-sempai, call the ambulance! He's having a heart attack!"

"What?!" Kyouya shouted, his eyes widened. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number.

"Ha-Haruhi..." Tamaki said through his clenched teeth. The tears that have yet to leave his eyes blurred his vision.

"Sempai?" She couldn't fight the tears anymore. His breathing was shallow as drips of sweat streamed down his jaw line. His long lashed eyelids began to flutter shut as he spoke.

"Am I going to go see my mom?"

Panic flashed across her face.

"No,no, no...Tamaki-sempai, stay with me!" She stressed as she gently slapped his face to wake him. The paramedics rushed to the scene and pulled Tamaki from Haruhi's hands.

"Sempai!" she called out but received no response.

"SEMPAI!"