Rain (part 6)

The rain poured heavily…

And all we could do…

Was gaze out the window…

And wait for the sun...

It was now two months since Kyouya left. Students started to ask questions about his mysterious disappearance, and were puzzled at how he could afford to skip school for that long. Some predicted that it wouldn't be long before he was kicked out of Ouran High School, and some even suggested wildly that he might have died and the Host Club was covering it up.

Gossips about him flew from one mouth to another, each as ridiculous as the one before it and everything subsided to the conclusion that Kyouya would never be seen in school again, until they began to notice the flood of mails being sent to his professors. Some students sneaked into one of the professors' desk and found that they were exams and papers written with Kyouya's name.

This special treatment roused the indignation of the other students, who felt that if there was such as option as studying without having to go to school, they should also be given the privilege of doing so. Tamaki's father, the president, confronted Tamaki about the growing danger of the situation. Any further absence from Kyouya would provoke more anger from the other students and would sacrifice the name of the school. And so he pleaded Tamaki to make Kyouya come back.

Tamaki, in order to save the situation, told his father that it was impossible for Kyouya to come back and that the best move would be to tell the students that Kyouya had taken a leave of absence because of a contagious disease and should not be blamed for wanting to continue his education even though he was bed-ridden. His father hesitated, but he knew that Tamaki was right. If he dared kick Kyouya out of the school, the son of one of the most powerful men in the whole country, he would be making a mistake that would ruin the school's reputation forever. If he induces the anger of the Ootori clan, there was no telling what they would do to him and his family, and his businesses.

This was done and the students were ashamed of themselves for thinking badly of Kyouya's absence, and who was probably suffering terribly. The girls, especially, wanted to atone themselves of doubting one of their idols for bad behavior that they sent countless gifts to his mansion.

The Ootori family were quite surprised by the flood of gifts for Kyouya, and was about to inquire the school for the act when their daughter Fuyumi, Kyouya's older sister, stopped them. Tamaki had already related all the events to Fuyumi, since he was pretty close to her and she was the only one in the family who understood Kyouya, and had solicited her help in the matter. She gladly obliged, for she was thrilled to hear that her brother was in love. She told her father that Kyouya was much idolized in school and that was why they were sending gifts. For now, he was staying with Tamaki and his friends, preparing for their final examinations and to avoid all of the commotion of the gifts.

Their father believed her, for Fuyumi was such a pure soul and he was sure she would never lie to him. From then on, no more questions were asked about Kyouya's disappearance and the gifts were simply placed in his room, while the foodstuffs like chocolates and sweeties were eaten by Kyouya's brothers.

Everything regarding Kyouya had simmered down to calm waves and Tamaki, after all the work of securing Kyouya's situation, found himself well-paid for it all by Haruhi's increasing cheerfulness.

Everyday, they got closer to getting the old Haruhi back. They were able to tease her now and she was beginning to answer back with the same indifferent sarcasm that they loved to see in her expressions. She smiled more often and was now able to entertain customers. Whenever Kyouya was mentioned, she would simply blush now instead of falling back into some kind of depression. Soon, she would be able to face Kyouya without getting hurt in the process. She was starting to forget the terrible incident that had happened between them.

"Haruhi," Tamaki called, as he watched her arguing with Hikaru about the pictures of her that he posted on their website, while sitting comfortably in one of the couches.

She looked at him with bright, happy eyes. "Yes, Tamaki-senpai?" she asked, walking towards him and ignoring Hikaru.

"There are two girls who are asking for you over by the tea table near the door," he said.

Haruhi nodded and proceeded towards the girls, who were smiling coquettishly at her.

It was then that another mailman appeared at the door. Tamaki stood up, expecting it was for him when the mailman said, "A letter for a Fujioka Haruhi."

Tamaki froze and looked at the others. They watched as Haruhi received the mail and signed for it. When the mailman left, Haruhi had remained by the door, staring at the envelope in her hands. It was written in Kyouya's handwriting.

She opened it and found a little note with only one sentence in it. Typical of Kyouya.

I'm coming back today.

That was when she realized that the letter was intended as a warning to her. It was now up to her to decide if she is prepared to face him or not.

"Haruhi?" Tamaki asked.

She looked up and smiled. "It's from Kyouya-senpai," she announced. "He's coming back today."

Upon hearing the news of Kyouya's return, all the customers cheered and said that it was only proper that they hold a surprise party for him. They all began planning and amidst their chatter, the Host Club gathered around Haruhi in one corner of the room. Haruhi knew they were worried about her.

"Don't mind me," she assured them with a smile. "I'm okay with it now. If he comes, I'm ready to face him."

XXX

But Haruhi never saw him that day. She waited in the Third Music Room for him, her heart pounding excitedly every time the door opened and her smile fading in dejection when she finds it was not him. She kept her hopes up. He wouldn't have sent her that letter if he didn't mean to come after all. That would be confusing and so unlike Kyouya.

However, not a shadow of Ootori Kyouya was seen that day and Haruhi, lifeless, walked out of the Third Music Room to go home and sleep off her disappointment.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll see him. She smiled. She knew her feelings perfectly well by that time, and was not easily discouraged by the incident. She walked a little more gaily in the wide, red-carpeted corridors when she passed by a couple of girls who were talking non-stop about the party to be held at the end of the week in honor of Kyouya's "recovery" from his "illness."

"Ootori-senpai will be delighted with all of this!" a pig-tailed girl exclaimed, tossing her brown locks with what she thought was an elegant air.

"That's true!" another blonde-haired girl joined in. "I'm really sorry for him. Poor Ootori-senpai, to be sick for two months!"

"Oh, but he looked really well this morning. It seemed he lost a little weight, though. But then, that's expected after a long illness, right?"

Haruhi stopped, and despite herself walked towards the group. "Hello," she greeted.

The girls squealed in excitement. Fuijoka-san of the Host Club was talking to them!

"How was your day, Fujioka-san?" the pig-tailed girl greeted.

"It was fine," Haruhi answered. "But…did you say you saw Kyouya-senpai today?"

"Yes, we did. He was in class, actually."

Haruhi's eyebrows joined in confusion. "But I never saw him today," she said.

"Really? You didn't?"

"That's weird. I saw him walking with Suou-san in the east wing corridor. I think they were talking about the party. Even the Hitachiin brothers were there."

Now Haruhi was really confused, because the others never mentioned seeing Kyouya at all, let alone talking to him. She thanked the girls for the information and walked on, thinking over what they told her. There was something going on. That was definite. How could Tamaki-senpai not tell her that he had seen Kyouya, the one person she had been looking for all day?

They're leaving me out on purpose, she decided. What's going on?

XXX

It was the morning before the party for Kyouya and preparations were excitedly being made. Tamaki directed everyone and was too busy that Haruhi barely had time to ask him about Kyouya. Even the twins were nowhere in sight. Takashi was doing all the heavy lifting for Tamaki, and so Haruhi was left to spend the day in the sidelines with Mitsukuni, who kept talking about cakes and eating them at the same time.

Haruhi couldn't bear it any longer. The suspense she was feeling inside was getting more and more uncontrollable with each minute that passed. Once, she turned to Mitsukuni and casually said, "This party sure seems to be a big one. I wonder what Kyouya-senpai will think of all this."

But Mitsukuni was as guarded as the others and just replied, "Me, too. Wow, this cake is delicious! You wanna try it?"

Haruhi just shook her head and frowned in her despair. When will she be able to see Kyouya?

All week, she had tried in vain to catch him and talk to him. She went to all his classes and even resolved to following Tamaki around just in case he gains his company. She never wondered about what she will say when she finally meets Kyouya after two months. She thought there was time enough to think of that; first of all, she must see him and resolve her feelings completely.

She had finally realized her true feelings for Kyouya, but there was still a part of her that was still unsure and would only be silenced once she hears his side of things, what he feels for her. She was beginning to think that he was avoiding her and everyone else was helping him do it. Does this mean he doesn't feel the same way?

She shook her head violently. No. I won't be that stupid anymore, she thought. I won't jump to conclusions. Let Kyouya prove it to me himself.

But how could he, when he was never around to begin with?

Apparently, everyone had already seen him and talked to him. Everyone.

Except her.

How is he doing this? How could he be invisible to only me?

She was at this state of mind when Tamaki passed by the two of them, talking to someone on the phone. Haruhi's heart stopped. He must be talking to Kyouya!

Without stopping to think of what she was doing, she ran up to Tamaki, grabbed the phone from his hand and cried at it, "Kyouya, are you ever going to show your face to me?"

Tamaki merely looked at her in speechless shock.

Haruhi waited for the other line to answer.

"Uh…this…this is the…caterer…" the voice on the other line said, apparently scared.

Haruhi's face reddened and she sheepishly returned the phone to Tamaki, who was looking at her with an expression of mixed shock and amusement. He took his phone and walked away, continuing his conversation with the caterer. Haruhi, embarrassed, inched back to the tea table where Mitsukuni sat laughing merrily at her.

Where was Kyouya?

The suspense was killing her!