Mizuki: Chapter 2's here!

Kaoru: Yay… –shouts lazily-

Hikaru: -yawns- go, go for Mizuki…

Mizuki: You guys are MEAN… -glares her famous glare-

Kaoru and Hikaru: Oohh…We're scared! –says sarcastically-

BANG!

Kaoru and Hikaru: -yelps of pain- You WITCH!

Mizuki: WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?! –chases the devils-

Kyouya: -pushes glasses up- Enjoy… Mizuki does not own Ouran…

Hani: -weeping- I still don't have my cake, Kyou-chan! Mori-chan! Mori-chan!

Mori: -deep sigh-

2: Soothing Comfort

"I'm home…" She mumbled as she enters the house. She removed her shoes before entering their small living room as what she was used to.

"Welcome home Ha-ru-hi! I'm about to finish making supper! Its roast shrimps with broccolis as side dish. It looks yummy Haruhi-chan…" Ranka called, beaming broadly trying to, in an odd manner, cheer her up.

"Eh?!" She turned to look at him.

"Err… That's great, Otou-san." She said flatly then proceeded to her room.

Ranka watched her as she entered her room and slid the door behind her shut. He stared there for a moment, thinking Haruhi's still disturbed, and then resumed his cooking.

Finished, he stood up and went to fetch Haruhi for supper. He paused for a moment while clutching the doorknob; he sighed, and then knocked at Haruhi's bedroom door.

Haruhi was about to tell him what happened when she suddenly saw Mori carrying a tray and taking it to an empty table. He was alone because his friend/master Hani-senpai was sent to Okinawa for martial arts training.

She gazed at him, she misses him, and then…

…he stared back—blankly—as if he doesn't care for her at all.

She took her stare away, turned her head and tried to avoid Hikaru's eyes. She can feel her eyes tearing. By the sight of this, Hikaru knew that Mori was the reason for Haruhi's loneliness.

She lay in her bed; her bed quilt enveloped her petite body, lights out, and thinking. She pictured Mori's stare. It was lifeless, emotionless; blank…She feels pain. Her heart crushed… shattered to pieces. It started beating faster. She placed her hands on her chest and closed her eyes. As she did so, a tear fell on her pillow.

—knock—

—knock—

—knock—

"Haruhi?" She can hear her father's faint voice behind her bedroom door.

She didn't reply. The door slowly slid open.

"Haruhi… supper's ready…"

She turned to look at the person standing next to the door. After having sight of her father, she turned to face the wall and abruptly wiped her tears away. After doing so, she sat up and faced her father with forced cheerfulness on her face.

"Otou-san!"

"Haruhi supper's ready." He repeated.

"Oh…Otou-san…I'm not hungry."

Haruhi heard him taking a deep breath then he walks towards her, turning the lights on as he passes. He sat beside her and held her hand.

"Haruhi…Is there something troubling you?"

"Nothing's wrong, Otou-san. I'm just…tired." Haruhi denied despite the obvious trails she left since Saturday.

"Haruhi, I may not be as good as your mother in advising but I can try my best." She can clearly see her father's worried eyes as he look at her intently. She can't stop her eyes from watering.

"Otou-san…Gomene…I don't want my problems to bother you. I don't want you worried…that's why –"

"Haruhi…I'll be more worried if you kept silent. Look, Haruhi, I'm your Otou-san…You can tell me anything…okay?"

Haruhi took a deep breath, tears now running down her cheeks. She looked at him.

"Otou-san…" Her voice was shaking…"Mo-Mori and I are…are—"

Ranka knew what was next even before she said it. 'Of course' he thought. He gave Haruhi a comforting smile that made her feel confident and continued…

"—over."

The said father, after hearing this, grabbed her by her arm and held her tightly. She was crying, her head in his chest. She held him back.

"Haruhi…Did he tell you the reason why?"

"No…"

He knew that that was what's troubling Haruhi…She didn't know why…Haruhi sat back and faced her father.

"Haruhi…I know Mori…" 'a little I guess' he continued "…maybe something's bothering him. Maybe he has a pretty deep reason why he broke up with you. I know…I can see by the way he looks at you…he is madly in love with you."

"But, Otou-san…If he really loves me…Why didn't he tell me the reason he broke up with me?"

"Maybe—maybe he needs time to do so. I may not know Mori that much," 'I would have if he would be a little friendly, he's just too damn quiet!'—"but I know he thinks deeply before he acts. So…so maybe he's in deep thoughts right now… Maybe he's thinking what would happen if he tells you and what happens if he wouldn't. So give him time, okay?"

Haruhi nodded and gave him a faint smile. This suggests that Haruhi was feeling better and made him relieved.

He stood up, fixed his crumpled, wet shirt (where his daughter sobbed on), then turned and grinned at Haruhi exclaiming…

"Ohohohohoho…So what about that supper I made? Its shrimps and broccoli! You should eat something, you know!" He gave her a broad smile.

"Hai!" Haruhi replied spiritedly. And they stood up and went to eat.

After arriving at their dining room (which isn't a long distance for, you know, they have quite a small apartment), a puzzle came to Haruhi's mind.

"Uh…Otou-san?"

"Hmm?"

"You—you made supper?!" she asked shockingly.

"Hai! Am I good or what?!" He said proudly, standing up and waving his left hand dramatically.

"O—oh…So that means I'm having burnt food for supper." Haruhi murmured then chuckled.

"Yes…and its shr—what?!!!" Ranka frowned and gave her a what-did-you-say look. Haruhi laughed and, after a while, so did Ranka. And thus… they did have burnt food for supper…and a great time eating it together.

"Haa-ruu-hii!" The twins called in chorus.

Haruhi closed her notebook a pissed look spread throughout her face. The way the twins called her suggests that they want something from her and won't give up until they get it.

She took in a deep breath thinking that this will truly annoy her.

"What?"

"Aw…Don't give us that I'm-so-pissed look…" Kaoru peeped at her right side, smirking.

"Hai Haruhi…We just want you to eat with us in the canteen…" Hikaru said, appearing on Haruhi's left, also smirking.

Haruhi glared at the twins, from Hikaru to Kaoru. She raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you need me to eat with you? You know perfectly well I'm comfortable eating here in the classroom." She grunted.

"Ah…-No need to be grumpy!" The whimsical twins pouted and gave her puppy dog eyes.

Haruhi, still raising an eyebrow, shook her head hastily, "No guys…that won't work on me."

"Pretty please…" They pleaded.

"No" She snarled firmly.

"Come on Haruhi!"

"We won't go until you go with us."

"We'll starve Haruhi!"

The twins insisted persistently.

Haruhi shot at the twins…But then, she realizes that the two will not give up easily and decided that it will be a waste of time resisting. 'I might as well go with them.' She sighed.

"Okay! Fine! You win!"

"Yay!" The twins shouted, pretty amused.

The trio ate lunch together.

"Haruhi, do you like beef? I have plenty here." Hikaru asked, pointing at his food tray.

"No thank you…I have enough food for myself."

"—How about crab?" Kaoru suggested eyeing her.

"Guys, I told you, I have enough foo—crab?" She looked at Kaoru's plate with eyes wide open, drooling at the sight of crab. "Maybe…Maybe just a LITTLE…"

The twins glanced at each other, smirking and gave her all their crab. She ate it heartily and thanked the twins for it.

They finished their lunch, stood up and was about to go back to the classroom when Haruhi froze having had a glimpse of Mori, eating alone again.

She stopped at the sight and gazed at him, sadness slowly creeping all over her. She wanted to approach him, but then she remembered what her father told her. 'No…I have to give him time. Maybe he's really in deep thoughts. I have to leave him be.'

She took her stare away and went to join the twins. The twins asked her why she stopped a moment ago. She put aside the fact that she saw Mori and gabbled a rather odd excuse.

"Soooooo Haa-ruu-hiiiiiiii………" Kaoru eyed her.

"Why did you stop back then?" Hikaru did the same, giving strange looks at her.

"Nothing…Nothing…" Haruhi muttered trying to escape the twins' watchful gaze.

"Ah… Haruhi! Are we not worthy as a friend enough that you don't trust us?" The twins persuaded nudging Haruhi in the arm.

The twins continued to urge her to tell them why, but she won't answer. They arrived at their classroom. Finally, she had had enough. She was pretty annoyed. And so, she gabbled an excuse…a rather unexpected excuse…

"I—uh….I farted!" She roared. 'Damn! Farted?! Haruhi you idiot! Why farted??? Argh!!! I sound so disgusting.'

The twins' eyes widened and gaped at her in disgust and shock, their heads shook as they bellowed "Oh no, you didn't!"

"Uh—err…" She's thinking of another excuse but couldn't find one so she blurted out—"Oh yes I did!"

The twins glanced at each other and howled in laughter. Damn that Mori! I made a fool of myself! Oh God help me! She bit her lower lip, hoping the twins believe her.

"God Haruhi! That's disgusting!" Kaoru exclaimed in between laughs. Hikaru nodded holding his stomach in agreement.

"You—have—had—laugh—too—much crab!!!" Hikaru tried with all his might to say this, clutching his aching stomach.

"Did it go BOOM?" Kaoru exclaimed laughing.

"I bet it smelled like DOG POO!" Hikaru thought.

Haruhi flustered in embarrassment.

After the ever so sweet laughter the twins gave her, they paused in silence, the twins trying to catch their breath. Then a thought came to Kaoru's mind. It wasn't because she farted, although it would be nice if they have recorded one of her farts, but it's because she saw Mori.

Haruhi was silent, all flustered because of the Fart Scenario. He observed her for a moment, and then asked her…

"Haruhi… Are you fine enough to tell us about Mori?" He eyed her.

That came as a shock to Haruhi and Hikaru. She was about to cry. It took some time to hit the other twin but then it did came to him; it was all an excuse to hide Haruhi's feelings. And so, he joined his brother into cajoling her to tell them her problem.

"Haruhi, you can't hide it from us forever."

"We're your best friends!"

"Haruhi, if you'd tell us, we might be able to help."

"So?"

Twins insisted simultaneously. 'They're right, they're my best friends. And I can't hide this forever. They'll soon find out.'

She took a deep breath and told them everything—the rain, the thunder, the hug, the run—everything.

The twins listened carefully. After hearing the story, the twins took time to think on how to soothe her. Hikaru was the first one to speak up after remembering what Mori told him.

"Hikaru…I care for Haruhi a lot…This is for her own good…I need to avoid her…If I don't—"

—I just don't want her hurt bad…" He said in a cool low voice and turned to leave the comfort room.

"Haruhi…I think something's up with Mori. I think he's having—a problem maybe—that's why he didn't tell you—because—because he didn't want you hurt." Hikaru suggested.

"I—I know…I told you guys, don't worry about me. I'm fine now." She was staring at her hands. She avoided the twins' worried eyes.

"Haruhi…" Kaoru called.

Said girl looked at him.

"Are you really okay with this? Can you really wait for Mori to tell you the reason?"

"U-huh…I can wait…I think…" She answered and smiled.

The twins took a deep breath of relief. Haruhi was beginning to go back to her old self again. That made the twins happy. Just a few moments after, a thought came to Kaoru.

"Uh… Haruhi?"

Both Hikaru and Haruhi looked at him with question marks marked on their faces. Kaoru looked serious and made the two curious.

"Eh? What is it Kaoru? You seem pretty serious…"

"Just a thought…Are—are you ready to move on?—to let go?"

The two were shocked. There was silence. Kaoru eyed Haruhi intently. Hikaru, curious as well, eyed Haruhi too.

'Am I ready?—to move on?—to let go?' Haruhi thought. 'Uhmph? The pain's back…the pain…in my chest…' Twitching, she placed her hands on her chest. Her heart's racing. Her head hurts. She inhaled deep breathes. I guess this is the answer…I…

"Can't…" she whispered.

"Huh?" Kaoru asked for her answer was not clear.

"I can't…let go…I can't m-move on…" she stuttered then gulped; she continued-"I just can't—I'm not…yet ready…" The teacher entered the classroom before anyone could say more. And so they started the second half of their classes.

Hikaru was silent, which is unusual for he always makes fun of their teacher either by passing ugly doodles of her to their classmates or making unnecessary animal-like noises, after hearing Haruhi's answer. He was deep in thoughts. Kaoru was worried at his brother's state. He knew Hikaru has feelings more than friendship for Haruhi but he never thought it would go this far.

End of Chapter

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JM.Rio