Winter Frost
"Do you like mushrooms, Hikaru?" the short girl asked, staring at the pile of brown fungi, plastic bag in hand.
"Sure," Hikaru glanced around the crowded store and smiled wistfully, recalling the last time the Host Club under Tamaki's orders dragged Haruhi here to do some "commoner grocery shopping".
Somehow, despite the short time he's known her for, there has always been a comfortable feeling lingering about when she was around. Chestnut hair tossed and ruffled, shirts that are too large for her petite frame, no makeup, no pretense. She had to be the first girl– no, the only girl he knew of who didn't care about how she looked; and this is, despite their differences.
As she would put it, the twins were just rich brats who never had to worry about the necessities of life that most people had to; things like shopping for groceries, cooking, making ends meet – those were things that never occurred to them. Carelessly drifting through life without a care in the world, playing silly pranks, teasing Tono – those were the things they did.
Private, protective, enigmatic, contrary, defensive, childish, afraid.
They were the Hitachiin brothers, Hikaru and Kaoru.
How long has it been since someone's appearance shook our very existence? Not since that girl back then, from that cold winter day almost 10 years ago. Ever since, that moment in time, our hearts have gradually grew as cold as that winter's snow, crushing all those who wanted to use us without an ounce of sympathy. Confession after confession was torn up, laughter after laughter was erased. We didn't care for the name, the prestige that came with our birth. All we cared for was each other. And perhaps, deep down, merely for someone who could understand us enough to tell us apart. Someone who knows that we are complete as one yet distinctly two.
It was the last year of Middle School when that silly blonde Tamaki forced his way into our lives.
"A Host Club!" he'd exclaimed.
Who would have thought we would regain – no, find our voice there?
Who would have thought that the person we've been waiting for would enter our lives again.
"I think I've got enough for the two of us." Haruhi mumbled to herself, placing a bottle of maple syrup into their shopping basket. Hikaru snapped out of his trance and glanced into the basket. "Maple syrup?" he inquired, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow.
"I've noticed that you and Kaoru always pour some over your meal whenever possible, so I figured you guys like it with you food," She answered, simply, her sincerity clear as she stared into his amber eyes. "Or am I mistaken?"
Hikaru shook his head, a smile making itself known on his face. He was somehow glad that Haruhi has noticed things about him, about them. 'Even if it is our strange penchant for maple syrup' he thought wryly.
"Is there anything else you need, Hikaru?" Haruhi asked, glancing at the sashimi platter displayed.
Hikaru frowned, "Haruhi, do you want ootoro? I could take you out for dinner at a restaurant instead, you know? You don't have to cook for me." Haruhi shook her head, opening her mouth to speak.
She hesitated.
"It's okay." She replied, smiling. Then she narrowed her eyes and deadpanned, "Unless you find it impossible to eat all these cheap goods."
Hearing that, Hikaru grinned, his eyes looking gently at her as he reached a hand forward to brush it lightly across her cheek. "Nope, how can I possibly turn down a chance to eat Haru-chan's cooking?"
A tinge of pink rose to her cheeks, and the slightly flustered girl hurried to checkout before he could notice. A wide smile crept onto the host's face, and he casually walked over to join her.
Honey nibbled on his cake as he stared at the frustrated twin. The younger boy had arranged with the senior about a week ago for some documents to be sent to Honey's house. He had also instructed Honey to "invite him over for cake when they'd arrived". Still, the small blond had been wondering ever since that first mention what was the mail's content. What kind of information would require Kao-chan to be this secretive and… pained? He thought in concern.
"Kao-chan, why did you ask me to invite you over? What's in the letter?" Honey asked, sincere and worried. Running a hand through his wispy copper hair, the twin sighed.
"I asked you because I didn't want Hikaru to find out what I was doing." He glanced down at the ground. "I can't let him know that I'm checking up on Haruhi's background." He stated silently.
"Ehhh!!!" cried the blonde, dropping his fork as he jumped up. "What?! Why!" Mori, silent and calm as always, placed a hand on his friend.
"Mitsukuni," he said softly, looking at him with gentle, yet firm eyes, urging him to let Kaoru continue.
"I need to know." Kaoru muttered, biting his lower lip. "Because I just realized, about a week back." He took a breath, trying to steady himself.
"Haruhi, she resembles that girl from our past, from so long ago; that girl like winter frost."
A/N: It was my birthday yesterday and so here's my present to all of you. The latest chapter! Tadah! :D Anyway, big Big BIG thank you to Kasshi my beta, she's really wonderful. Makes my work so much easier. My story's skeleton literally got fleshed out. Yes, I usually take eons because my stories take a long time to get enough meat before I am willing to chunk them out. Anyway, thanks to all my readers for reading (dumb statement, but please dont bite me) and if you like VK, go read Kasshi's fics, they're pretty awesome. (:
