After what seemed like eternity rather than two weeks, Kaoru was finally released from the hospital to the care of his family's personal physicians, under the condition he stay on bed rest. Kaoru was ecstatic as Hikaru, rather than the nurse that was standing nearby, helped him into a wheelchair. He was so ready to be gone from the sterile site and smell of the hospital, but much to his chagrin, was intercepted by the Ootori doctor just as they were reaching the doors.
"Now, I know you're excited to leave, but…" and so the diatribe began. Kaoru nodded at the doctor eagerly, trying his best to look like he was listening. But it was hard, as this damn doctor was the only thing that stood between them and the exit to the outside world. Hikaru could see his impatience to leave, and every now and then, Kaoru's finger would tap against the armrest of his wheelchair in frustration.
"Your ribs have healed up quite nicely, but we still need to give your leg more time, as the tendons in your knee were badly damaged," the doctor droned on. "I know it doesn't hurt so badly now, but the injury takes a while to heal."
Tap went the finger.
"And even once the cast is removed, you're going to have to go to intensive therapy for a long time before you regain full use of it."
Tap, tap. Hikaru smirked as he leaned against the handles over Kaoru's head.
"So it's important to remember you're not invincible, and to take it easy. Pain medication sometimes makes you forget just how tender you still are."
Tap, tap, tap.
"And you can't get your cast wet-"
"Doctor!" Kaoru pleaded, trying to look around the long white coat to the parking lot beyond. "I promise I'll be really, really careful! You won't be seeing me again, I swear!"
The doctor sighed and shook his head. "I certainly hope not, but I'll believe you this time." He stepped aside and opened the door for them. A small smile caught his lips, as he watched the twins speed past, but it quickly turned into a frown.
"We have lift off!" Hikaru yelled, as he popped the wheelchair on it's back wheels down the small, paved hill towards their limo. Kaoru just laughed loudly as Hikaru raced him toward the diver standing next to the open cabin. The poor man had to practically leap out of the way, as the wheel chair almost tipped over into him with the sudden stop. The diver, thoroughly vexed, fussed at Hikaru the entire time he helped his brother into the car. The doctor shook his head again, but couldn't suppress a chuckle at their games as he returned to his rounds.
Everyone was surprised at how much happier Kaoru seemed after returning home. Whenever the other hosts came to visit, they usually found him either reading or drawing in an outdoor recliner on the veranda overlooking the gardens, with Demon Dog hovering nearby. There was no doubt Kaoru was the favorite, (it certainly wasn't any of the wait staff, who spent most of the time chasing him around with a rolled up newspaper when he overturned a garbage can). There seemed to be an unusual calm about the Hitachiin twin that no one had ever seen, and they all collectively wondered what it was all about.
Kyoya found the new Zen twin one lazy, warm afternoon, somehow holding a cigarette and a small paperback in one hand, and his other absent mindedly stroking Demon Dog's head as the dog slept next to his chair.
"I'm surprised you have time to read leisure novels with finals coming up."
"Oh," Kaoru hastily put down the book and ground out his cigarette as Kyoya approached. "Well, it's in English, so I guess it's helping me study for that." He sat up and swung the less offensive leg brace the doctor had replaced the cast with earlier that week over the edge. "How was school today? Club activities over already?"
"Well, we've decided to cut it short this weekend to give everyone time to study, including our clients." Kyoya explained, as he picked up the book Kaoru had been reading from the side table, Into the Wild. He returned it with a chuckle. "Pretty depressing read!"
"I guess it depends on how you look at it." Kaoru shrugged. Kyoya eyed him for a moment.
"I suppose… So, Hikaru told us you'll be able to come back to school on Monday."
"That's right! What a relief! Schooling at home is sooo boring."
"I don't know, you can't smoke at school, after all." Kaoru look the other way, slightly embarrassed. He hadn't meant for someone like Kyoya to catch him smoking. "Where is Hikaru, anyway?"
"He's going to see a movie with Haruhi today. Last time she was here, she kept talking about some silly horror film she wanted to see, so I made him take her. There's no reason both of us should be trapped here all the time, anyway."
Kyoya let out an audible sigh. "You're spending more time apart than ever, now. What about the brotherly love! What will I tell your clients?" His tone was ridiculously despairing, and Kaoru knew he wasn't serious. He laughed.
"I don't know, it seems like Hikaru's been making quite a splash with all of his crying over my injuries, or so he tells me."
"That's true. I'm surprised he's been able to entertain them solo all this time. I doubt it will ever be as popular as the whole forbidden love gimmick, though."
Kaoru wrinkled up his nose a bit. "Well, it's the end of the school year, anyway. And besides…I've been meaning to talk to you about something."
Kyoya smiled knowingly, and touched his glasses with his index finger. "I guessed as much. I think I know what you're going to say. I suppose there's nothing I can do to persuade you."
"No," Kaoru said simply, as he patted Demon Dog's back. The dog sleepily raised his head, giving his tail a thump. "My mind's made up. The only real question is how am I going to tell Hikaru?"
"You haven't already?!" It was rare for Kyoya to be surprised by anything, but this was just shocking to him. "Oh my, don't tell me you'll be leaving a complete drama queen on our hands. We already have one of those at the Host Club."
"I'm waiting till after finals. I don't know, I think he'll understand." Kaoru's voice was hopeful.
(One week later…)
"Hikaru,, you don't understand!!" Kaoru was yelling through a locked bedroom door Hikaru had just slammed in his face. "It'll only be for a while!"
"I can't believe you're serious!" his brother hollered back.
"Hikaru…" Kaoru sighed, quickly finding a dusty key atop the door frame. He unlocked the door and opened it slowly. "Hikaru, I just feel like this is something I have to do."
"But you just have to do it so far away from me, right?!"
"…Yes." Hikaru was sitting on the bed, and quickly turned the other way as Kaoru limped in, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "Hikaru, don't you see that neither of us will ever grow into complete people if we stay like this?"
"We'll quit the host club, then!" Hikaru clenched his eyes shut. "Isn't that what you want? We'll quit and we can stay together!"
"Hmph," Kaoru smiled, putting his hand on his hip. "Admit it. You don't like that idea at all. You like our friends, and you like be a part of something bigger than you and me." Hikaru bit his lip, and stared down at his feet. "And I also think you're not nearly as torn up about us being apart as you thought you would be."
Hikaru didn't say anything, but Haruhi's words from the night of the accident suddenly flitted through his mind.
Changes are very scary, indeed.
A small, half smile slowly appeared. Before Kaoru could do anything about it, he was suddenly gripped tightly, and pulled onto the bed in a tight hug.
"Idiot…" Hikaru muttered. Kaoru didn't say anything; he just let his brother squeeze the life out of him as he spoke. "Alright, if it's that important to you…I guess you should go." He released his twin from his death grip, and Kaoru coughed, straightening out his shirt. "But you know Mom's going to say no. She'd never agree to a crazy plan like this."
"I'm not going to ask Mom, I'm asking dad. I'm thinking of spinning the whole, 'It'll make a man out of me' act. What father can resist that?"
Hikaru chuckled. "True…but, man! It's really going to suck without you! What am I supposed to do while you're gone?"
His cell phone suddenly rang, and Haruhi's number appeared on the face of the phone.
"Oh, gee, I don't know!" Kaoru winked. "I'm sure you'll think of something!"
Hikaru frowned at his phone for ringing at a time like this, and with a slight blush, hit ignore. "But seriously, you have to call me, like, every day! Alright? And I get to visit you on holidays!"
"Of course, of course!" Kaoru chuckled.
"So, where are you going? London? Paris? Milan?"
"Nope! They'll know who I am there, and I want to be a completely ordinary student."
Hikaru stared at his brother with obvious concern. "Kaoru, you can't mean…" The sparkle in his twin's eye was making him nervous. Hikaru gulped. "You're going to…to the United States?"
"Yes!!" Kaoru replied excitedly, fetching a paper map from on top his dresser and laying it across the bed. A DVD of A Streetcar Named Desire fell unceremoniously onto the bead spread. "And I'm going HERE!" His finger landed on a boot-leg shaped state along the coast. Kaoru looked.
"L-…Louis…Kaoru! This is practically suicide! You can't go there! What about New York? Mom always really liked New York!"
"NO!" Kaoru folded his arms stubbornly. "They know who we are in New York! And besides, I've been chatting with someone from New Orleans a lot in a book discussion forum. Sounds like a pretty fun place, and I want to see it for myself!"
"But you'll get shot!" Hikaru sounded matter of fact. "You know what our geography teacher said! How could you possibly want to go to a miserable place like that!?"
"Huh, from the way you talk, sounds like you've been there and sent postcards or something!" Kaoru huffed. "How are you so sure what it's like? Why don't you reserve judgment until you've seen it!"
Hikaru blinked at his brother for a while and then laughed. "Sure! You won't last more than a week there before you come crying home!" Kaoru just scowled at him. "Think about it! This place might as well be a third world country to you! No way will you survive!"
Kaoru just shrugged at him. "I guess we'll see, won't we? I've already sent my enrollment request to a public high school in the area."
"Public?!" Hikaru practically choked.
"Yep, I'm not taking money from Mom and Dad. I've got my savings, and I'm doing this all on my own."
Hikaru stared at his brother with his mouth gaping open for a while. "Have you gone completely insane!?" he finally stuttered. "How the hell are you going to live on your own?!"
"I'll get a job. I already have a temporary visa, it shouldn't be a problem."
Hikaru threw up his hands and walked out of the room, yelling something along the lines of Kaoru being as dumb as his dog was ugly. But Kaoru's resolve did not lessen, as he faced the rest of the Host Club at the annual end of the school year ball. Of course, Mori and Honey had already graduated the previous year, but they still participated in all Host Club events. Honey was staring at Kaoru with large brown eyes.
"You're really going away, Kao-chan? For a whole year? To America?"
"That's right, I leave in a couple of weeks. Already have my plane ticket, and it's so totally coach!" Kaoru laughed. Everyone stared at him in horror, except Haruhi.
"B-but…wouldn't you rather take a private jet?" Tamaki gasped. "I hear that in coach, you actually have to sit next to people, and you have to sleep sitting up!"
"Whoa! Kao-chan's brave!" Honey cheered. "I've never flown coach before!"
"Well, it was two hundred dollars cheaper, and if I'm going to be living on my own, I need to learn to watch my budget."
This elicited even more terrified stares from the club. Hikaru sighed and shrugged. "I've tried talking him out of it, but he won't listen to me. He's completely gone off the deep end!"
Haruhi rolled her eyes. "I think what Kaoru's doing is really cool!" she defended. "I would love to study abroad for a year! Think of all the interesting things he'll see and learn. You guys are all just happy living in a bubble!" she pointed accusingly at the rest of the host club, who had become momentarily distracted by the virgin daiquiris covered in tropical fruit Tamaki had delivered to their table.
"Haruhi! Don't be so mean to your papa!" Tamaki whimpered, poking at a strawberry on top his drink. "After all, this is the last night Kyoya and I get to be here at the school before college!"
"Tamaki-senpai, you make it sound like we'll never see each other again!" Haruhi sighed. "I know I'm going to find you almost every day after school, bouncing off the walls as usual!"
"It's true," Kyoya confirmed, slowly sipping his drink. "We do plan on continuing host activities as usual. I still have plenty of research to do on the college demographic once we start at the university."
Haruhi squinted her eyes at him. "Kyoya-senpai, you really think girls in college are interested in this Host Club sort of thing?"
"Well, if the reactions from our current client's mothers are anything to go by, it seems there is no discerning age group who wouldn't enjoy our club. After all, Mori and Honey already have scores of fans."
"That's true!" Honey beamed. Mori grunted. Haruhi did her best not to look so disappointed in her own sex.
"It's true my dear!" Tamaki sparkled, flipping his hair back. "You are never too old to appreciate great beauty in men! I think we all can agree that is the greatest lesson we learned from the Greeks!"
"I'm pretty sure they were appreciating more than beauty," Haruhi muttered, but she couldn't stop a smile. As people were slowly gathering on the dance floor after dinner, she rose from the table, straightening out her vest and jacket. As it was a very late party, Kyoya had ordered completely black tuxes for the entire club, with blue ties and blue roses in the pocket. "I'm not ready to get nabbed by a girl for dancing yet," she grinned. "Hey, Kaoru!"
"What?" he startled from checking his email on a phone.
"Why don't you walk outside with me? This will probably be the last time I see you before I leave for vacation to visit my Aunt with my Dad, right?"
"O-oh!" he blinked, and quickly glanced at Hikaru out of the corner of his eye. His brother was looking towards some of their familiar customers walking in their direction. "One second." Kaoru gently nudged Hikaru's shoulder to let him know he was aware of the girls, and said in quite the loud, coquettish tone, "Hikaru, I think I need some fresh air, my leg is hurting me terribly!"
Hikaru turned, gripping his hand fiercely. The girls stopped dead in their tracks, holding their breath. "Kaoru, are you alright? I should never have made you come here tonight!"
"Oh, I'll be fine," Kaoru's voice was shaky, as he slowly stood up. "Ow!-"
"Kaoru!"
Kaoru slightly stumbled as he rose, but Hikaru was quick to catch him. They both gazed dreamily into each other's eyes, and Haruhi tried to suppress a chuckle as the girls started squealing. Although for different reasons than their customers, she had grown quite fond of the twins and their silly antics over the past two years. In fact, she was sad Kaoru would be leaving, but her good sense told her that it would probably be for the better.
After their heart-melting charade was over, Kaoru limped pathetically over in her direction. As soon as the girls had turned their attention to a most upset and in need of consolation Hikaru Hitachiin, Kaoru suddenly straitened his posture.
"Alright, let's go." He motioned towards the door, suddenly capable of walking quite well. Haruhi let out a small snort at the ridiculousness of it all, and quickly followed.
She trailed behind him as he made his way to an isolated bench across the courtyard, behind a wall of bushes. It was dark outside, but the bright lights from the main building cast a small glow, illuminating the yard. Haruhi plopped down on the bench next to Kaoru.
"You gonna light up?"
"What? Me? Uh..,"
"It's alright. I figured that's why you chose this spot," She smiled a friendly smile. "But just so you know, I totally don't approve. Smoking's really bad for you! I still can't get my dad to quit."
"Hmph," Kaoru already had a cigarette between his lips and was in the process of lighting it. "You know," he blew out a steady stream of smoke, "They say smokers tend to be nervous people, but I think it's just bored people."
"Perhaps…So, hey! Louisiana, huh?" She punched his shoulder lightly. "You sure you know what you're getting into?"
"Can't be any worse than where you live," he grinned evilly. She scowled at him, and he laughed. "Oh come on! Just go ahead and tell me what you wanted to talk about."
"Well, I was worried about you. I just wanted to make sure you're alright." Surprised, Kaoru regarded her with a puzzled look. "I mean…I think what you're doing is really good. I think everyone should live in another country for a while, even rich brats like you guys. But…it has to be for the right reasons."
Kaoru smiled as he took another drag, but said nothing.
"Kaoru, are you sure you want to go through with this? I mean, I know things were really bad before your accident, but,"
"I know what you're trying to say, Haruhi, and I appreciate it. Truth is, you're probably right. I'm sure this is just some sort of pathetic escapism playing itself out, but even so," he slowly ground out the half burned cigarette. "I don't know, I just hope that I'm better than this."
"This?" Haruhi echoed.
Kaoru shook his head and looked at her with a sad smile. Haruhi had to fight the compulsion to blush a little. He and Hikaru really were quite handsome, and their soft, golden eyes could look so warm and peaceful when they wished.
"I guess…" he looked past her as he spoke. "I guess I just want to see…if this is it. I mean, if this is all there is, then what have I been waiting for?"
Haruhi smiled and stared at her loafers. "You're a tad bit more existential than your brother, you know that, right? You guys are twins, but you really are nothing alike."
Kaoru chuckled. "I guess I should thank you. You seem to be the only person who's ever noticed. If everyone were like you, I probably wouldn't be doing this."
"Well, hey, you are doing it, so good luck to you!" Haruhi patted him on the back as they stood. "But we're really going to miss you around here, ya know? Who knows what Hikaru will be like without you around to keep him in line!"
Kaoru looked down at the small, unassuming girl that had caused so much of he and his brother's world to change. "I think he'll be just fine without me."
