04/11/2006 15:46:00

15. Duty

Today was the graduation party of Morinozuka Takashi and Haninozuka Mitskuni. The graduation ceremony from Ouran had gone smoothly, and there were tears from various Hosts and parents of all the graduates, but it had been a good day so far. Haruhi had been invited to the private family party for Mori and Hunny. She recognized many of the members of the kendo and karate clubs, as well as the families of Hunny and Mori. Over the months that she and Mori had been dating she had been invited over for dinner several times, and had grown closer to Satoshi, Chika and Hunny in the process.

Haruhi felt out of place at the party, but because Mori had asked her to come, she had come. Satoshi and Chika were keeping her company, towards the back of the room that the party was occurring in, while members of both clubs congratulated the graduated seniors.

"Haruhi, stop fidgeting with your skirt. You will wrinkle it more than you already have." Chika did not turn to look at Haruhi, who jumped at the comment, her hands immediately dropping her skirt.

"I see that Ranka-san convinced you to wear a skirt to this party?" Satoshi smiled at Haruhi, who nodded.

"I didn't fight him too much on this one, it is a graduation party, and I need to represent myself well to family and friends." Haruhi smiled. "Though I don't know how many people here are aware of things."

"Taka-kun is very quiet about things like that." Satoshi glanced with pride at his older brother.

"Hey, Mori-senpai, Hunny-senpai, what are you doing now that you have graduated?"

"I am going to France." Hunny chimed happily. "I will learn to cook wonderful cakes. I will train very hard in France as well." Hunny locked gazes with his brother, who hmmed and looked away, crossing his hands in an irritated fashion over his chest. As he noticed Haruhi he stiffened slightly in surprise. He hadn't known that she had arrived yet, and neither he nor Mori had greeted the young woman. "I will maintain the family name and fighting style, but I will do something that I enjoy as well." The young man beamed, and was answered with several congratulatory murmurs.

"I will go with Mitskuni."

Haruhi stiffened at those words, her eyes wide. Her trembling hands covered her mouth, the graduation card she had been holding in her hand falling to the ground.

"Haruhi—" Satoshi looked to Haruhi who avoided his gaze as she bent down to pick up the card.

"Is that what you want to do? Something to keep you here." A voice called out from the crowd and Mori scanned the crowd, trying to find the source of the voice.

Haruhi was still bent, picking up the card, so he did not notice her.

"Mitskuni is my cousin, protecting Mitskuni is my duty. I am bound to him before all else."

Hunny stared at Mori with wide eyes and noticed Mori's gaze travel towards Chika and Satoshi, when a large thump was heard from their direction. He figured Haruhi had fallen down, shock at the suddenness of the words would indeed stagger the most composed of individuals.

"I told you not to follow me to France. Excuse me, I have business that needs to be taken care of." Hunny glared at his cousin, and moved through the crowd. He noticed that Satoshi had helped Haruhi to her feet, and was leading her from the room. He followed them, and as he moved to, knew that Mori had not noticed the presence of his girlfriend, nor did he realize the atrocity he had just committed.