"Right Here Waiting" Revised Edition 2013 © natsu_no_sora

Ouran High School Host Club 2002 © Hatori Bisco

I do not own anything. Support the mangaka by buying her works.

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Epilogue: The Story of Us [Part 01]

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Ootori Kyouya is famous for being the Low-blood Pressure Demon if a suicidal human decided to wake him up in the wrong time of the day. But contrary to popular belief, he's not always like that. Take that early Monday morning as an example, when a shrill scream echoed from the bathroom.

Now, that was a pretty effective way of pulling Kyouya out of his sleep without activating the demon side.

He was instantly wide awake and within the same second, he was knocking off the bathroom door.

"Haruhi?" he called out.

To his relief, he saw her standing in front of the mirror with all her limbs still attached and no spilled blood anywhere. The look of absolute terror on her face was replaced by blazing anger as she glared at him.

"You..." Haruhi was practically shooting flames from her eyes.

Kyouya blinked. "Me?"

"What did you do?" she seethed dangerously quiet.

"What do you mean?" he frowned. He seriously didn't know what set her nerves on fire this early morning.

Haruhi gritted her teeth. "These, you idiot!" She craned her neck for him to see the multiple small bruises etched all over her skin. It looked so damn visible against her pale complexion.

Kyouya gaped at it for a second and smirked. So it was his little kisses that set her off. "Idiot, am I?" He crossed his arms and leaned on the door frame, completely at ease despite his raging wife.

"Y-you... why did you - why do you have to - ARGH!" Haruhi groaned loudly. "You know I have an important appointment in court today! How am I supposed to hide these freaking hickeys?!"

Kyouya bit his lip to keep himself from laughing. But the deep red blush on her face and the smoke coming out of her ears was just too adorable.

"Stop snickering!" Haruhi aimed a fist on his bare stomach but he quickly caught her wrist and laughed freely. He pulled her in his arms and kissed her cheek. That seemed to placate her a bit. Just a tiny bit.

"Oh, don't be mad. It's just a love bite," he said softly, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair and feeling the gentle curves of her body beneath the bathrobe.

"Just a love bite? You made a whole new community settlement of love bites on my neck!" she snapped, jabbing a punch on his stomach, successfully this time.

Looking at her closely, Kyouya realized he really did a good job of making her neck looked like a hickey colony. "You can conceal them with make-ups, right?" he asked guiltily.

"No amount of concealer can hide these. Are you blind? They're too conspicuous."

She was right; the hickeys were screaming in their dark purple and bright red colors. "Oh," Kyouya paused. "Why don't you wear something to hide them? Like turtle necks," he suggested.

Haruhi gave him an award-winning roll of her milk-chocolate eyes. "Kyouya, no one wears a turtle neck under the blistering summer heat of the sun," she said exasperatedly.

"Well... don't attend your court appointment then," he grinned mischievously. "Let's ditch our work today and stay here all day then let's add up another bunch of love bites on your neck."

Haruhi pinched his cheeks playfully. "Are you insane? I've been waiting this appointment for like, eternity," she said. "I just can't blow it off, you know that," she added seriously.

Kyouya's grin dropped like a kid deprived of candy and sighed, "I know."

"And you also know that I'm going to be late if you don't let go of me."

"Oh. Right... sorry," he took a step back.

Haruhi smiled and walked passed him into their enormous closet. She heard her husband shuffling in the bedroom, muttering something unintelligible. She sighed as she slipped into her black slacks and put on her white long-sleeved polo shirt that hugged her petite figure tight. The hickeys were still visible but at least, her polo shirt wasn't too open; the collar closed off at the base of her throat. She couldn't do anything more about it so after thinking, Screw it! she gave up trying to hide it.

Haruhi fixed her hair, which she kept short, and put on some very light make-up because she doesn't know much how to put them. She chose to wear her comfortable black pumps. Once she was satisfied with her formal looks, she grabbed her bag, snatched a blazer on the rack and walked back into their bedroom.

Kyouya was sitting on the couch, still in his pajamas and no shirt on, his faithful laptop opened on the coffee table. His raven hair was a mess and he didn't have his eyeglasses on. So unlike the Shadow King she'd met back in high school.

He looked up to see Haruhi staring at him. "Like what you see?" he smirked.

Haruhi giggled and shook her head amusedly. "I'm just surprise to see you awake so early in the morning without being shitty."

Shitty? he inwardly chuckled. "Only my wife can have that effect on me," he smiled warmly. He patted the couch, telling her to sit beside him.

Haruhi sat and snuggled up on him, nuzzling and kissing his neck. "I'm still not forgiving you for the hickeys," she muttered.

Kyouya laughed and rubbed her back.

"You are going to pay for it, just you wait," she said darkly.

"Hmm-mmh... okay," he mumbled distractedly as she sensually glided her nose on the line of his jaw. Then stopped abruptly on his chin.

Haruhi pulled away and smiled apologetically, "I've got to go."

"Stay, please?" he whispered, giving her the best puppy-dog eyes in a desperate attempt to keep her from leaving.

"Kyouya, I can't," she chuckled. "This is very important and your father will have my head for breakfast if I don't win this one."

"He won't do that. You know you have him playing around your little fingers. That old man has gotten enamored by your charms and brain. Besides, I'm positively sure you'll win it; you're a badass lawyer," he said as he affectionately brushed her cheeks.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Ootori."

"Anytime." He leaned down to kiss her. She kissed him back eagerly and felt him smiling. Before things got out of hand (which is always likely to happen), Haruhi stood and picked up her things.

"I'll see you later," she said.

"Yeah... later."

She pecked him on the lips once more and disappeared through the door.

And that's pretty much how their lives would start for the past two years of their marriage. Except that Kyouya is usually asleep when she leaves.

As Ootori Yoshio promised, Haruhi now holds the entire Ootori Empire's legal department. She'd gotten used to all the issues inside the corporation and had gotten immune to the old man's unending banter that eventually became their personal bond as father-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Haruhi had known Yoshio for quite some time now to know that he wasn't the heartless, arrogant man he appears to be. She knows how much he cares for the family and for her, as well.

That day, just like every day, they have to get up from their warm snuggle on the bed to go to work. But even though they're busier than the prime minister of Japan, they make sure that they still have time for each other. Take the last night as an example... erm, let's just say they have a very healthy lifestyle.

They had an intense conversation about it and promised that they shouldn't overwork themselves. They promised to have time for each other no matter how busy they are because they want their marriage to last.

So they made a schedule:

Haruhi goes to work on weekdays and she always makes a point to leave hell at six or seven in the evening. Kyouya runs a huge medical facility in Tokyo which is a 24/7 responsibility. But he's the boss; he come and go as he please. He goes to work normally at 11AM (or whatever time he woke up) and leaves at the same time as his wife so he could fetch her in the office. If it's not late, they usually go for a dinner in a fancy restaurant (which Haruhi still despise).

At around noon that day, Haruhi's appointment in court was already done and she was in her office, doing some paper works. Her phone buzzed. She glanced at it and smiled. It was Kyouya.

It is always like that. He would call whenever he feels like it without having anything to say in particular. He would bug her on the phone whenever she refuses to answer due to heavy work. It annoys her but in a way, it makes her smile. It's like he's reminding her that he's always there for her whenever she needs him.

"Hey, what's up?" she greeted cheerfully.

Hello, wife... he dragged the words as he spoke on the other line.

She chuckled, "Hi, husband. Hmmm, I think someone badly needs a dosage of caffeine."

I think I know that someone, he yawned. Waking up early in is definitely not on his priority list. Have you eaten your lunch?

"Yes sir, I did. You?"

I did, too, he replied. His sleepy voice is just the sexiest thing ever. Haruhi giggled.

"Aw, my husband is so sleepy," she cooed playfully. "Why don't you just go home and sleep?"

Don't wanna. You're not there.

Haruhi sighed; he's so childish sometimes. But she loves him anyway.

There was a knock on the door and Renge came in with a huge grin on her face.

Haruhi held up a hand to let her know that she was on the phone. "Sorry, Mr. Ootori but I guess you'll have to fight your drooping eyelids alone. Renge is here with a creepy grin on her face again, I'll see what she wants, okay?" She glanced at her crazy friend and winked.

Okay. Talk to you later. Love you... Kyouya mumbled. He was probably on the verge of falling asleep.

"I know, I love you, too. Go sleep somewhere. Bye!" She shoved the BlackBerry in her pocket and turned to Renge with a bright smile. "How are you, Renge?"

"Haruhi! I'vealreadyfoundtheloveofmylife!" Renge gushed out faster than beat-boxing.

Haruhi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She nodded almost exasperatedly. There we go again. "Renge, that's what you say every time you drop by here."

"But I am absolutely sure that he's the one! I'm telling you, Haruhi!" she blubbered.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the lawyer muttered. "So who is this the one?"

Renge squealed. "He's here! He's here! He's waiting for me in the lobby. I want you to meet him!"

Haruhi groaned mentally. "I have works to do."

"It'll just take two minutes, Attorney! Please?" she practically begged.

"Renge, I don't-"

"Please, please, pretty please?" she fluttered her eyes for effects.

"I don't really see why I need to meet him..." she muttered before snapping, "Fine!"

"Oh! You're the best of the best!"

Renge excitedly skipped to the door and waited for her friend while she fixed her table.

After arranging the documents and shooting trash in the bin, Haruhi stood up with a sigh. But a sudden dizziness struck her and her vision blurred. Everything swirled around her. She clenched her head with a hand while supporting herself with the other on the table.

"Haruhi?" Renge asked worriedly, seeing how she dangerously staggered. She walked back to her and touched her arm. "Are you alright? Does your head hurt?"

Haruhi squeezed her eyes shut. She felt as if she was riding a super-fast merry-go-round. Her stomach churned and she felt nauseated.

"S-sorry, Renge. I think I'm..." her voice faded out as everything fell into darkness.

"HARUHI!" was the last thing she heard before collapsing on Renge.

Voices murmured around her. Haruhi couldn't make out of what they were saying or who they were.

She cracked open her eyes and gazed at the white ceiling. Where is she? Why is she there? She racked her brain hard, trying to remember why she was currently lying flat on her back when she was supposed to be working.

"Haruhi!" Renge exclaimed. She was sitting beside the bed, a look of bewilderment etched on her face.

"Renge?" She sat up on the bed slowly, assessing herself to see if she could.

"How are you feeling, Haruhi?" a sweet, female voice on the other side of the bed asked.

Haruhi recognized the woman's voice. It was Dr. Sugiyama, the resident doctor in their building's clinic. "I feel perfectly fine, doctor," she frowned.

"Do you remember what happened? You fainted," she informed her. Renge nodded vigorously in agreement.

Oh, she grimaced; she remembered now. But surprisingly, she felt absolutely fine, like she didn't faint at all. "How long was I out?"

"Just for about 15 minutes. Don't you feel dizzy anymore?" Dr. Sugiyama asked, her medical instincts kicking in.

She shook her head slightly, "No. I'm alright now."

"Did you take your lunch?"

"Yes."

"Have you hit your head recently?"

"No."

Dr. Sugiyama nodded thoughtfully. She looked at her with practiced eyes, like she was thinking of a possible disease that Haruhi could've acquired.

"There's nothing wrong with me, is there?" she asked.

"I can't say that for sure, Attorney. You don't seem like you're anemic or anything. You didn't hit your head and you said you've taken your lunch..."

"Maybe it's just stress," she suggested. "Work's been piling up incredibly fast these months."

Then the doctor perked up as if an idea hi-jacked her. "Haruhi, when was your last period?"

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To be continued…

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