Author's Note: For those that have been wanting the romance element, this is the chapter for you! Enjoy!
Chapter Ten: Requiem For A Love Triangle
"Will you return soon, my dear? After all, the wedding is-"
Turning and smiling softly at her fiancée, Renge spoke, "I know, it's only a few weeks away now. I promise, I'll be back shortly. I just wish to visit an old friend before I lose track of all the time."
Kyouya growled, throwing his book against the door of his study. "Damn it all...how dare my father speak to Haruhi about...about that...!" he seethed, his hands fisted on the arms of his chair, "And now she barely looks at me!"
Removing his glasses, Kyouya buried his face into his hand, sighing in a calming defense. "How am I ever going to convince her of my feelings if now she only sees me as a stalker?" he muttered, "I only wish to tell her that I..."
Beyond the door, leaned up against it, Haruhi was silent, unable to hear Kyouya's words but easily able to hear his movements towards picking up the thrown book. Her hands shook against the wood, and she gently whispered his name across her lips before shaking her head and walking away.
"He seems like he's...suffering. It's...kinda painful to see him in such a state...and I feel like it's my fault..."
"Hey, Takashi. Do you think that Haru-chan and Kyou-chan will ever get together? I mean...it's pretty obvious that they care about each other. But ever since His Majesty left, the two have just been awkward or avoiding each other," Hunny said as he helped dried the dishes that his cousin washed, both of them giving Haruhi the night off from them to relax.
"I don't know. Perhaps," Mori said softly, "Haruhi isn't very showing of her feelings."
Tapping a finger against his chin in thought, "Perhaps they need a push in the right direction...I know! We'll set it up so that way it's just the two of them in the mansion! Then they can sort out their feelings from there."
"I see that as even more reason to avoid each other."
"Not really. They'll have to work together to do all the chores and cooking and such. And somewhere along the way, they'll HAVE to sit down and talk about how they feel."
Mori sighed, shaking his head at his cousin's idea, "I don't think it'll work, but I'll humor you, Mitsukuni."
Several nights passed since King Yoshio left the mansion, and much to the surprise of Kyouya and Haruhi, Hunny and Mori had suddenly left, telling them that they were going to visit their relatives to the west and would be back in a week. Awkward silence and situations began to envelope the mansion, with the two working on the daily tasks on their own or acted very careful to avoid each other when they had to work together. Meals were ate apart from each other, and nights spent with Kyouya locked away in his study and Haruhi's time split leaned up against the closed door and out in the garden staring up at the sky.
It wasn't until three days after their departure did the awkward pair begin to open again.
"Good morning, Kyouya."
"Good morning."
She took notice of what he was doing: washing dishes from a meal he had obviously cooked and eaten alone. Biting on her lip, she gently took the drying cloth and plate from his hand, her fingers brushing against his as she did, and began to take over the task. Their eyes met for a moment, communicating what they didn't through their words, then turned back to the basin to continue the washing.
"...Thank you."
"Of course."
They continued their task in silence, the only exception being the clink-clang of the dishes hitting each other as they were sat upon the counter, but they didn't feel any awkwardness between them. For the first time in well over a week, they felt comfortable.
Soon the dishes were finished, and the pair stood still in their silence, trying to figure out what to say or do next. Biting on her lip again, Haruhi spoke first, "How about we work in the garden today? After we're done, we can relax in it tonight."
Kyouya looked at her surprised for a moment, then smiled, "All right."
The duo had barely begun work in the garden when they heard the sound of a carriage coming up the road. "Hmm? Is Hunny and Mori coming home already?" Kyouya questioned, carefully handing off the shears to Haruhi as he went back inside.
"Do you want me to come inside as well?"
"No, I'll greet our visitor. I'll let you know if it's them. If not, will you finish up the gardening out here, then come inside and prepare a guest room?"
Haruhi nodded, understanding what was needing to be done – she knew that very likely this surprise guest was a royal of some sort, which meant she would need to don another disguise. "Oi...just when I thought I got rid of that itchy bonnet," she muttered.
Once inside, Kyouya saw his new guest exiting the carriage. He could tell without seeing the face that the guest was a woman, and he stiffened himself for a bow.
His face quickly formed a look of shock when he saw her face, and his lips barely muttered her name, "Renge..."
The auburn-haired woman smiled as her feet touched the ground and made her graceful way towards the black-haired man, "Hello Kyouya. I hope you don't mind me dropping in unannounced."
Trying his best to ignore the anger pooling up in his stomach, he kept his gaze straight into her eyes and form his bow perfectly, "What do I owe the honor of this visit?"
"I'm sure you know by now, but I will be married in three weeks' time."
"No, I didn't know. Congratulations to you, Renge, and to your future husband."
"Thank you. However, my visit wasn't to tell you that. I wish to make amends with you."
Kyouya's brow quirked, "Amends?"
Renge's smile softened as she grabbed his hand into hers, "I know our relationship ended on horrible terms, and I know I have been nothing but a terror on your life any time we met. I wish to make up for that in this visit, by sitting with you and talking out with you my sincerest apologies. Of course, if you let me, Kyouya."
He was silent, but with a sigh he removed his hand from hers, "Please come inside, Renge. Let's sit down and have some tea."
Wiping the sweat from her brow, Haruhi released a sigh as she entered the villa, stopping when she heard the faint sound of chatter from the main hall. Quietly, she approached, making sure she could see what was going on but could not be seen herself.
She could see, sitting in the two large chairs, was Kyouya and a young, beautiful woman. Moving her head around the wall a little more, she could see that the woman was from the ball many months ago – what was her name? - ah, Renge. As Haruhi recalled from the small bit of conversation she heard, Renge was a former lover of Kyouya's...the thought made the thief's heart ache for reasons unknown.
Ignoring the pain, she focused herself on listening to the conversation. She heard bits and pieces about the past, and apologies here and there from both sides. However, the most she heard, the more the pain in her heart increased and the more her confusion increased. Shaking her head, trying to rid herself of the confusion, she left the area, running into the kitchen to make herself a glass of water...to drink herself or drown her head she wasn't too sure.
"I think...what I regret the most of all is how I acted at Lord Tamaki's engagement ball."
With a sigh, Kyouya leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest, "Yes, you were inexplicably cruel that night. And for reasons to this very moment I still don't understand. You told me that even at that time you were in the process of being engaged, but yet you insisted on torturing my escort and I that evening."
A low chuckle escaped Renge's lips, "I guess I was petty and jealous. After all, it's not every ball you see your former lover, especially one you showed such deep attraction for, look upon another woman with such a heated gaze."
She shifted her chair and Kyouya's stance in his became guarded. "She was quite a beautiful woman as well. What was her name...oh, yes. Haruhi. Are you two still together, Kyouya?" she asked sweetly, almost too sweetly in the dark lord's opinion.
"Not at this moment, we aren't."
"Aww, such a shame. At the ball, you two looked like a charming pair," she said, her lips forming an insincere frown as she stood up from her seat and took steps towards him, "How you danced with her was so beautiful, so passionate. You captured the attention of everyone in the hall – it was quite the sight."
Her hands touched his face softly as she sat down on the arm of his chair, and Kyouya stiffened. Her voice lowered as she inched closer to his lips, "And the kiss you gave her...such a fiery kiss after a heated dance...a very-"
Just as her lips were to connect to his, Kyouya pushed her hands away and stood up roughly, "Enough, Renge! You're starting to make it very clear to me that this is much more than a visit to make amends. State your true purpose right now."
Chuckling, Renge's smile darkened, "Oh Kyouya, I could never fool you. You could always see right through me, down into the deepest parts of my soul."
She stood from the edge of the chair, walking past Kyouya to the entrance to the main hall, then turned towards him, "Of course, I was the same way. I knew that you were never truly in love with me, never truly mine. Shortly after our relationship ended, I found out that you were interested in another woman. A woman who defied common laws and made her way through life as a thief for her own personal gains. I learned that you had watched her since you were a child. I grew envious of this woman, how she unknowingly took you away from me, how she captured your heart and attention from me."
Her smile turned straight-face, "Then when I saw your escort at the ball, I had my suspicions about her...then I heard her name. Haruhi. I knew it at that moment. I knew you were using a fake last name as a disguise, but I knew. She was the infamous thief, Haruhi Fujioka. Oh, you did well with trying to pass her off as a visiting lady from another land, making her debut here as your escort. However, I was not fooled, and I made sure you both knew my scorn."
Kyouya growled, "So what if Haruhi is a thief? Under my guidance, she is reforming herself-"
"Oh please! I know that the last thing that girl wants is reformation from royals like us! It's royals that took away her family's land and brought shame to her name! It's royals that she fights against in order to regain her honor. Do you really think that she will go along so easy to such ideas? Do you really think you are that high of a prince, third son of King Ohtori?" Renge spat out.
The room became silent for a moment, then Renge spoke again, "Tell me Kyouya, do you all of this because you truly think that Haruhi will love you back? Despite her blanket hate towards royals and the common law, do you truly believe she will love you like you do towards her?"
The dark lord sighed, removing his glasses to wipe them clean of an apparent spot, "I don't know. However, I will not give up until I can tell Haruhi my true feelings, and help her regain her honor. No matter what, or who, gets hurt in the process."
Renge smiled sympathetically, "I should've expected nothing less from you."
Haruhi sighed for the fifth time that afternoon, "My hair takes forever to dry. Then again...maybe I shouldn't have poured the entire bucket of water on my head."
She laid out on her bed, having nothing else to do that afternoon since Kyouya was busying entertaining his guest – and she didn't want to disturb him and his former lover, especially not with the strange feelings she was getting – and listened to the wind blow gently throughout the room. She already cleaned it twice, once after dumping a bucket of cold water onto her head to erase her confusing feelings about the conversations downstairs – which she tried her best not to think about – then a second time in her boredom as she tried to figure out what do with the rest of her day.
She turned over, towards the window, ignoring the feeling of the wet pillow on her cheek. "I wish Hunny and Mori were here. If they were, I could talk to them about...damn it, Haruhi! Stop that! Ugh...I don't get it. What are these feelings I keep getting?"
Placing a hand over her heart, she felt it thumping faster. She remembered Yoshio's words, about Kyouya's fascination with her...she thought about the engagement ball, the kisses they shared, how he saved her from the perverted lord...suddenly her breath started to catch in her throat and she swore she felt her heart trying to pop out of her chest.
She remembered the passionate fire she felt when they danced, and the pleasure of the kisses afterward. She remembered how safe she felt when Kyouya wrapped his arms around her, saving her from the dark intentions of Hikaru, and the sweet dreams she had from the reassuring kiss he had given her that night upon her bed. Her feelings of guilt earlier that week...they weren't guilt, they were helplessness because she couldn't do anything to ease his suffering. Then today...she felt...jealousy. Yes, she was jealous of Renge, how she was near him when she had no real need to.
Was this all the feelings of... "No...no it can't be! I mean...!" Haruhi sprang up in the bed, shaking her head, "I mean, I seriously can't be...!"
She calmed herself for a moment and looked down at her hands, folded into her lap, as a single tear started to fall down her cheek, "I can't be in love with Kyouya..."
"I wish you much luck with your wedding, Renge. Your husband-to-be is a lucky man."
"Well, that is true, but I believe someone else is far luckier than I."
Renge smiled, releasing Kyouya's hand as she entered her carriage, "I'll see what I can do about obtaining the Fujioka land, and I'll contact you the moment I get any word on the moment I can release it to you. In the meantime, you know what you need to do about that woman."
"Yes, I know," Kyouya said firmly, no smile on his lips and no quake in his voice, "I can't hide my feelings from her forever. But...it isn't easy when the back of your mind tells you that she certainly rather see you dead instead of hearing you confess your heart."
Renge laughed, "My my, I don't think I've ever seen you so scared of a woman before. Not even Fuyumi frightened you, and yet this Haruhi has gotten to you!"
Kyouya playfully glared and Renge smiled as she patted his hand. "Oh, I'm joshing. Ah...take care Kyouya. I'll send you a letter after the wedding," she said, then motioning for the carriage to take off.
"Goodbye, Renge," Kyouya said, "And thank you for everything."
It was nighttime when Haruhi finally left her room, her eyes red from crying and her clothes and hair a mess from tossing and turning in a fit from her revelation earlier that day. She tried to reason with herself, deny everything, but she couldn't.
She realized that she was slowly falling in love with her captor, Kyouya Ohtori, and there was nothing she could or wanted to do to stop herself.
Now she was afraid. Afraid to be around him, afraid that one look or touch would lead to an awkward moment between them that she – maybe he? - would inevitably regret.
However, she knew she couldn't avoid him forever – she was his servant after all, perhaps his friend after all this time, and knew that she couldn't keep herself locked up in one room all day long.
She sighed again, rubbing her eyes away of the pain they felt from her crying, and walked in the parlor, then suddenly stopped dead in her tracks by the sight she saw.
At the very end of the room, sitting behind a grand-looking piano was Kyouya. Very gently he was tapping at the keys, as if he had no clue how to play the instrument he was seated at, and his face was scrunched together as if to concentrate.
"Kyo-" Haruhi started to say, but she stopped herself as his fingers started to move more fluidly over the keys, starting to play in a melody that echoed throughout the room.
She began to feel the floor shake slightly under her feet, and her heart began to quake – she never heard such emotion come from Kyouya before, or seen him concentrate so hard. Her hands clasped over her chest and her eyes welled up despite herself. "Kyouya..." she whispered, knowing full well he couldn't hear her.
The music began to die down and the lord relaxed, releasing a sharp breath before turning towards the door where Haruhi stood watching, the tears now falling down her cheeks and dripped shamelessly down to the floor. He could visibly see her shaking, but why he didn't know. He stood and walked towards her, but she didn't move a muscle.
"Haruhi."
She looked up at him when he spoke his name, and her lips parted with a small, unknown noise when he touched her cheek. She began to stop shaking when he felt his thumb wipe away her tears, and she stared into his onyx eyes and took notice of the feelings trapped behind the glass frames.
Feelings of fear, anxiety, helplessness...but also of care, need, and more...she was sure these same feelings were reflected in her eyes as well, but she wasn't too sure. She couldn't see herself reflected in his frames to tell.
"Haruhi."
His voice broke her reverie.
"Even if you hate me after this...I won't be able to live the rest of my life without telling my true feelings," Kyouya said softly, his lips very gently touching hers, "I love you, Haruhi Fujioka."