Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High.
"I'm sorry," he found no other answer to give her. "I thought that you would be happier with someone else." Haruhi looked up at him. "I thought I could let you go. I really did. But I can't."
"I haven't dated anyone since that day, you know," she said, twiddling her thumbs as a distraction. She bit her lip before continuing on. "I lost all trust, because the person closest to me left me after promising to take care of me for the rest of my life."
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Haruhi," the dark-haired man replied apologetically. "I didn't know."
"I thought the great Ootori Kyouya was all-knowing," she attempted some humor to lighten the mood. "I still remember that notorious notebook of yours in high school."
"I haven't touched it in the longest time," he said, smiling slightly. "I've left Ootori Corporation, so I don't need it anymore." Haruhi looked at him quizzically.
"You left?" she asked unbelievingly. He nodded slowly.
"I earned quite a sum of money dabbling in shares and such, so I left and set up my own company," he replied nonchalantly, glad for the change in topic.
"I thought you wanted to inherit Ootori Corporation," she tilted her head slightly to the left.
"After I left you, I thought about it," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I wondered why I wanted it in the first place. It didn't take me too long after my trip to Spain to resign from my post."
"I'm relieved." Haruhi flashed one of her 'natural rookie' smiles so welcomed by customers during the days of Ouran Academy High School Host Club. Kyouya arched an eyebrow. "I thought you'd spend the rest of your life in pretence."
"In pretence," he repeated slowly as if this was an alien phrase to him.
"The person you were while entertaining customers wasn't the same person I saw when you were with me," she answered frankly. "I can tell." He blinked and found no words to retort. After a while he shook his head in resignation.
"I take my hat off to you, Fujioka Haruhi," he said, standing up. "You know me better than I know myself." He gestured towards the exit, implying they would change an environment.
Kyouya walked with her in the streets, no longer feeling like he didn't belong. This was the life he wanted to lead. The life that he could spend with someone he truly loved, the times that he could share with Haruhi. It didn't matter really that he might have to leave everything behind. So long as she was beside him.
For the first time in a few years, he felt happy. For the first time in a very long time, he felt like he was loved, by someone he loved. He had fallen in love with one very frank Fujioka Her/him, so unlike the other girls he had known. From that instance, he felt he had made the right choice in looking for her.
Haruhi was silent, just like the dark-haired man next to her. He never liked to talk, something that she had found after dating him. But this silence was somewhat comforting, not the emptiness of the nights she had spent alone. After a long while, Kyouya spoke.
"I'm glad I went to look for you today." Haruhi looked at her feet as she continued walking.
"Ah," she murmured. "Me too." It was a genuine answer. She had not felt like this in a long time. Kyouya's gaze softened, and he smiled. They did not speak further as they strode towards the park nearby.
The park was one that Kyouya had stumbled upon walking alone on the streets at night. It was beautiful—you could see the stars from the benches, and you could hear the soft rustling of the leaves as the night breeze caressed their branches. The trees, so tall and imposing, had made a lasting impression, making him feel protected from the world, away from all disturbances. It was where he came when he felt alone or angry and frustrated to calm down and ponder over mistakes made or solutions to be found.
The sakura flowers had blossomed, dancing gaily in the breeze, as if entertaining them.
"The sakura flowers are beautiful, aren't they?" he said softly.
"They're beautiful," Haruhi agreed, lifting her head to watch them moving to the wind.
"In spring, I watched the sakura flowers bloom. In summer, I watched the stars. In autumn, I watched the moon. In winter, I watched the snow," he murmured, moving his gaze onto her. "It was how I spent the last few years."
"Ah." A flower floated down from the branches into her hand, and she touched it, feeling the petals of the flower before placing it gently on the ground. "But the flowers wilted, the stars and moon blocked by the clouds and the snow melted," she added knowingly. She had done the same on the nights she spent alone.
"The saying goes all good things must come to an end," Kyouya said, turning towards her. "I hope this won't." His eyes held hers, and she moved forward to brush her lips affectionately against his cheek.
"It won't."
Author's Note:
Thank you all so far for all the reviews!! I neglected this fanfic for quite sometime because of my other one 'Confessions of a Host'...gomen-ne...Hoped you liked it and thanks for reading!! (:
