Note: I do NOT own Ouran High School Host Club, no matter how many times I wished that were true.
This is the final chapter of the story! It's a shorter one then the others, but that can't be helped, unless you'd like to read a bunch of meaningless gibberish to fill a few pages. I hope you liked the story! Also, I apologize to those of you who gagged at the end; I like my romance mushy, thank you very much :D
Hikaru stalked the room, his eyes narrowed to slits. He looked furious; and he was. This was all his fault. He'd landed both his beloved twin and the only girl Kaoru had ever really loved in the hospital; all because of his spite.
I'd give anything to turn back time. He thought desperately, finally coming to a halt as he stared regretfully at Kaoru. He noticed Sakura's drooping eyes and took an awkward step forward.
"Hey, Sakura-san? Want me to call a nurse or something?" He asked nervously. "I'm fine." Sakura's eyes snapped open and remained stubbornly wide open until they began to droop again.
"That's it. I'm taking you back to your room." He grabbed Sakura's wheelchair and wheeled it out of the room, ignoring her faint protests.
He finally found her room and saw Kyoya sitting in a chair, his laptop out. He looked up with surprise when Hikaru came in.
"She's falling asleep." Hikaru muttered, dropping her off. He turned and hurried back to his twin's side, feeling guilty for leaving him just for a moment.
Sakura awoke back in her bed and felt like cursing.
"Kyoya, how long have I…?" She trailed off, seeing that Kyoya was gone. "Kyoya?" She asked, sitting up.
"He went to get some coffee." She looked up in surprise when Hikaru walked in, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.
"He wanted me to stay here in case you woke up." He explained. Sakura nodded. "Oh. How's Kaoru?" She asked. "He's in surgery again, so I've got nothing to do for an hour or two." Hikaru shrugged.
"Has Kyoya even left the hospital yet?" Sakura asked. Hikaru shook his head. "No. Been here the entire time." He said. Sakura's eyes widened and she leaned back against her pillow, surprised that Kyoya had been here that long.
As though he knew they were talking about him, Kyoya walked in.
"Ah, I see you're awake Sakura." Kyoya said, tossing an empty cup into the garbage. "Kyoya, why don't you go home and get some sleep." Sakura suggested gently.
"I'm fine." Kyoya snorted. "No you're not. Go home and rest, if only for a few hours. Hikaru's here; I'm not alone." She pointed out. Hikaru looked uncomfortable under Kyoya's steady gaze. But in the end, exhausted won her tired cousin over.
"All right." He sighed finally. "I'll go. I'll be back in a few hours though." He said before he turned and left.
"Whether he likes it or not, he's not going to be back for a lot longer then he thinks." Hikaru snorted. Sakura smiled slightly; she knew all too well of Kyoya's reputation as the "Low Blood Pressure Evil Lord".
"Anything good on TV?" Hikaru asked abruptly, sitting down in Kyoya's chair. Sakura shrugged. "I don't know. Haven't been watching much lately." She admitted. Hikaru turned it on but only static appeared.
"Darn it." Hikaru smacked the side of it but nothing happened. He scowled and returned to his chair and sighed. After a few moments of tense silence, Sakura sighed and turned to him.
"Tamaki told you, didn't he?" She asked quietly. Hikaru jumped. "Told me what?" He asked, though by the look in his eyes Sakura knew he was just playing stupid.
"About… what happened before I came here." She said. "No he didn't. He only said you'd been through a lot." Hikaru admitted.
"How did you know?" Hikaru asked curiously. Sakura smiled slightly. "Haruhi told me. She figured it wasn't good of Tamaki to talk about people behind their backs." She explained. Hikaru nodded, a slight smile on his face.
"So what did happen?" Hikaru asked, his eyes burning with curiosity. Sakura winced at the bad memories that beat dark wings in her head and she closed her eyes.
"You don't have to answer." Hikaru added hastily. "No." Sakura opened her eyes. "No, I have to. I'm tired of you all just wondering what happened. Kaoru knows; I told him all of this already. You're his twin; you should know all he knows." She decided. She folded her hands and stared at them before she began her story.
"I used to live about a hundred miles north of here, out in the country. We had a beautiful cottage, and our house overlooked a stream. It was wonderful." She smiled to herself.
"But that was just how it looked. My father, you see, lost his job a year ago. As soon as it happened Mom had to get work; she had a night job that barely kept us going.
"So all night it'd just be the two of us and my dad." She said, her eyes staring off into the distance.
"The two of you?" Hikaru asked, confusion in his voice. Sakura turned to see him slowly, her eyes brimming with pain.
"My father, myself, and Kagura. My twin sister." Hikaru's eyes went wide with shock and he said nothing. "You have a twin?" He stammered finally. Sakura didn't say anything and turned away from him again, resuming her story.
"Dad was stressed out, so he turned to alcohol to solve all his problems." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"He was a mean drunk; when he'd had a few bottles, he would come after Kagura and me, looking for someone to take his anger out on.
"I would always provoke him, making sure he only hit me, never Kagura. For a year, I endured this every night and he never touched her. Not once. And my mother never found out. We were both too scared that he'd hurt us worse if we told.
"But, one day, last month, Mom went to work earlier then usual, so Dad had an earlier start and had much more to drink then usual. Kagura and I didn't know he kept a gun in his dresser…" Sakura swallowed hard, trying to find her composure. Hikaru sat in silence, not begging her to continue. He listened like Kaoru had; without judgment and without comment.
"He came downstairs after us, thinking we were burglars or something after his money." Sakura's eyes hardened.
"We both tried to run but he shot her. He shot Kagura, right in front of me." She buried her face in her hands, trying to banish the pictures that flashed in front of her eyes. "Then he shot me too, and I don't remember anything after that." She finished in a choked whisper. She was crying again; she hated crying in front of Hikaru, but she couldn't help it. She could still see Kagura's terrified eyes as she fell before her, as though it had only happened yesterday.
"And he took her too." Sakura sobbed. "He took her body, and we still haven't found them. I don't even have any closure." She tried hard to stifle the sobs, but they just kept coming. Silently, Hikaru stood and sat next to her on the bed, wrapping his arms around her. His embrace wasn't nearly as warm or comforting as Kaoru's; but it was far better then nothing, and she welcomed his support, burying her face in his chest and letting herself go.
When Kaoru returned from history, Hikaru left Sakura, who was asleep again, and returned to his side. The doctors said Kaoru had shown no improvement; his outcome was "uncertain". Hikaru clenched his fists as he sat beside his brother, wondering what he would have done if he had lost him.
Sakura already knows that pain; and I may have to go through it as well. He thought grimly.
"Saka-chan Saka-chan!" Sakura turned her head and saw Hunny danced into the room. The corners of her lips pulled up into a slight smile; Hunny always cheered her up.
"Are you feeling better Saka-chan?" He asked, coming to a stop beside her bed. Sakura glanced up as Mori, silent as a shadow, slipped into the room and stood nonchalantly in the corner.
"Yes I am, thank you Hunny-chan." Sakura smiled, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "I made you a get-well card!" Hunny proudly handed her a construction paper card, with a pink bunny colored in crayon on the front.
"Aw, thank you Hunny-chan! I feel much better now!" Sakura laughed, placing the card on the dresser beside her bed.
"Is the rest of the Host Club here?" Sakura asked Mori curiously. Mori nodded once. "Tama-chan was talking to a pretty nurse!" Hunny announced, jumping up on the bed beside Sakura.
"I'll bet." Sakura snorted, amused. Mori smiled slightly and he turned, noticing the newcomers before anyone else had.
"… oh but Haruhi I just wanted to know where Sakura-chan's room was!" Tamaki was crying as he and Haruhi both entered. Haruhi merely rolled her eyes and didn't respond.
"Ah, hello Sakura-chan!" Tamaki greeted her, recovering instantly from Haruhi's annoyed glare. "I trust you're feeling better?" Sakura nodded, getting a bit tired of having to say she felt fine every time she woke up.
"Where's Mom? Don't tell me Kyoya abandoned you in your time of need!" Tamaki cried, aghast. Sakura rolled her eyes. "He's just getting some more coffee." She explained.
"How is Kaoru-san?" Haruhi asked bluntly. Tamaki winced at her directness but said nothing.
"We don't know yet." Sakura admitted. "His room is just a few doors down; why don't you go see him? Hikaru will be there too, so you can visit him as well." Sakura suggested. "OK! Bye Saka-chan!" Hunny hopped up onto Mori's shoulders and everyone departed, leaving Sakura alone for once.
She sighed with relief at the quiet and leaned back against the pillow, closing her eyes as she fell back asleep.
Hikaru looked up with a mild annoyance as the entire Host Club entered Kaoru's suddenly cramped hospital room.
"What are you guys doing here?" Hikaru demanded irritably. Tamaki went to the corner to sulk at Hikaru's rudeness and nearly everyone in the room rolled their eyes.
"We just came to see Kaoru." Haruhi explained. Hunny, the usually most talkative of them all, was strangely silent as he stared at Kaoru with wide, child-like eyes.
"Takashi, is that really Kao-chan?" He whispered to his large cousin, who nodded solemnly.
"Quit acting like this is a funeral!" Hikaru snapped when he noticed everyone's sad and pained faces.
"Hikaru-san, you can't blame us for being upset." Haruhi said gently. Hikaru snorted and turned his back, furious that she had to be right all the time.
Silently, the rest of the Host Club departed, leaving Hikaru alone with his twin.
Kaoru stared around the blank whiteness that seemed eerily like a fog. He didn't know how long he'd been here; he could have been trapped for years or mere minutes. Time didn't exist here. He heard voices occasionally; most often Hikaru's, begging him to come back.
But how do I get back? He wondered bleakly, walking aimlessly though the white mist.
"I can help." Kaoru whirled and looked around with a wild hope; the voice sounded achingly familiar.
"Where are you?" Kaoru called desperately.
"Here." The voice was stronger now, and closer. Then he saw her. She looked exactly like Sakura, yet somehow different.
"You look like Sakura… but you're not Sakura…" Kaoru shook his head, confused. The girl giggled. "You're a smart one! No, I'm not Sakura; I'm her twin, Kagura." She with a friendly smile. Kaoru blinked in shock.
"But you can't be!" Kaoru blurted out. "You're dead!" Kagura merely sighed. "Sakura's cries for you have reached my heart; I cannot rest until I have brought you back to her and have given her peace." She said softly, turning away.
"Hey, wait! Come back!" Kaoru chased after her, but she was always just out of reach, leading him on and on in the never-ending whiteness.
Sakura tapped her fingers impatiently as the nurse wheeled her into Kaoru's room. Something was pulling her there; a desperate need to be by Kaoru's side.
"All right here we are." The nurse said cheerfully, stopping her chair by Kaoru's bedside. "Just call if you need anything!" She said brightly, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her.
She was fully aware of Hikaru's looming presence in the back of the room; he didn't say anything, or move a muscle. She glanced back at home once; he looked exhausted beyond belief. She felt a stab of pity for him; he hadn't been in his bed for days.
"Kaoru?" She whispered softly, taking Kaoru's hand. "If you can hear me… wherever you are… please, come back to us." She begged quietly, squeezing his hand. She bowed her head, wishing with all her might that he would wake up.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a faint movement in her hand. Startled, she could only stare at her hand as Kaoru squeezed it again.
"Kaoru?" She whispered hopefully. After a few tense moments, his eyes fluttered open. "Kaoru!" She shrieked, wishing she could stand up. In a heartbeat Hikaru was at the bed.
"Kaoru?" He asked, his eyes wide with shock. Kaoru's eyes turned towards his twin and he smiled faintly.
"Kaoru!" Hikaru screamed, grabbing his free hand and pressing it to his cheek, closing his eyes.
A nurse poked her head in, having heard all the commotion. "Is something the matter?" She asked. "He's awake!" Sakura cried triumphantly. The nurse came closer to investigate.
"If you can hear and understand me, blink." She commanded. Kaoru closed his eyes for a moment then reopened them. "I'll go get a doctor to remove his breathing tube." She said before hurrying out of the room.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again, man." Hikaru said seriously. Sakura nodded fervently and clutched his hand tighter. Kaoru's eyes found hers and for a heartbeat he looked shocked, then dazed before he blinked and his eyes cleared.
He squeezed her hand again as a doctor came in and asked Hikaru and Sakura to back away. They did so, reluctantly, and watched as the doctor removed Kaoru's breathing tube. As soon as it was gone Kaoru coughed a few times, blinking and swallowing hard.
"Your throat may be a bit sore but it will go away." The doctor said. He bowed to Hikaru and Sakura and left them with Kaoru.
"I'm so glad you're OK!" Sakura was trying hard not to cry as she wheeled herself closer to Kaoru. Kaoru smiled weakly. "Sorry." He rasped, then he coughed again. Hikaru bent down and pressed a finger to his twin's lips. "Don't say anything." He said firmly.
"We'd better tell Kyoya." Sakura said suddenly. Hikaru nodded. "You go. I'm staying here." Sakura nodded and with a grunt of effort wheeled herself backwards and turned towards the door. She was outside the door and halfway down the hall before a nurse finally caught her and wheeled her to her own room, where Kyoya was waiting, writing in his notebook this time.
"Kaoru's awake." She blurted out excitedly before he could say anything. Kyoya's eyes widened and he stood up, closing his notebook. She turned back to the nurse behind her.
"Can you take us back to Hitachin Kaoru's room, please?" She asked and the nurse nodded, wheeling her around and taking her right back to Kaoru's room, Kyoya right beside her.
After a few more days in the hospital, Kaoru was finally sent home on strict bed-rest. Needless to say, Sakura was a frequent visitor of the Hitachin household.
After a week or so at home, Kaoru was well enough to come back to Ouran, though he wore a cast on his right arm.
Tamaki decided that the re-opening of the Host Club after two weeks of being closed was cause for a party. A ball, to be exact. So the Friday that Kaoru and Hikaru returned that night there was a large, grand ball outside under the cherry blossoms.
Sakura danced with every member of the Host Club twice; except for Kaoru, who was swept away by client after adoring client who had missed him and his brother. Finally though, the last dance came and Kaoru politely declined a dance with the clients in favor of Sakura.
"May I have this dance?" He bowed in front of her. Sakura smiled. "You may." She said, taking his hand. Dancing was awkward for her, because of her leg being in a cast. So she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he put a hand on her waist and they swayed gently to the music. Sakura placed her head on his chest and closed her eyes, wishing this night would never end.
She could tell the song was ending though, and she reluctantly opened her eyes and looked up at Kaoru.
"You know what I haven't told you yet?" He said abruptly. "What?" Sakura asked. He looked back at her, his eyes warm.
"I love you." He breathed. Sakura's breath caught in her chest and for a moment she could only stare at him for a heartbeat before she could whisper back, "I love you too." She murmured and he smiled.
He bent his head slightly and brought his face closer to hers, his eyes asking permission. Sakura merely blinked and stretched up the last few inches, bringing her lips to his.
Above their heads, fireworks exploded over the cherry blossom trees, highlighting the moment between them. And so our story ends, with a kiss, as all stories should.
Yeah I kind of turned into a narrator at the end, but it seemed like the right thing to put. Please review and tell me what you think!
NOTE: There WILL be a sequel! I don't know when it will be posted but I am working on it now; and I can't wait for it to be posted so you can bet it'll be up soon!
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