Little Pieces of My Heart
Hi again from Yukihime211. Gomen! I'm sorry for not updating in almost 3 weeks. What with finals and studying, I was really busy. But anyway, This chapter is over 50 pages so sorry for those who hate reading. This is a new year chapter and is pretty late, so thank you to all my fellow readers. Hope you enjoy. ^-^Disclaimer:Do not own any of Ouran except my OC's. Some of the people might sound AU so sorry.
Chapter 9
The Fesival
New Year's Eve had arrived at last. Clouds had strangely enough been cleared and blue skies were engulfing the area. Tamaki's prediction had become a reality. People chattered outside happily as some of them were out shopping for their last minute groceries. It was around ten in the morning and mothers were inside preparing their dishes for later in the evening. Ramen shops were packed with people as they came to eat noodles to determine their life span. Others were lining up to get their strengths tested in the arcade down the street. A bustling morning most would find rather natural. In the bustling area of wealth, maids, butlers, and chefs were hard at work to have cocktail parties possible. Winds were calm and the clear sun warmed the pavement. Although slightly chilly, it was a pretty day. Inside Suoh Mansion #2 Tamaki was happily prancing around like an idiot. The ever easygoing staff chuckled and giggled.
"I see Tamaki is in a good mood today," commented the driver.
One of the maids nodded and giggled.
"He was so happy when he woke up this morning to see clear skies when the weather man said it would be raining," she explained.
Shima walked around wearing her usual granny kimono to inspect the others. Everyone went back to work, but easy going as ever. In her hands, she held the completed kimono she had been working on practically all that week.
"You finished my kimono, Shima?" he asked with excitement.
Shima nodded and handed it to him.
"Before you even think it. Please refrain from putting it on too early. I barely had it starched and prepared and should only be put on after you leave at six," she informed.
Tamaki made big puppy eyes.
"I don't think I can wait that long. I'd probably die," he exagerated.
Shima sighed. It felt like she was arguing with a six year old.
***
Haruhi was in the kitchen preparing the meals that her father would be eating. Turned out, plans with her dad were cancelled as the boss had decided to stay open for business since many people would be out partying until sunrise. She sighed and sat on a pillow. Looking out the window, she saw the clear skies. There was only two choices. Stay home alone or go out with the group. She really wasn't up for walking around town until midnight or later. Nothing wrong with that, but she just wanted to stay home and have a peaceful New Year. The phone snapped her out of her reverie and she quickly answered.
"Moshi moshi," answered Haruhi.
A long pause was received from the other line, but soon after the person answered.
"Uhm, is this the Fujioka residence?" asked a female voice.
Haruhi wondered who it could be.
"Yes. Who is this?" she asked.
There was another long silence.
"This is Mazaki Sakuya. Could I please speak with Fujioka ku-, I mean Haruhi?" she asked.
Haruhi looked slightly shocked. Sakuya was actually calling her house?
"Speaking. What's up Sakuya?" Haruhi asked.
A sigh of relief filled the receiver of the phone.
"Oh good. I'm glad you were the one who answered. Sorry. I wasn't sure if I had the right number. Nice weather we're having, huh?" she asked.
Haruhi agreed.
"I guess my prediction for cold weather was wrong. I'm sure Tamaki was bouncing off the walls this morning when he woke up," explained Haruhi.
Sakuya laughed softly.
"You're probably right. Anyway, I know this is a personal question and all, but could you possibly come over? I have a favor I'd like to ask," she explained.
Haruhi wondered exactly what it could be as she looked outside the window once more. She sighed.
"Alright. But I probably won't be able to get there until four, which wouldn't give you much time if it has anything to do with the festival," she explained.
Sakuya chuckled softly.
"No it actually has to do with something else. I'm sorry that I can't provide the transportation, but I'm not allowed to leave the house right now," she explained.
Haruhi wondered silently what had happened for her to say that.
"Well, I guess I can jus take the bullet train over or something," realized Haruhi.
She heard muffled voices in the background.
"I'm sorry. I have to go. Yoneko is glaring at me. I'll see you soon. Ja ne," Sakuya replied.
Haruhi set the phone in its cradle and sighed. She finished the last of her dishes and left a note for her father that she was going out.
***
Hikaru and Kaoru were sitting in the dining room. They cupped their chin with their hand and rested their elbow on the table. Kaoru had been seemingly quiet since returning home from Sakuya's house yesterday. Hikaru wondered exactly what had happened those short ten minutes that had made his little brother run like there was some sort of forest fire at the turn of the door. Sakuya looked rather surprised and slightly red when Hikaru had arrived. As dense as he was, he could tell that there was something that Kaoru wasn't telling him. Hikaru set his attention at his surroundings. They were in the kitchen after they had finished up eating their breakfast and were just lounging around killing time until five.
"Hey Kaoru," started Hikaru.
Kaoru looked up lazily with drooping eyes. He hadn't gotten enough sleep last night since he had stayed up all night replaying what had almost happened. He sighed and nodded in aknowlegement.
"Yeah Hikaru?" asked Kaoru.
Hikaru hestitated in answering, but decided that it was better to address the problem directly.
"What happened yesterday at Sakuya's house?" he asked.
Kaoru looked up with pink cheeks, but composed himself with a happy grin.
"Nothing really. I was just messing with her and then she got all flustered," commented Kaoru.
Not completely a total lie. He was messing with her about the bag, but then he breezed by the incident. Hikaru nodded, but wasn't completely satisfied. Kaoru stood from the table and headed upstairs to have some alone time. Hikaru stayed put and vowed he would find out what had happened yesterday with his little brother and Sakuya.
***
Kyoya sat at his desk with his laptop turned on as he reviewed the website to see an inbox filled with useless love letters. He might as well get to reading and sort letters to keep everyone in good terms for the gain of the parent's assets.
He really wished that there was something that could speed up the process so that he didn't always have to be dealing with all of the tiresome requests. 'Knock Knock.' Kyoya stood from his chair to open his bedroom door. A maid bowed slightly outside his door.
"Yes?" he asked.
She looked up and held out the phone.
"You have a phone call, Kyoya-sama," she explained.
He thanked her and took a hold of the phone while closing the door in her face. He walked over to his desk and pressed the line 1 button.
"Hello?" he asked.
Mutterings were heard from the other line. Female voices to be exact.
"Ah, ohayou. Forgive me for calling you. This is Yoneko Oshiara. I'm Sakuya-sama's caretaker. Are you perchance, Ohtori Kyoya?" she asked.
Kyoya wondered why Sakuya's maid would be calling him, let alone know his house number.
"Yes I am Kyoya. How can I help you?" he asked while sounding pleasant.
Yoneko bickered slightly on the other side.
"Don't take that tone with me, young lady! Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you perchance, familiar with the Hitachiin twins?" she asked.
Kyoya arched an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Why of course. We go to the same school together. We also are members of the same club," he explained.
Yoneko forced a laugh.
"That's great. Well, what would you say about the boys. I mean, are they trouble makers?" asked Yoneko.
Kyoya knew what had to be done.
"Well, they sometimes pull harmless pranks on our club President, but they're pretty good kids," explained Kyoya.
She sighed in relief.
"I see. Well thank you for your time. But, there is a favor I'd like to ask. Could you possibly es-" started Yoneko.
The phone seemed to be wretched from her hand as the cries were easily heard.
"Stop! That's enough! I don't understand what's running through that mind of yours. This doesn't concern him, so he should just be kept out," cried out Sakuya.
A door slammed and running was easily audible.
"Come back here young lady! I'm just doing what's in the best interest for you," pleaded Yoneko.
The phone went dead and Kyoya placed the phone on the table. He sighed. It looked like Yoneko was trying to get him to escort Sakuya or something. Which was strange on why she wanted to know about Hikaru and Kaoru. Dismissing the thought, he went back to reading and responding to emails.
***
I sat in my room and fumed silently. Grounded, she said. Why in the world would I get grounded?! I hadn't even done anything wrong. She was the one who invited the twins into the house in the first place. Nothing even look at me yesterday, and she thought something vulgar had almost taken place. I had locked the door to my room and placed my earphones and turned the volume up. I sat on my bed and rested my head on the wall. I took out my cellphone and reluctantly texted the only people I knew that could help me. Immediately after I sent the message, my cell rang.
"Hello?" I asked.
Of course I knew it was the twins that had called.
"Yo Sakuya. What's up?" asked one of the twins.
I was pretty sure that it was Hikaru. Kaoru would never call out like that.
"Hey Hikaru. So, what are you up to?" I asked.
Yoneko began to pound on my door. I gasped and turned up the radio.
"What's all the commotion over there?" he asked.
I heard Yoneko try to call out to me.
"I'll explain later. Look. I'm in a tough bind, and I wouldn't usually do something like this, but this calls for drastic measures. I need your help. I can't say too much, but I have a questions I'd like to ask. First though, could you come over? Around two or three pm if possible. After that I'll explain the rest," I explained.
The line was silent.
"Sure. But I've got a question for you. What happened yesterday with you and Kaoru anyway?" he asked.
I froze slightly. Great. Not another one. I sighed. This would probably sound weird coming from me.
"Well, not much. He was trying to sneak a peak at my gift bag and I stopped him. Then. . ." I stopped as I felt a warm sensation on my cheeks.
Hikaru stood silent trying to get the details.
"Then what?" he questioned.
I intook a deep breath.
"Well, then I tripped," I responded.
Hikaru began to laugh hysterically. I felt my ears warm in embarrassment.
"That's it? You tripped? It makes sense now. Ah. I needed that. Well, okay. See ya' in a few hours," said Hikaru.
I hung up the phone and turned down the music. I set down the cellphone on the night stand and walked over to the vanity. Yoneko had finally given up on trying to coax me out and had stomped down the stairs. In just a couple of hours, she'd be out of the house in no time. Shopping for groceries. She was the only one around right now as I gave the whole staff the day off to be with their families. I decided to call my stylist and makeup artist to give them a challenge worth their while.
***
Hunny was in the small dojo area where he was dressed in his karate suit and began throwing rythmic punches and kicks on the wooden pole with various pegs around them. Sweat dripped slightly from his forehead as he trained hard. It had been a while since he had trained this hard in karate. Yasuchika, or Chika as everyone called him, had left early to go over to Satoshi's house. The adrenaline surged inside him slightly as he took a good whack on the wooden pole. The screen door opened and in entered Mori. He looked over at Hunny and sat on the tatami quietly. When Hunny looked over, he smiled.
"Hi Takashi! What are you doing here?" he asked.
Mori waved.
"Just came to hang out. Tamaki told me that we're going to meet up at Haruhi's place at five," he explained.
Hunny placed his brow onto the white towel used it to brush off the sweat. He jogged over to Mori and sat down next to him.
"Okay! Do you think Haruhi will make us something good to eat if we go early?" he wondered out loud.
Mori just shrugged. Hunny smiled and thought about how much fun they were going to have at the festival with all the stands and games.
***
Just a few houses down and Haruhi would make it to the mansion that belonged to Sakuya. She wasn't sure what this was all about, but she'd soon find out. As she rounded the corner, she saw Sakuya's maid walking out of the mansion and making her way in the opposite direction Haruhi was taking. She shrugged and walked over to the gates and buzzed the intercom.
"Haruhi?" asked Sakuya from the intercom.
Haruhi nodded.
"Uhm, yeah. Hi Sakuya. What was it that you wanted help with?" she asked.
There was a short pause.
"Okay. Here's the thing. I'm kind of grounded right now and I needed your help escaping the house," she said bluntly.
Haruhi looked taken aback.
"You think I'm in expert in sneaking out or something?" asked Haruhi.
A laugh was heard from the intercom.
"No its not like that. But come in. I'll open the gates for you," said Sakuya.
As if on command, the gates opened and Haruhi walked up the steps leading to the main door. The sound of tromping down the stairs was heard and the door opened. Standing in front of her was a young woman with a bob cut streaked with blonde. Her eyes were a piercing hue of red. She was as pale as a vampire and she wore a knit sweater the color of the trees with a midnight black skirt over her black tights. She tilted her head slightly and grabbed a tuft of Haruhi's hair. With wide eyes, Haruhi wondered what the hell was going on.
"Uhm. Excuse me. Can I help you?" Haruhi asked.
The woman opened her mouth and showed off her perfectly white teeth. Haruhi shivered.
"Such thick hair. Do you by chance ever blowdry your hair?" she asked.
Haruhi felt her face warm.
"Uh, not really," she explained.
She tutted. Haruhi wondered who this strange woman was. The woman led her up to stairs which led to a huge array of doors. Haruhi's eyes widened.
"This way," instructed the vampire looking woman.
She led her into a room with a painted door. Inside, she found two other people working hard on making up a girl. Haruhi looked around the room which was painted a sky blue color of some sort. She wondered if this was Sakuya's room or her sister's room. (If she had any.)
"Uhm. Hi. Is Sakuya around?" questioned Haruhi.
The vampire lady walked over to the surrounded girl and took a brush while slowly running its teeth through the lovely looking hair. The make up artist glanced over at Haruhi and took a look at her skin.
"You've got lovely skin, just like Sakuya," he surveyed.
The man wore his hair spiky which was bleached blonde and wore all black clothing. He was slightly tan and had a thin mustache with bright hazel eyes.
"What is with these people?"
She cleared her throat once more.
"Speaking of Sakuya, where is she?" Haruhi asked.
The man who seemed like the make up artist smiled and he chuckled. The vampire woman looked to be the hairstylist. A woman with seemingly curly brown hair and bright green eyes smiled over excitedly. She walked over to Haruhi and shook her hand. The woman looked her up and down and frowned slightly.
"Not much of a fashionista, eh?" she asked.
Haruhi flushed and felt a vein pop up. She reminded her of a female version of Tamaki. The blonde haired make up artist reminded Haruhi of a mix of the twins and seductive Tamaki. As for the vampire lady, no doubt the Queen of night. [Kyoya] The adult like versions of the club if some were women glanced back at the young woman they had been working on for quite some time. Haruhi walked over cautiously as the young woman turned the seat to face the her. She had pitch black straight and silky long hair that reached her waist. The hair was placed loose with the top half being held with a small clip only holding it in a sort of small ponytail. Her exceedingly pale skin was flawless and she wore slight mascara giving her lashes an extra long look. Eyes were popping with pretty dark blue eyes. She wore a pale pink lipgloss on her lips and wore an extravagant looking kimono. It was a pale purple with cherry blossoms scattering around the print. The young woman aknowledged Haruhi with a slight nod and smiled. The smile beamed bright and slightly blinded her vision. Exactly who was this girl?
***
Kaoru sat in the back seat with the ever energetic Hikaru. Seemed like he had given up on the interrogation on trying to figure out what had happened yesterday. Kaoru was okay with that, but he wondered why they were going over to Sakuya's house after what he had almost done to her. He wondered if his accidental intentions towards Sakuya even mattered to her. The feeling that overcame him was a mix of relief and a bit of disappointment. Their friendship was thankfully not jeopordized. The car pulled up and the two walked up to the mansion. Hikaru took out his cell phone and called Sakuya. After a few rings, she answered.
"Hello?" asked the ever familiar female voice.
Hikaru grinned.
"We're here," he answered bluntly.
Sakuya sighed.
"Hey guys. Come on in. You know the way. Thankfully Yoneko isn't here. Well. I was grounded for no apparent reason and I need your help to get out. Will you help me out?" she asked.
Kaoru smiled and grasped the phone from Hikaru.
"Sure. We're experts," he boasted slightly.
The gates opened and the two walked in like they owned the place. Opening the front door cautiously, they walked in while closing the door softly behind them. Pure silence deafened the house. Seemed like the staff was out enjoying the weather. They walked up the stairs and into the pale colored door. Kaoru knocked a couple of times and walked in with Hikaru trailing behind. Inside, they found a few professional looking make over experts. Sitting on the chairs was a Japanese beauty with exotic looking eyes. Next to her was a young boy wearing a kimono with a flower pattern and a bow in his hair. He looked annoyed. The twins took a step back and felt as if they had stepped into another dimension.
"Where's Sakuya?" wondered Kaoru.
Hikaru took a closer look at the young boy and realized he was staring at Haruhi. A grin escaped his lips and he began to laugh. Haruhi glared at him with grave intensity.
"Jerk. I'm just trying to help out Sakuya," she explained.
The twins looked at her with furrowed eyebrows and looked around the room with no trace of Sakuya.
"Where is Sakuya anyway?" asked Kaoru.
Haruhi nodded in the direction next to her.
"You guys. She's right next to me," explained Haruhi.
The two looked at the Japanese beauty with silky black hair and she nodded softly. She looked up and smiled. Hikaru and Kaoru looked on with their jaws dropped.
"Sakuya?" they asked in unison.
***
My staff had done well. My looks were altered drastically with the help of Miyako the hairstylist, Aki the make up artist, and Hitomi the wardrobe consultant. I had fooled the smartest guy in class 1-A with the black wig. A few moments after he gave me that look like,"Who are you?" I knew I could fool anyone. Of course, I explained to him that I was trying to hide my identity to make a perfect escape out of here. As for Haruhi being in a kimono, my staff was inspired to give Haruhi a traditional wear to match off with my look. I glanced over at Haruhi with apology.
"I'm sorry Fujioka-kun. I didn't expect my staff to do something like this," I apoligized.
Haruhi sighed.
"Its okay. I understand," he answered.
I nodded and sat in my chair glancing ever so slightly out the window. My time was running out. As the thought crossed my mind, the twins arrived. I sighed in relief and decided to see the reaction of the guys. Of course they were speechless. I beamed my smile at them. (A little trick I learned from previous jobs.) I nodded.
"Hi," I said smiling.
The guys stepped back at the ultra bright smile. The guys blushed slightly.
"So, you need help sneaking out?" questioned Hikaru.
I nodded slightly. Miyako looked over at me with a devious grin.
"Sneaking out, you say? I remember doing something similar to get out of my house when I was grounded. Not with all the glamorous disguises, just a simple wig and some shades," she remarked.
Haruhi stood up and walked over to the window and looked over nonchalantly.
"Anyone out there?" asked Kaoru.
He shook her head.
"Nope. No one in sight," he answered.
Hikaru and Kaoru grinned and pulled me into their little circle of scheming.
***
Yoneko had arrived to the market and began picking and choosing the types of food she would take to make a small dinner for herself and Sakuya. She felt a bit guilty for punishing her for no apparent reason. It wasn't that she didn't trust her, it was just that she was concerned. Sakuya's father had called and had forbidden her from leaving the house on New Year's Eve. Yoneko had pleaded Mazaki-san to let his daughter go out, but he disagreed. That morning while she was calling Kyoya, Yoneko was going against her bosses' word to let Sakuya have some independence and fun. She sighed and picked a few vegetables and placed them in her basket. Sakuya wasn't much of a crybaby, but Yoneko silently wondered if she was actually feeling sore. Various teenagers and adults walked around the market making small conversation on their plans for the day. A young girl with short brown hair and silvery looking eyes was giggling and chatting with her group of friends.
"Yeah! Let's head out to that new karaoke place. I hear they have the latest songs," explained the girl's friends.
She agreed and they walked over to the junk food isle to get their snacks. Twinges of pain stabbed Yoneko slightly. Guilt was written all over her face. She walked over to the counter to pay and later walked slowly to the mansion.
***
Green shrubs located near Sakuya's window hid the twins from the outside. Haruhi stood next to them in wonder.
"Why are we hiding in here?" asked Haruhi.
The two crouched twins shushed her.
"Yoneko will be here any minute and we have to stay hidden so she doesn't see us. Then our plan will be in motion," informed Hikaru.
Haruhi rolled her eyes and stood there while still wearing the kimono given to her for the festival, which she wasn't even sure she'd go to. The automatic sound of the gates opened and the plan was in then in play.
"Get ready," whispered Kaoru into the cellphone.
***
I locked the door to my room and placed a dummy under the covers. Very childish and I'd probably not get away with it. Oh well. I'd suffer the punishement after having my fun. After walking over to my window while tying the rope to the bed post ,I threw the other end out the window. I took a deep breath and took a hold of the rope and jumped. Slowly, I made my way down the landscape as if I were rock climbing down a mountain. It was kind of tough, seeing as my kimono limited much movement in my legs. Ten minutes into climbing, I checked how much I needed to go. Only a few feet down and I'd be safe. I sighed and placed my foot on the wall. I looked down slightly and saw the guys waiting patiently. Green lawn spread out in front of me and I felt slightly faint. My grasp loosened and as if on slow motion, I began to fall. I shut my eyes and clamped my mouth shut with my hand. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. Gasps echoed down below. The sound of running deafened my ears and then, like a safe descent, I opened my eyes to find myself in the arms of Hikaru. He was plopped on the floor with me facing towards him. Tears felt ready to burst from my eyes like a faucet. I...was never going to do that again. Way too scary. I shivered violently and held in a sob.
"Take a deep breath. That's it. Stay calm. Don't cry. You're too proud to cry. Especially in front of these guys," I told myself mentally.
I held on tightly to Hikaru's sleeves and pressed my face close to his chest.
"You okay Sakuya?" asked Haruhi with concern.
I dared not to look at him but nodded slightly with my face still buried in Hikaru's chest. Hikaru slowly put his arms around me and patted my head. I heard him chuckle slightly. My eyebrows furrowed and I looked up at him glaring slightly.
"What's so funny?" I questioned with slight irritation.
He smiled.
"So, you're afraid of heights eh?" he questioned as he tightened his grip on me.
I pushed him away and stood up. My face was contoured in a frown. I crossed my arms.
"Of course I'm not," I denied.
He stood up still grinning. He walked away smugly.
"Ri~ght," he said.
I jogged over to him in attempt to stop him.
"It's true!" I cried out.
I gasped and covered my mouth as I saw Yoneko glance outside from one of the windows. I crouched slightly. I looked back to see Haruhi and Kaoru trudging over to us. Kaoru looked over with a half smile. I looked down at my hands and gasped. I had forgotten my bag. I rushed over where the bushes were and pulled out the bag. I sighed and walked over back to the three friends.
"What was that about?" questioned Kaoru.
I looked away slightly.
"Just forgot to grab my bag. I have my stuff there," I explained.
He shrugged and we walked through the front cautiously. Hikaru took out his cell phone and called a cab to pick us up. (Although they traveled here by their car, they sent their driver away to keep things looking less suspicous.) Casually, everyone waited quietly for the cab to arrive.
***
Kaoru looked over at Sakuya with a slight pain coursing through his heart. He watched as his brother and Sakuya seemed to be flirting or getting along. He should have been happy that everyone was getting along, but for some reason, this pained him. He shook off the thought and grinned as he saw her smile slightly over at him.
"Thanks for helping me out of this tough situation," she thanked him sincerely.
He nodded and the cab arrived. the four of them walked in and drove off towards Haruhi's house. The ride over was slightly akward with silence. Kaoru looked out the window and looked back at his friends.
"Nice weather we're having, huh?" he questioned.
They all nodded.
"So, how are New Year's Festivals like?" she asked.
Haruhi looked at her with wide eyes.
"You mean to tell me you've never been to a New Year's Festival before?" questioned Haruhi in disbelief.
She shook her head slightly.
"Like I said before. My dad was super strict with me at a young age, so I was never able to go out much," she explained.
Kaoru looked over at Hikaru. The two looked out the window thinking of their own parents. They were free to do what they wanted only because their parents were never around. Sure they had their fun, but their mother couldn't even tell them apart. Tension had risen in the air and was heavily felt by everyone in the cab. The car stopped and the others gladly took their time walking out. As the four made their way towards Haruhi's apartment, two very familiar characters were able to be seen waiting in front of the door. As they grew closer, the name dawned on the small group. It was Hunny and Mori.
***
The two greeted us and Hunny looked over with bright eyes. He ran over with bright eyes.
"Sa-chan!" he cried out.
I was taken aback.
"How did you know it was me?" I asked.
He smiled knowingly.
"It was easy, silly. ^-^ You smell like Sa-chan," he noted.
Well, that was specific. Well, he was Hunny. So, I guess it was natural. I sighed and bowed slightly.
"Good afternoon, Mori-senpai," I said quietly.
He looked down smiling slightly and bowed back.
"Good afternoon," he answered back.
Hunny walked over to Haruhi smiling.
"Where were you? We've been waiting for ten minutes," he asked.
Haruhi explained that he had an errand to run and had to pick me up. Hikaru looked around to see others sticking their head to see what was going on outside.
"Are we going to be outside here all day or are we going in?" asked Hikaru.
We laughed slightly and Haruhi opened the door to let us in. I looked around in awe. The place was so... small. I kept my comments to myself just in case. We placed our shoes on the ground and I glanced to see a kitchen near the door with a Japanese style like kotetsu as a table. There was a small closet near the screen door that was mostly likely the room that he shared with his family. He glanced over at me blushing slightly.
"Sorry about this. My place is pretty small compared to your room," he explained.
I smiled slightly.
"It's alright. Size doesn't matter. It's really nice," I said quietly.
It was very organized and clean. But where was his family? No brothers, sisters or parents in sight. I glanced over at Haruhi and the twins as they were talking amongst themselves about what the plans were and where to go first. Hunny and Mori were participating in the conversation as well. But mostly Hunny was talking about the food that was moistening his saliva at the thought of all the treats. Hunny's stomach began to gurgle. We all looked over at him. He laughed slightly.
"Ahahaha. I'm kind of hungry," he informed.
Haruhi looked over in obliviousness.
"If you're hungry, why not eat? I know a great sushi place just around the corner," Haruhi informed.
Hunny tilted his head slightly and smiled.
"Uhm, I kind of want to taste Haru's cooking," he said cutely.
A trap to lure food from Haruhi, eh? He stood slightly and walked to the kitchen.
"Sure I guess," he said finally.
The twins looked over at Hunny with wide eyes as if wondering how he could ask such a thing. I shrugged, but then stood when I realized that he was still wearing the kimono. Kaoru looked over as if realizing the same thing.
"Wait a sec, Haruhi. You don't really plan on cooking with the kimono, do you?" he questioned.
Haruhi looked down at the kimono and set down the utensils.
"Oh, right. Sorry Hunny. Could you take a rain check on that?" Haruhi asked.
Hunny looked down crestfallen slightly, but nodded. Mori stood up and walked over to the kitchen. He looked down at Haruhi.
"Would you mind if I used your kitchen?" he questioned.
Haruhi looked at him with skepticism, but nodded slowly. Mori donned on an apron and began to sort through food. Hunny looked over in surprise and went to his side.
"Takashi, what are you doing?" asked Hunny in wonder.
Mori glanced sideways.
"Making lunch," he informed.
I glanced over at the twins who seemed to be trying to hold their emotions in. Their faces were red and they were lightly slamming a fist at the table looking ready to laugh so hard tears would shed.
"M-my, h-h-how sw-sw*snerk* sweet," snickered Hikaru.
Kaoru held on to his stomach and bent forward. (He looked like he was bowing dogeza to the ground.) I crossed my arms and walked over to the twins. I lightly tapped their heads with my knuckles. I glared at them slightly.
"Don't be mean. He's trying to be nice," I scolded.
The two looked at me and went back to laughing. Suddenly, an even darker presence loomed behind me. I turned slowly to see Hunny glaring menacingly and his usual flowery aura was replaced with waves of dark matter. The twins shut up immediately. I shivered slightly and stepped aside.
"Shut up you little brats. If you think something like this is funny, why don't you two try making something edible for a change," menaced Hunny.
They turned away and were on their way out the door, when Hunny magically appeared at the front door with the still evil grin on his face.
"Oh no you don't. You're not getting out of this that easily," he said with an evil grin.
Their faces were contoured in horror. It had seemed that they had found their match within the hidden evil Hunny. I didn't know whether to feel sympathy or crack up laughing at this turn of events.
***
Kyoya arrived at Tamaki's house around 4:30 pm. He was still thinking about the call he had received from Yoneko-san. He walked into Suoh Mansion #2 to see Shima scolding Tamaki for trying to get out of lessons. Tamaki pouted and looked at her with puppy eyes.
"Won't you please let me out a few minutes earlier, Shima-san?" asked Tamaki.
Shima turned away and shook her head.
"Your puppy eyes have no effect on me, Tamaki," she informed.
Tears bubbled from his eyes as she pulled him into the small study room where she taught him proper etiquette. In the process, Tamaki spotted Kyoya and called for help.
"Kyoya! Save me from eternal boredom, please!" cried out Tamaki.
Kyoya looked over in a straight face, but chuckled slightly. He waved.
"Good afternoon Shima-san. Hi there Tamaki. What are you two up to?" he asked.
Shima turned to look and bowed slightly with a hold of Tamaki's collar still in one hand. Tamaki tried to get away, but like a leash, he was pulled back. For an old woman, she sure was strong.
"Hello, Kyoya-san. I was just about to take Tamaki to his study room. He need to freshen up on his manners," she explained.
Tears of hysterics dribbled down Tamaki's cheeks as he felt his life was on the line. Of course, he was exaggerating.
"Please! Have mercy on me!!!" cried out Tamaki in finality.
Kyoya sighed and smiled pleasantly.
"Forgive me for interrupting your class, but Tamaki is needed for a club meeting," began Kyoya. He looked down at his watch. His eyes glinted slightly. "Besides, the festival is almost up and running. the rest of the club is waiting for you at Haruhi's house," he finished.
She released her grip Tamaki and handed him the kimono which was set on the table. A small grin was planted on her slightly wrinkly face.
"Have fun Tamaki," Shima encouraged.
Tamaki ran full speed and hugged Kyoya.
"Thank you so much! But that was mean! You were planning on leaving me behind, weren't you?" accused Tamaki.
Kyoya just shook his head. Tamaki ran up the stairs to get into the kimono.
"Ah. How ambivalent," stated Kyoya.
***
Water bubbled and boiled as random pieces of food were thrown in like a cauldron filled with ingredients for a deadly potion. I looked over panicked as Hunny had gone back to being a happy looking 3rd year and Haruhi looked like he was going to pass out. Precious food ingredients were being wasted in ways that others would call dangerous. The twins had definitely never learned to cook. Cautiously, I leaned forward towards Haruhi's ear.
"Is there a fire extinguisher anywhere around here?" I whispered with worry.
Haruhi nodded slightly and pointed near the door. I quickly went for the live saver and placed in next to the kitchen. Maybe it was time to get them to stop. Yes. That would be the best solution. Walking over to the two, I took a hold of their aprons and tugged it away. The stoves were harder to get near to, but I managed to turn them off without harming myself. I shuffled away from the stove. I scanned the kitchen and easily found the food Mori had so graciously made for Hunny. It seemed edible and decided that this was what was going to be taken as a snack. I set down the plate in front of Hunny, Mori and Haruhi.
"Why'd you do that for?" questioned Hikaru.
I crossed my arms slightly in disbelief.
"You two were about to set fire to the place, with your... incredible culinary skills," I explained.
I took the food that was ruined by the twins and dumped them in the trash can. It was painful to do and see the look on Haruhi's face, but it had to be done. The food was no longer in any way edible or able to be used without someone getting sick. Taking inventory, I figured about half of the food in the fridge had been used. I was just about to use my cellphone, when I realized that if I dared to use it, Yoneko could easily track me down. I hadn't realized this before, but I was slowly getting accustomed to the life of a rich kid and its benefits were beginning to become frequently noticible. I placed the phone at the bottom of my bag and put it on silent. I sat down in between the twins and we slowly ate the only food available at the moment. My taste buds sang with happiness as I took a bite from the strange, yet delicious snack that Mori had made.
"It's yummy huh?" surveyed Hunny.
He was smiling happily like an adorable child. There was no choice but to agree. The twins sulked slightly, but I was pretty sure that was an act. The doorbell rang and Haruhi stood to answer the door.
"Who could that be?" wondered Haruhi as he made his way to the door.
The door opened and outside, I saw Kyoya and Tamaki. Tamaki was adorned in a dark blue kimono with stripes aligned vertically. Tamaki looked at Haruhi with sparkling eyes and was grinning like his usual chipper self.
***
The ride over was quick and easy as the best friends were at the front of the apartment number belonging to Haruhi. Tamaki knocked a few times and in a matter of seconds, Haruhi answered the door wearing a traditional male kimono and looked at him with quesitioning eyes.
"Oh, hey there guys. You're right on time," she explained.
The two walked into the tiny apartment like usual and walked over to the kotetsu. Kyoya stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a raven haired beauty sitting elegantly on a pillow. Her skin was pale and soft looking. He tried registering in his mind who she could possibly be, but his mind was blank. Her pink lips moved as she spoke to the twins as if not aknowledging the fact that visitors had arrived. She looked over at Kyoya and bowed slightly. Tamaki blushed with utter surprise. He took a hold of her smooth looking hand and kissed it. His eyes gleamed with his princely character overtaking him.
"Oh my. Who could this lovely creature be? A goddess? Perhaps the princess of the moon?" he asked in a seductive tone.
She removed her hand nervously and bowed back slightly.
"I didn't realize you had visitors," surveyed Kyoya cooly.
The twins' eyes gleamed and noted that they had been tricked. The young woman beamed her smile brightly at Tamaki and Kyoya.
"It is a pleasure meeting you two, Ohtori-san and Suoh-san. Your friends have told me so much about you," she said pleasantly.
They backed up slightly at the blinding smile. Kyoya felt his face warm slightly at the unpredictable.
"A beauty such as yourself must have been sent down by the Gods. Angel, please forsake us with the pleasure of knowing your name," babbled Tamaki.
Her shoulders shook slightly as she giggled inaudibly.
"What a lady's man. My name is Mizuki," she said with sparkling eyes.
The twins looked at eachother and walked over down the hall and burst into fits of hysterics. This was priceless. Kyoya Ohtori was fooled so easily by the acting skills involved on Sakuya's part. She would make a perfect jokester with the their guidance.
"Mizuki, like the beautiful moon. The princess for the night skies," continued Tamaki.
Kyoya sighed.
"So, I suppose Sakuya was unable to make it?" he questioned.
Hunny smiled wide and Haruhi looked down. She never was a good had his usual stoic look. It seemed that the trick had gone on for far too long. The twins walked out and placed an arm around "Mizuki" and grinned.
"Looks like its time to tell them the truth," said Kaoru with a saddened voice.
Hikaru sighed and nodded.
"So boring. Well okay then. M'lord, Kyoya? Its time to confess. The true identity of the girl you see before you is actually Sakuya," he informed.
Tamaki glanced in surprise, but smiled and hugged Sakuya close to him. She gasped at the sudden hug.
"Truely you are a woman of many talents. You really had me believing that you were Mizuki!" he cried out slightly.
Kyoya frowned. How could he have been fooled so easily? Sakuya really had his usually logical mind feel like mush. She was so unpredictable! It infuriated him so much. Now that the small ordeal was taken care of, everyone noticed that the clock had struck five. It was time to get going to the festival.
***
6 out of 7 had actually fallen for the trick. Well, technically I wasn't too sure about Mori. But besides the point. I was glad that I had donned on the disguise. This would surely throw off any trail of me if Yoneko were to come looking for me. Of course, I'd probably never hear the end of this when I got home. The eight of us left the small apartment and saw the light beginning to fade. It wasn't a scary darkness, just the sign that the end of the year was near. The time where things were sure to change. We arrived at the festival where various people were laughing and playing games at booths.
Most of the club looked around in awe. So, it was their first festival too. Tamaki's eyes sparkled as he ran into the direction where steamed buns were being sold. The twins walked over to the win-a-prize booth and looked at it skeptically. Hunny and Mori had gone off towards the takoyaki stand. The only three remaining were Kyoya, Haruhi and of course myself. Everything looked so strange for me. Kind of reminded me of the summer fair. I decided that if we were going to split up, the best thing to do would be to give the others their presents at this time. I scanned the crowed area and decided to take a look at the shrine. I looked over at Haruhi with a faint smile.
"Fujioka-kun, could you possibly accompany me over to the shrine?" I asked politely.
He gazed over at the shrine and nodded.
"Sure. Do you have a prayer in mind?" he asked.
I nodded slightly. My heart became heavy. There really was something I wanted to ask for. As he lead me over, flashbacks passed through my vision. A kind smile looking down at me and always having a hand in mine. The one that brought me into the modeling business. The one the that cared for me with nothing expected from me but my happiness. I tightened my grip on the bag and headed to the steps leading to the shrine. I stood in front of it and grabbed one of the wooden board shaped like a triangle at the top and squared at the bottom. A string was attached to place it on the wall containing thousands of wishes and hopes of people ranging from young children to elderly grandparents. I took a brush and dipped it into the ink and closed my eyes. I let my feelings flow into the wooden board and wrote what I wished for. I waited about five minutes to have the paint dry and set it on the hanger. I clapped a few times and clasped my hands together while closing my eyes. I bowed slightly and walked away towards Haruhi. He looked at me with quiet curiosity and a look of sympathy. We walked down the shrine and heard the sound of teenagers walking around with friends laughing over a joke. The sound of children giggling and crying from the crowded area echoed. I rustled through the bag and decided this was the best time to give out the gifts.
"Uhm, Fujioka-kun?" I asked.
He stopped walking and looked over at me. He waited patiently as a couple of kids passed by without a single apology.
"What is it Sakuya?" he asked.
I looked down at the bag and pulled out a wrapped gift and handed it to Haruhi. I looked up and saw him look at me curiously.
"It's a gift. I wanted to thank you for the Christmas gift I received at the party. Go ahead open it," I encouraged.
He blushed slightly and opened it. He smiled.
"Thank you. Although, it wasn't necissary for you to go through all the trouble to get me something," Haruhi commented.
I smiled and shook my head.
"I did this because of all the kindness you have shown me," I began.
I looked down feeling slightly embarrassed. I looked back up.
"I was wondering, would it be alright if I could call you Haruhi?" I asked.
Haruhi looked slightly surprised, but smiled and nodded.
"Of course. We're friends, right?" he answered back.
I nodded and smiled happily. We arrived back at the meeting point. Hunny had a numerous amount of food in hands and he seemed to be enjoying the sweets he had bought from stands. Mori carried around a stuffed animal he must have won from the games. The twins were carrying around consolation prizes with their arms crossed and wearing a frown on their face. Tamaki came back with assorments of food, prizes and a bag filled with treats. As for Kyoya, he was lounging around on a bench with a bored expression and was in the midst of reaching out to grab his cell phone from his pocket. I sighed.
***
Haruhi glanced over at Sakuya who, at the moment was smiling and talking to Hunny if he was enjoying himself. He nodded back vigorously with a cute smile. For some reason, Haruhi felt as if Sakuya was faking her smile. When the girls were up at the shrine, Haruhi noticed a pained look on Sakuya's face. Haruhi wondered if she was thinking of past memories that were painful to her. She shook her head and sighed. Maybe she was reading into things too much. The twins looked over at Haruhi grinning.
"What's on your mind?" the twins asked in unison.
She shrugged slightly and shook her head.
"Nothing. So, how was your luck with the game stands?" she questioned.
The two glared slightly and showed off the cherry flavored lollipops.
"I swear those stands are rigged," complained Hikaru.
Sakuya walked over and looked at the lollipops. She stared intensely at it and kept a straight face. It only lasted a moment and then she turned away. She took a deep breath and then burst out a fit of giggles. The twins grinned and walked to face her, but she twisted out of their sight. She calmed down and brushed away a stray tear from her eyes. Her cheeks were a rosy color and she really looked happy.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the guy's name was Sleaze'," joked Kaoru.
There was silence. Yeah...not that funny. Kyoya looked over in curiousity. Seemed that Sakuya really loosened up around the twins. He shrugged and turned back his attention to his cellphone.
***
Hunny grabbed a hold of my arm and began pulling me over towards the food stands.
"I just saw some yummy cake over there. Come with me Saa-chan," he said cutely.
I had to smile. I nodded and the two of us made our way to the cake stand. Strawberry, chocolate, lemon, coffee and much more varieties of cake was set up in a small refrigerated glass. Hunny chose out a strawberry cake which was placed in a white box decorated with frills. He looked over at me with happy eyes. I smiled back.
"Uhm, Hunny-senpai? I have something that I'd like to give you," I said while pulling out a stuffed animal from my bag.
It was a golden retriever puppy with a small bow around its neck. Hunny looked over at him with bright eyes. He smiled brightly and gave me a tight hug.
"Thank you so much Saa-chan! Kawaii," he cried out.
He hugged the puppy tightly and ran over to Mori to show it off. I bought a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and walked over to Mori. He smiled slightly back at me. I took out a similar looking puppy only it was a black lab with a bandanna on its neck. He smiled and patted my head slightly.
"Thank you Sakuya," he said.
I blushed slightly. That was the first time he ever said my name. Let alone talk to me. I smiled and waved as I went in search of the final four. Easily enough, I had found Tamaki talking sweetly to the elderly woman and guiding her to find her grandson. I slowed my pace and watched as he easily found a young man with a look of relief when he saw his grandmother. He bowed and thanked Tamaki, while he modestly said it was no big deal. I smiled slightly. He really was a nice guy. Just a bit too clingly. I walked over to him after he bowed and left them.
"Uhm, hi Tamaki-senpai. Are you enjoying the festival?" I questioned.
He smiled and grabbed my hand. He nodded as he led me over to...who knows where.
"What about you?" he asked.
I thought for a moment but nodded slowly.
"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?" I questioned.
He looked down at me with a serious face.
"Well, you seem to be distracted, am I right?" he asked.
I took a step back. I sighed.
"I guess I am. Its just that I was really looking forward to the place, but I still have this nagging feeling that I shouldn't have sneaked out to have fun while Yoneko spends the New Yar all by herself," I explained.
He seemed to buy the story and we walked in silence. The moment broke right after his eyes got bright and he smiled. He pulled me over to a ring toss game while skipping hyperly. (If hyperly is even a word.)
"Come on! Let's play the commoner game. I've heard about these on tv, but never actually tried it before," he explained.
I sighed and complied. I handed a couple yen coins to the owner and grabbed the rings. I handed a few to Tamaki and took some for myself. I concentrated and flicked my wrist slightly. The ring sailed and landed directly in the cone. My eyes widened.
"Wow. I can't believe I actually made it in," I said in disbelief.
Tamaki looked over in awe and tried for himself. With a flick of his wrist, the ring wobbled and landed on the ground. His eyes widened and he continued throwing rings until he had run out. None of them were even close to falling into the cone. He went to sulk in a corner. I walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's alright. These things are rigged anyway. I'm sure getting a ring in was just a fluke. Here let me prove it," I said while dragging him back to the stand.
I flicked my wrist once and watched as the ring landed perfectly into the cone. My eyes widened. I tried more times, until each one had landed into the cone. The man handed me a stuffed bear about three feet tall. Tamaki went back into his corner. I sighed and walked over to him. I kneeled slightly next to him and patted his shoulder.
"I have something for you," I said.
He looked up with his puppy eyes filled with excitement.
"What is it?" he asked like a small child.
I smiled and took out the dvd set of a drama. He took it and his eyes shined. He hugged me with great force. Tears streamed down his cheeks.
"You're the best!" he cried out.
Ahaha. Yet again I was trapped in the arms of Tamaki.
***
The twins lounged around at a table eating takoyaki and drinking tea. Hunny was happily hugging a puppy in his arms smiling and constantly saying how 'Saa-chan' was such a sweet girl. Mori nodded while looking at his black lab. Haruhi was looking through the cook book that she had received from Sakuya. The twins pouted slightly. Seemed that they were the only ones without a gift. Well, they weren't sure about Kyoya or Tamaki, but still. Their eyes trailed over to see Sakuya push Tamaki away and mouthing that she needed to use the restroom. He nodded in understanding and skipped on over to the table which the guys were sitting at. He showed off his dvd set for a drama and boasted about how Sakuya thought he was special.
"Ah yes. She loves her daddy so," he said dreamily.
Haruhi rolled her eyes along with the twins.
"Actually, Saa-chan gave Takashi, Haru, and me a gift too," explained Hunny.
Tamaki went into a corner.
"Hey, where'd Sakuya go?" questioned Kaoru.
Tamaki looked over still on the ground sullenly.
"She went to the restroom," he explained.
Everyone continued to eat their food. Kyoya sat in his chair watching his friends talk about the anticipation regarding the fireworks. Kyoya's cellphone began to vibrate. He stood from his seat and walked towards the bathrooms. He rested his back to the wall and pressed the 'OK' button.
"Hello?" he asked.
***
Yoneko knocked on Sakuya's door with a tray of food in hand. There was no answer.
"Sakuya-sama? Are you in there?" questioned Yoneko.
There was not a single noise coming from inside the room. Yoneko envisioned Sakuya slashing her wrists over the depression of not being able to go. (Of course that is seemingly impossible as Sakuya isn't the type of person to hurt herself) She knocked furiously.
"Sakuya! Open the door this instant!" she cried out.
Panic was written all over her face as the worst case scenarios ran through her head. Yoneko burst into the room with the adrenaline surging through her and broke the lock. The sound of chirping crickets hummed quietly outside. The lights were off and a figure was covered with a blanket. She sighed in relief and checked the bathroom just in case. No one there. She smiled and left the tray on the desk.
"She's sleeping," surveyed Yoneko.
Quietly, she closed the door and walked down the stairs.
***
Kyoya sighed as he got off the phone with his father. It seemed there were plans for clients visiting the Ohtori mansion a week from now and was advised to be prepared as well as making sure he didn't embarrass the Ohtori name.
"Hey there cutie. Are you here by yourself?" asked a masculine voice.
Kyoya peaked from the wall to see two young men blocking a raven haired girl from passing. Kyoya scanned the kimono and confirmed that it was Sakuya.
"Could you please let me pass?" she asked calmly.
The young men leaned close to her.
"Why, don't you come with us?" another asked.
She leaned back slightly in terror.
"Actually, I'm here with someone," she countered.
They took a hold of her hands and began to pull her away from the crowded area.
"Ditch em'. You'll probably have a lot more fun with us than with him anytime," one commented with a suggestive undertone.
She tried to pull away from their grasps. With fear written on her face.
"Let me go! I'll scream if you try anything," she demanded.
The two looked at eachother and cackled.
"Oh, looks like we've caught ourselves a feisty one," mocked one.
The other agreed. She took a deep breath and was in the midst of screaming, when one covered her mouth with his hand.
"No, we'll have none of that. Besides, I don't see anyone ready to come to your rescue," mocked the other.
Her eyes widened. They chuckled. Kyoya came out from hiding and grasped the shoulder of one of the young men. The two turned and froze. Kyoya's face was twisted in an evil grin.
"What was that you were saying about someone not coming to her rescue? It seems that you two have underestimated the fact that she has a boyfriend that has the power to call up an army if you as so think of harming her. So, I suggest that you unhand her and be on your way or should I just notify the police about this...little incident," Kyoya threatened.
The two young men quickly took their hands off her and ran off. Sakuya looked up at Kyoya shivering slightly. He placed a hand on the small of her back and slowly guided her back to the table.
***
He had saved me. The two of us were walking back to the table and I still felt a little shaken. My heart had slowed considerably after that scare. God. Who knows what would have happened if he wasn't there. I glanced slightly at him as he kept on a neutral look on his face. Well, looked like the best time to give it to him. I stopped walking. He looked at me in confusion.
"Why are we stopping?" he questioned.
I took out a small usb drive and handed it to him. His eyes widened comically.
"A present. In return for the gift I received during Christmas," I explained.
He looked at me in surprise.
"Where did you get this? These aren't supposed to come out at least for another year," he questioned.
"My father's friend gave out a couple of these for promotional reasons and I so happened to have it. I hear these are so advanced that they help you sort out emails and responses or something. I figured you would like it since you're always working on your laptop or something relating to hi-tech," I explained.
He nodded slowly. He seemed to be in a daze as we made our way back to the table. Kaoru looked over suspiciously.
"Why are you two together?" he questioned.
Better not talk about the incident or risk the chance of the guys going crazy.
"I bumped into him on my way here," I explained.
Again, not a complete lie. It was now 9:59 and it looked like energy was practically sapped out of everyone's body. 10 pm. Only two hours to go.
"This place is getting boring. Why don't we go to a karaoke place nearby and come back here later?" suggested Hikaru.
Everyone agreed and walked out of the festival. A karaoke place that opened recently was open and we walked in. Tamaki paid for a sound proof room and we all entered. Tamaki actually looked really excited.
"Alright! We shall have a match to see who has the best voice!" cried out Tamaki.
The twins were on that match with mischevious eyes. Tamaki walked up to the stage and picked his song with the mike in hand. He took a deep breath and the music started.
***
Kyoya felt his heart beat and his cheeks redden. He had been silent the whole way here and the small gift he had received actually made him almost smile. The tool he needed for all those unwanted love letters in the Host Club fansite inbox to be cleared out faster. Yes, this was the girl who infuriated him because she had the guts to stand up to him and not only that, she seemed like she had multiple personalities. There were so many emotions that ran through that face. The pale face with the heavenly smile that was unseen until today. The girl who seemed to be attributing the traits of a trouble maker. Or could all of those be cover ups for the actual Sakuya? He shook his head. Maybe he was reading into things way too much.
***
The song ended and everyone clapped. Tamaki really did have a nice voice. It was just weird since he picked out such an old song. He bowed and sat down. Up next was Hunny. This went on for quite a while with almost everyone participating. Kyoya, Haruhi and Mori had refrained though. I still hadn't gone up stage, but decided to get a drink. As I went to grab the tea, a pair of hands came from behind. I squealed as the pair of hands had found my weak spot. I spun around to see the twins grinning towards me. I crossed my arms slightly.
"Exactly what was that about?" I asked.
They just shrugged.
"We were bored," they reported.
I shook my head slightly. The two waited patiently for me.
"Can I help you or something?" I questioned.
They looked back at the room where Haruhi, Mori, Kyoya, Hunny, Mori and Tamaki were residing. My eyes widened. Of course! I had completely forgotten to get these guys gifts. I'm such an idiot! I sighed.
"I'm sorry. I completely forgot! I wasn't sure what you two would like from me," I explained.
They played mock hurt.
"My, Sakuya is so cruel. After all we've done for her," said Hikaru dramatically.
Kaoru clutched my hands with a teary looking face,
"Please Sakuya, won't you give us a gift worth both the apology and Christmas?" asked Kaoru.
I sighed and slipped my hands out of his grasp.
"Well, what is it that you desire the most from me?" I asked.
The two grinned and leaned in close to me.
"We want a kiss," they said in unison.
A kiss? My cheeks reddened slightly. I turned away to think about it and sighed.
"Okay. Close your eyes," I commanded.
The two looked surprised as if thinking that I would have never agreed to do such a thing. They closed their eyes tightly. I rummaged through the bag and luckily found what I was looking for. I took both hands from the twins and placed the gift in their hands.
"Open them," I said.
They complied and looked down at their hand. A chocolate kiss was in each hand. The two did a pratfall. I giggled slightly. I kneeled to their level and planted a quick peck on their cheeks.
"Just kidding," I said.
I walked off back to the room while looking back slightly only to see both the twins in both shock and blushing. I smiled. Just the emotion I wanted to get out of them. I walked in with the twins following not far behind. Tamaki looked over cheerfully.
"Ah! You're back Sakuya. You're up," he said smiling.
I nodded and took the microphone in hand. I took a deep breath and smiled. I skimmed the songs and I found the perfect song.
***
The room was silent as Sakuya began singing. She had a serene look on her face as she followed the tune on beat. Her voice rang through the room. Hunny looked over with a smiling face as he enjoyed the pretty voice. Haruhi looked over rather impressed. The twins sat silently along with Mori and Kyoya. Sakuya actually had a real nice singing voice. The song ended and Tamaki ran over to Sakuya hugging her tightly.
"That was wonderful Sakuya!" he cried out.
The twins stood and pulled her away from him. They stuck out their tongues at him and hugged her.
"Get your own toy. She's ours," they said in unison.
Tamaki charged after them as they ran away after letting go of Sakuya. Haruhi stood to stop them.
"Guys calm down. Do you want us to get kicked out of here?" she asked.
Hunny cheered on Tamaki with Mori nodding. Kyoya just shook his head. Sakuya looked around at the mess and giggled.
***
I looked at the clock hanging from the wall in the sound proof room. 11:45pm.
"Uhm, everyone? Why don't we head back? The fireworks are going to start any minute. Not to mention the countdown," I explained.
Everyone agreed and we walked back to the festival. Haruhi took us to a spot with the best view and we waited. All of us sat on the ground looking up at the sky. (Besides Kyoya) The stars were brightly shining and were very beautiful.
"Today's festival was fun," commented Hunny.
I smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," I said back.
The twins nodded and had me sit in between them. Haruhi yawned softly. Tamaki looked up excitedly and constanly said the time.
"It's 11:50!" he cried out.
Five seconds later, he said the time.
"Its 11:50:10 seconds," he said.
We groaned. Kaoru looked down at me smiling.
"If you ever need our help again, just ask. That was the first time I've had so much fun in a while,"he commented.
Hikaru agreed.
"Let's do it again sometime," he teased.
I shook my head.
"Sorry, but this will probably be the last time I ever do something like that," I explained.
The two laughed.
"Who knows. Maybe it won't," the two said in unison.
Hunny sighed and rested his head on my lap.
"I'm so sleepy," he said as he closed his eyes.
I shook him slightly.
"Don't fall asleep just yet. The fireworks are about to start," I said.
He smiled and nodded. Tamaki walked over to Haruhi smiling and asking if he had a good time.
"Surprisingly, I did," he said.
Tamaki grew happy and was jumping around like he had drunk a whole case of Red Bull. Kyoya glanced at his watch.
"Looks like the countdown is about to start," he commented.
The lights were dimmed and the festival goers chanted the numbers. Children giggled and others held onto their mother or father's hand in the dark. Elderly couples remininced about their first New Year coundown. Young couples sat together holding hands and waiting for the 12:00 mark to give out kisses. Hikaru, Kaoru, Hunny, and Tamaki were counting down along with the other crowds. Ten seconds remaining. I mouthed the numbers as it reached five.
"Four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!" cheered the crowd.
I glanced at my friends who were happily talking to one another and were actually enjoying one themselvs without having to put up an act for the guests. Hunny yawned once more and placed his head on my lap once more and closed his eyes with the puppy in his arm. His rythmic breathing signified that he had fallen asleep. I smiled and began to pet his head. Looking around, I realized that this was one of the best days in my life.