Hey guys! I know this is awfully late...I'm so sorry but I actually have a legitimate explanation and I think you'll get a kick out of it.
See I already knew I was going to upload this chapter late because a couple weekends ago I was at Anime Los Angeles(and obviously I wasn't going to sit in my hotel room and write the whole time). So I come home Sunday evening after having a great time, open up my Macbook to begin writing chapter 3 when...it wouldn't turn on. I tried everything I could, but thankfully it's still under warranty so the very next day I took it to the Genius Bar and turns out my logic board decided to drop dead on me for (according to them) no reason -_-. So sadly I was without my main writing tool for a couple days while they replaced the logic board.
THEN of course I ended up catching the after-con plague and felt too sick to write, and this past week I began my first week back to school so I was trying to get that all settled.
But here it is now! Granted I actually DO have a goal that I want to try to graduate Magna Cum Laude(meaning graduate with high honors) so I may have to put schoolwork over writing fanfiction sometimes if you guys don't mind. Thankfully I'm an English major so I've become kind of an expert at getting reading and writing done fast ^_^.
But enough of my sad life, enjoy!
"Haaaaruuhiiiii, time to wake up! We've got a lot to do today if we're going to get your memory back!"
Haruhi hated being woken up, especially if it involved loud noise, but the next morning Tamaki made no haste to burst into the bedroom with the same loud enthusiasm that Haruhi recognized of her former senpai.
Tamaki didn't tell her where they were going, but after quickly finding something to wear(she had to be directed to where her closet was) and a quick breakfast, he got her into the car both ended up in the car and drove along for quite some time. Haruhi looked out the window gazing at the environment passing them, and as they got closer to their destination it was actually becoming familiar to her, as if she had been walking in the area just yesterday.
"Now I'm sure you remember this?" Tamaki said as the car stopped and he excidily unbuckled his seat belt. Haruhi could only stare as she opened the door and stood in front of the place she called school ten years ago.
Ouran Academy.
"Are we allowed to be here?" Haruhi asked as Tamaki nonchalantly walked towards the main gate.
"Oh don't worry, it's a holiday right now so there aren't any students on campus."
"Even so, isn't this trespassing?"
Tamaki side eyed Haruhi for a moment before realizing, "Oh that's right, you don't remember that part. It's all right for us to be here because…well I kind of own the school, my family does anyway."
Haruhi stood deadpanned, the Suoh family owned Ouran? No wonder Tamaki was able to get away with as much as he did. She could only imagine any other student would get expelled for the kind of shenanigans he managed to pull off.
"So long story short, yes it's perfectly fine for us to be here, now come on! I want to show you the clubroom! I just hope it hasn't changed too much!"
As they wandered through the halls Haruhi couldn't help but take note of the interior around her. The overall theme and look of the building hadn't changed since she last remembered, though there were definitely small changes. The curtains were no longer a deep red but a royal purple, the carpet had been changed to match. A few classroom numbers were different and she thought she noticed a new building right outside one of the main windows. It was hard to believe that this was the first time she had stepped foot in this building in 10 years.
When they finally stopped Haruhi bumped into Tamaki accidentally. Haruhi was about to look up to apologized when she saw what door they were standing in front of: Music Room 3
"Haruhi, " Tamaki gently bowed as he held onto the door handle and began to open it, "welcome back, to the Ouran Host Club."
When the doors opened it was like déjà vu, with a bright light shielding Haruhi's eyes as the room opened up, and revealed the same group of boys she knew from her last memory.
"Welcome!"
"Haru-chan!" The golden blonde one of the group ran up and hugged Haruhi with a tight squeeze. Like she had been for the past couple days Haruhi was confused at first by the man squeezing her, she didn't recall every knowing a tall lanky boy in the host club.
"I'm sorry….I don't seem to…" Haruhi began but noticed the man's pendant around his neck, showing…an pink bunny?
"H-Hunny-sempai!?" Haruhi gasped stepping back to take another look .
"Haha, yeah it's me, guess I look a little different huh?" The former boy lolita of the host club said rubbing his neck. Changed a little was right! He wasn't the tallest member of the group by any means, but it looked like his small body had finally gone through his last growth spurt, and he was now standing at a relatively average height. His face had also lost some of it's roundness, voice slightly deeper, overall looking much more mature.
"Hopefully we haven't all changed too much for you to remember, " The next voice came from a definite familiar face, this one being Kaoru, who still looked the same, albeit of course a bit older, and his signature red hair styled accordingly. His twin brother on the other hand.
"Hikaru? You changed your hair!" Haruhi exclaimed once again when presented with Hikaru Hitachin, who managed to stay a brunette after changed it his second year of high school.
"Heh, yeah, it's a long story." Hikaru smiled ruffing his own hair.
"Nice to know you can still tell us apart," Kaoru said knowingly, "It's good to know that hasn't been lost."
"Well, it looks like the gang's all here." Kyouya and Mori walked up to the group now, once again looking the same, but slightly more mature to Haruhi.
"Kyouya-senpai, Mori-senpai…" Haruhi was overwhelmed, "So, you all came here for me?"
"We thought we could help bring your memories back" Hikaru replied.
"After all, most of your memories involve us." Kaoru added.
"The question is how are we going to do it?" Mori spoke putting a hand to his chin.
"Well men, it's time to put in your thinking caps!" Tamaki declared taking on the role of host club president again. They all stood in a circle contemplating their options, when suddenly,
"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO!"
"What on Earth-"
They all looked up at the sound of a boisterous laugh, then jumped when the floor beneath them started to raise. The laugh continued as the floor gave way and a random woman on a platform ascending from the ground, spinning in a circle and looking proud.
"Renge!?" Tamaki was the first to speak at the sudden guest.
"Who invited you?" Hikaru yelled in the same fashion.
"Well, it wouldn't be a proper host club reunion without the manager would it!?" The girl called Renge leaped from her platform and rushed straight to Haruhi, "I heard all about your tragic accident, Haruhi, but I can assure you we'll get your memories back in no time!"
"Umm…I'm sorry but who are you?"
"Sorry Haruhi, she joined us after the point your memories stopped, "Kyouya said with sigh, "This in Renge, our manager during our time here at Ouran, she currently works as an animation producer in Kyoto so I was hoping she wouldn't come…"
"Like I would miss this! It's so tragic!" Renge lamented with the back of her hand placed on her forehead, "This reminds me exactly of Uki Doki Memorial 12! Where after a horrible accident the beautiful Satsuki loses her memories of her beloved Youske…"
"Uki"
"Doki?"
"They made a number 12!?"
"Oh poor Youske tried everything, photographs, videos, but nothing was bringing Satsuki's memories back, until finally…"
"What? What did they do?" Tamaki pleased, now interested.
"Just as Youske gave up on Satsuki, he tripped on a tree branch in the woods and was dangling off a cliff into a large canyon!" Renge continued with enthusiasm, "At the sight of her beloved in danger, Satsuki's memories came flooding back! Just in time for her to save Youske and live happily ever after!"
As Tamaki and the twins ate up the glorious performance, Haruhi spoke, "Umm, as nice as that story is, how is it supposed to bring me memories back?"
"Oh ho-ho, I know exactly how we'll do it!" Renge laughed.
"Umm, Renge? Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tamaki asked as he sat on the edge of a bridge, staring at the deep body of water a good fifty feet below him. The rest of the hosts were gathered around with the same uneasiness.
"Of course! Just like in Uki Doki Memorial 12, the sure fire way to get Haruhi's memories to flood back is for her to witness her beloved in immense danger!"
"And you're sure it'll work?" Hikaru asked wearingly.
"I'm positive!" Renge smiled and sat in her director's chair she brought along, "All right then, Haruhi are you in position?"
Haruhi was standing off to the side and nodded carefully.
"Then in that case,Tamaki, action!"
Tamaki gulped as he lowered himself off the edge and grasped the stone wall as tight as he could, his legs dangling off the edge.
"H-Help! Haruhi! I-I'm slipping!"
"Do you feel the love, Haruhi? Listen to your beloved yell out his words of fright at his soon to be demise, doesn't it make you think back to everything you've ever been through? Your fear of losing him creating wrenching pain in your heart!?"
Haruhi stood silent for a moment, "…No…I don't remember anything."
"HUH!?" All the ex-hosts and manager gasped in disbelief.
"A-are you sure? Not even the moment when you first kissed?" Renge asked.
"T-Tamaki-senpai and I kissed?" Haruhi gasped.
"Renge, maybe we should call this off, it doesn't seem to be working." Kaoru said in defeat.
"G-guys! I'm slipping!"
Hikaru sighed, "You can knock it off now, Milord, Haruhi's not getting her memories back."
"N-No guys I'm REALLY Sli-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
"Tama-chan!
"Milord!
"Milord!"
*SPLASH*
"AH-CHOO!" Tamaki sneezed again as he sat on the ground with a fresh towel wrapped around his soaked body.
"I don't understand, Satsuki got her memory back right away, how could this have not worked?"
"Maybe because it was an anime!" Hikaru protested.
"It was a video game for your information!"
Haruhi put her hand to her forehead for the third time that week, Tamaki noticed.
"Enough everyone," Tamaki said addressing the group, "I think we'd better call it a day."
"But Haruhi's memory isn't back yet!" Honey cried.
"I know but we can't expect it to happen right awa-acho!" Tamaki sneezed into her handkerchief, "And its like they say, Rome wasn't built in a day!"
Kyouya nodded he head in agreement, "it's true we shouldn't be overdoing it"
"I'm sorry everybody." Haruhi said sadly, more disappointed than anyone.
"It's all right Haruhi" Kaoru said with a smile.
"Yeah, we'll just have to keep trying. "Hikaru butted in.
"Yeah! don't worry Haru-chan, we're just going to have to come up with better ideas!" Honey said with enthusiasm.
The usually silent Mori even chimed in "You'll remember us in no time."
Haruhi looked over the group with surprise, did they all really want her to get her memory back that badly?'
"Th-k you everyone."
"AH-CHOO!" Tamaki sneezed again as he and Haruhi sat in the car after saying their goodbyes.
"I'm sorry you had to get all wet for me," Haruhi apologized as she handed him another tissue.
"Oh it's all right, a little water never hurt anyone." Tamaki replied, "Besides, people are always telling me I'm dripping with good looks."
Haruhi looked down and smiled, "I do remember that…"
Tamaki immediately jumped in his seat and grabbed her hands, "REALLY?"
"W-well that memory occurred before the time I forgot."
"Oh, oh right." Tamaki slid back to his space in the car, looking disappointed.
"I'm sorry, senpai."
"You don't have to keep apologizing," Tamaki wiped his nose, "This isn't your fault, it's not like you wanted this to happen to you."
"I know, I just feel bad that everyone's working so hard to get my memories back, and nothing's working."
Haruhi turned her head towards the window, when she felt a soft hand shakily place it on hers, she turned and saw that tamaki and scooted back next to her.
"Well I don't want you to feel bad," Tamaki said with confidence, "because I have absolutely no intention of giving up on you."
Haruhi didn't move her hand away this time, allowing the warmth of Tamaki's hand resonate on hers, she felt her face slightly blush though. She didn't think Tamaki noticed, but she turned to head back out the window again as the car began to move. Haruhi's attention perked a little though, as she noticed the small pumpkin patch they were passing by.
It felt familiar.