Whoosh…7th chapter! We are concluding Part I! There shall be a Part II…soon! (it's amazing, I have this story planned out). Let me take the time to thank all of you for sticking by me, for better chapters or worse. I know my writing at times can be…rocky, let's say haha. Anyways, arigatou for the reviews and support:)

Shutting up with the sap. ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

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Chapter 7.

Recap:

"Hang on…"

He frowned, turning his head. She ((Haruhi)) had moved to where he once lay, crouched towards the ground, fingering a piece of paper. "Why…do you have my homework?" she asked in confusion, looking up at him.

"Your homework?" he asked blankly.

"Yes, senpai. This fell from your blazer pocket." Snatching up the sheet, she held it straight in front of his face in a demanding way. "My algebra assignment from days ago."

Tamaki's face went white and his eyes widened to their full size as he came face to face with the sheet that his mysterious princess had dropped.

Story:

The scene hasn't changed, folks.

"Haruhi…" he said in amazement, looking over the paper to see her face, taunt in a frown. "You're…"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I what?"

I danced with her. She's the one I danced with. The one I fell in love with by just simply seeing her. He studied her short, thin frame, her brown hair that fell over her soft face, her engaging brown eyes that he remembered looking at behind her mask. Yes…Why didn't I think of it before? Without warning, he threw his head back and broke into laughter. "I see now!"

Haruhi stared at him blankly. "Huh?"

He doubled over, laughing uncontrollably at the situation.

Haruhi shook her head at her senpai, who had officially collapsed into a laughing fit on the ground. Looking around nervously, she saw that some of the residents of her apartment block were beginning to peek their heads out of their doors, alarmed at whatever was happening.

"Come on, senpai," she grumbled, flushing with embarrassment. Grabbing him by the collar, she yanked him towards her apartment, dragging him across the ground.

"Wait, my rose!" he shouted, snatching the delicate flower from the ground. His laughing fit ceased, as if it never had began, and he soothed the petals of the white flower and frowned worriedly at it as he was dragged through Haruhi's door.

"Get your legs out of the way," she commanded as she slammed the door shut. "What were you THINKING?" She stepped in front of him and spun around, clenching her fists in anger. "First you go barging in on one of my neighbours, then—"

Tamaki looked up at her with innocent eyes, still fingering the petals of his rose. "I'm sorry," he said in a quiet, pathetic voice.

Softening at his gaze, Haruhi let her arms hang at her sides. She sighed. "It's fine, its fine," she said with a wave of her hand. "Do you want to explain to me why that sudden laughing fit came about?"

Tamaki blinked, realizing what had shocked him just a few moments before. "I came here to ask you something," he said, his face relaxing into a graceful smile.

Haruhi cocked an eyebrow high on her brow. "Ask me what, senpai? Are you trying to persuade me about that musical? Because if you are, it won't—"

In one swift motion, he was in front of her, staring down deep into her amber eyes. "No persuasion." Giving her a gentle grin, he bowed low before her, holding out the slightly crumpled rose within her grasp. "Haruhi Fujioka, would you do the honour of dancing with me?"

What in the world? "A…dance?" was all she could get out of her mouth. Her look was as vague as anything, eyes full of confusion.

"Yes," Tamaki replied, remaining perfectly normal towards the situation, as if people danced in empty apartments every day. "Please?" he added, a plead twirking at his voice.

"But…." Haruhi looked hesitantly at the rose, purely white and purely innocent. Her eyes travelled to his smiling, confident face. Well… Finally caving to his pleading violet eyes, she took the rose by the stem and then his hand by the wrist. "All right, then, if you want to."

His smile growing into full bloom, Tamaki took the rose from her and tucked it behind her ear. "Now it won't get in the way," he said cheerfully to her perplexed face. Placing his hand on her waist, another grasping her small hand, he led her gracefully into the first steps of a freelance waltz.

Their only music was the ticking of the clock on the wall. Haruhi couldn't help but feel slightly silly, dancing in that way. Yet, the steps that Tamaki led her in were so free, so light, so interesting and complex that she was drawn into them, waiting in anticipation what the next would be. It couldn't be any strict form of dancing; it was Tamaki improvising.

Immediately she was swept away by the mystery of his steps.

There's something behind this dance… She thought as she frowned into his eyes. His smile had gone. He stared at her steadily, wonderingly. After a few moments she blushed under his gaze and looked away. "Wh-What?" she murmured.

"You're so beautiful, Haruhi," her partner breathed.

"Eh?!" She drew back sharply in shock. She tripped over one of her steps as she did so. Chuckling, Tamaki led her into a smooth alternative, by spinning her around in a full circle to improvise for her trip. It was like he anticipated every move she made; knew her so well he knew what she was going to do next.

Her eyes widened as she landed back gently into Tamaki's arms. She stopped the dance, staring into his violet eyes. "You…" she breathed, unable to speak.

Tamaki continued to stare at her with a kind smile, dropping her hands at her sides. "Not…who you were expecting?" he guessed with a wry laugh.

Haruhi shook her head; the motion knocked the rose from behind her ear. Noticing, she held out her hand with a small gasp to catch it; as her fingers grasped it, a few of the thorns pierced her skin.

"Ow," she muttered, as blood appeared on her finger.

"Oh no!" Tamaki cried, grabbing her wrist and gaping at her wound. "My rose damaged your finger!"

"No, don't worry," she said quickly, turning to go to the medicine cabinet outside of the kitchen. "I have bandaids somewhere."

"I'll get them!" Tamaki announced, holding out his hand and running after her.

"I said not to worry, Senpai!" she said over her shoulder as she exited the kitchen.

"It's my rose's fault! I'm fully to blame! Stay in here, Haruhi, and I'll get everything you need to slowly work your way back to health!"

Before I continue, I have to mention that Haruhi's apartment rug really does need to be replaced by something more logical. Throw-rugs and slippery tile floors do not make a happy couple. Haruhi and her father had yet to realize this, despite all the falls they took because of this quarrelling pair. This is a danger to Tamaki's psychical well-being more than often, because as he ran past the small rug, he skidded with an ice-skating affect across the floor into Haruhi just as she entered the hall.

"Senpai!" Haruhi yelped as they both crashed to the ground.

Groaning, Tamaki winced, rolling onto his back. "Pain…" he whispered, arms twitching. "Wait!" He flipped over, bending down next to Haruhi, frowning down at her. "Haruhi, are you okay? I didn't squish you did I?!"

Haruhi shook her head. She had fallen on her knees, and hung her head towards the ground, her hair shadowing her face.

"I did, didn't I?!" Tamaki cried, going into full panic-mode. "Oh no, how could I? I'll call a doctor, Haruhi! Don't worry, you'll—" He stopped in confusion as laughter reached his ears. He blinked down at her, bewildered.

She looked up at him, her face not in pain, but relaxed in laughter. "Senpai…you really are an idiot," she gasped, wiping her eye.

After a moment, Tamaki smiled. "Really?"

Haruhi stopped, raising an eyebrow at him. "Why should you be happy about that?"

"Well…I made you laugh, didn't I? So if I'm stupid, at least I'm using my stupidity for a good cause, right?" he asked, smiling.

"Why should it matter if I laugh or not?" Haruhi asked, expression still skeptical.

"Oh…" Tamaki went a deep red, staring at the floor in an embarrassed way. "It's just that…I like to see you laugh," he said with a small shrug.

Haruhi titled her head to one side. "Eh?"

Shaking his head, Tamaki told her, "Never mind." He took her wrist and frowned at her finger. "It looks like its stopped bleeding…are you sure it doesn't hurt?" He looked at her with worried eyes; with an expression that always seemed to paralyse her shocked. "I still can get a plaster for it…"

Meekly, Haruhi shook her head negatively. "I'm…fine." There was a pause. Soon followed silence, except for their breathing and the faint ticking of the clock. Haruhi thought that Tamaki seemed to take deeper breaths than she; as if he was having trouble getting air into his lungs.

"Why…didn't you tell me that it was you that I danced with that night?"

Momentary surprise flickered across Tamaki's face. "I didn't know either," he admitted. "Not until you said that the algebra homework was yours. You had…dropped it out when you ran off. Well, were dragged off."

"By Hikaru and Kaoru," Haruhi sighed, simmering at the thought.

Tamaki blinked. He had not made that connection. "You were thinking it was someone else besides me, though, right?" he asked, looking down at his hands.

Haruhi stared. "What?"

"Someone like Kunio?" There was a hard edge to his voice.

"What? Kunio?" Haruhi's face twisted in confusion. "Why should I have wished that I danced with Kunio that night?"

Tamaki stared at her in shock. She doesn't mind me being the person she danced with?

Returning his surprise with a smile, she continued, "I better go get that bandaid now," standing as if to leave. "I'll be back in a moment."

Tamaki's head whipped forward. He looked up at her in alarm. No. He couldn't lose her. Not again. Not when he found her.

I have to confess to her. Before someone else steals her away.

On impulse, he grabbed her wrist. She turned, blinking down at him. "Senpai?"

"Wait."

"What is it?"

"I…" He fingered the white rose he had taken from Haruhi in his hands. "I have to confess something….I—OW!" He howled, the thorn on the stem of the rose piercing his skin. Tears prickling his eyes, he sucked his bleeding thumb in pain.

"Oh, you too?" Haruhi asked sympathetically. "I'll get the bandaids right now!" She sprinted into the nearby bathroom; there was a crash, a bit of a scuffle with the drawers, and she came back just as fast. "Here," she said, taking his wrist. "I'll bandage it for you."

Tamaki whimpered, "But it hurts—"

"I know it hurts, Senpai, but its better if it's covered."

Nodding, Tamaki let her do what she wanted. He looked at her intent gaze as she ripped open the bandaid wrapper with her teeth, peeling back the two paper bits on the sticky side of it. "Almost finished…" she muttered as she carefully wrapped it around his finger.

He closed his eyes as her fingers touched his; but not from pain. "Haruhi," he said softly. His hand closed around hers. She looked up in surprise. "Senpai?"

It was his impulsivity. That's what she guessed it to be. He was a spontaneous person, after all; this much had been made evident to her throughout the year. Therefore, it was impulsivity that led him to surprising her immensely by closing his brilliant violet eyes, leaning his face towards her, and placing on her lips the gentlest kiss she could ever imagine to receive.

Haruhi gaped at him as he drew back. He seemed more surprised than her. "G-Gomen!" Tamaki stuttered when her expression became unreadable. "I didn't mean to, Haruhi, I…I was too quick, wasn't I? Haruhi, don't be angry! I'll do anything I can to—"

"Senpai," Haruhi cut in sternly.

Tamaki blinked behind his blonde fringe that had fallen over his eyes. "Wh-What?"

"You talk too much." With a hesitant smile—showing Tamaki that she was as just as shy and awkward as he—she leaned forward on her palms and returned his kiss. They sat there together as one for an impossibly long time.

The clock in the other room went off alarmingly loud, making them jump. Haruhi drew back, eyes wide. She wasn't sure of what to do next.

Tamaki did. With a soft grin, he ran his fingers through her hair, leaning in close. "Might I say, Haruhi, that your sweatpants are especially flattering on you today?"

Her cheeks flushing, Haruhi cried, "S-Senpai! I hardly…!"

He silenced her with another kiss, this time more urgent and filled with unharnessed desire. Haruhi gave way to him, and found that within moments she was pressed against the wall as Tamaki's lips sought hers. Their kiss became deeper, Haruhi's arms latching around his neck, Tamaki's arms enfolding her altogether. The white rose in Tamaki's hand dropped to the floor, forgotten.

Even as expressed their passion for one another by getting as close to one another as possible, the rose lay there significantly in the hall by their feet. It expressed its own intimate history as it there on the faded rug. The imprint of Tamaki's tear still lay on its small, white petals.

One thing Tamaki and Haruhi didn't notice, however, was a face peering through the kitchen window, his face in a smirk. "Kunio's gonna love this," he chuckled as Haruhi and Tamaki fell to her couch, lost in each other's arms.

x.x.x.x.x.l-Part l Concluded-l.x.x.x.x.x

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It was interesting, all the thoughts about what were going to happen in this chapter. And I'm just following my instincts here; although I REALLY wanted to keep the story of Haruhi, Tamaki and Kunio love triangle, I decided that its being dragged out too long. Now I shall go to the idea of Haruhi and Tamaki going out, and what the reactions are….like the Host Club's jealousy. –evil smile-

IT SHALL BE A HUGE MESS OF TANGLED CONFUSION! BWAHAH!

Oh, and by the way, before I run off to drink loads of pop on my success of FINALLY posting all of Part I, let me remind you that although its Part II, it's the same story; I'm not posting a whole other sequel.

(Sorry about the cliché line at the end of this chapter, the one that Takeshi says when he's peeking through the window. I just HAD to include it.)

Jaa Mata! –peace out-

-KuroHinote