Oh my gosh, this is the last official chapter! I'm kind of sad, but I love the story to pieces and it deserves a good ending. Here you are, my loves.
Kyoya POV
Haruhi stood across from me at the little altar Ranka had ordered for the occasion. She looked absolutely beautiful, even though she seemed slightly uncomfortable in the dress. We stepped apart from each other, but still lined up perfectly. Her hair had grown out to about shoulder length since we entered Ouran High. Someone, probably Tamaki, had put a little bit of blush and lip gloss on her. I wanted to walk those few steps and kiss the gloss off of her lips.
Music started to play, something too formal and stuffy. Haruhi rolled her eyes at me, noticing it just as I did. I smirked a little, but not enough for the recording devices to catch. My glasses kept slipping down my nose, and I kept having to subtly adjust them. Annoying. There was an awkward pause in activity that agitated the easily agitated guests, and I shifted my footing. Who had forgotten something?
Finally, the person we were waiting for walked down the aisle. They carried two roses tied together, one black and one white, which perfectly matched the tuxedo I'd ordered from a very prestigious company. I felt accomplished, and I felt oddly proud. I'd done all this.
The previously missing person apologized once, but faced the person in front of me, also blocking my view of Haruhi. It was petty, but it annoyed me a little. I forgave him very quickly. It was hard to stay mad at him lately, especially since he'd spent so much time sleeping on Tamaki's couch, in full view of me, who generally was in the vicinity. But soon there would be no reason for him to crash, completely exhausted, on Tamaki's couch.
"We are gathered today, in the presence of all these people, to join in matrimony these two men," the pastor started. "If anyone has any objections to this union, please speak now or forever hold your peace."
I was surprised to note that in one of the middle rows sat someone that I knew would have objected not too long ago. But he stayed silent, merely smiling at the people standing at the altar. Strange. "Just get on with the 'I do's already!" a slightly nervous, but resolute and excited voice said. I smiled at him, but as his back was to me, I knew he couldn't see it.
The pastor laughed. "Alright, I can save some of the pomp and circumstance, but not all of it." He took out a small stack of papers and began reading from them. "Do you, Rene Tamaki Richard de Grantaine Suoh, take Umehito Nekozawa to be your lawfully wedded husband? I know you two have your own vows, so I'll just start with that."
"I do. Forever." Tamaki's back was to me, but I could still feel his eyes shining.
"And do you, Umehito Nekozawa, take Rene Tamaki Richard de Grantaine Suoh to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"Of course I do." Umehito's face was contorted in a failing attempt to not cry.
"I'll let you read your vows now. They are probably much better than that stuff I was just reading." Almost the entire assembly nodded, which made the pastor laugh. "Come on, they weren't that bad. Whoever wants to start can."
Umehito fiddled with a piece of notepad paper in his hands, but then began to read. "When I met you, with your little paper crane and your purple eyes, I thought you and I would somehow get along in our own strange way. I knew it was a big deal when I thought about you the rest of the day, and when we exchanged numbers, and when I liked being around someone so bright.
"You always looked at me like I couldn't be overlooked, like I mattered so much more than I thought at the time. Do you remember that I asked you out first? I was so scared that day, because I'd never been in love with a guy before, and I didn't want to mess anything up. But you didn't reject me. I knew I was in love with you, and I hoped that you felt the same way because I wanted you forever and ever.
"When you moved to Ouran High, you took me with you. And we practically breathed mayhem and kisses and I knew then that I could have you forever and ever. And here we are, getting married, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am in love with you Tamaki. I," his voice broke off in tears, "am in love with you," he whispered.
He held a hand to his face and muttered, "Okay, now Tamaki, you go. It's your turn to cry like this."
"He already is," the twins chorus from the front row.
Tamaki didn't deny it, and I couldn't see anyway, so I assumed he was. "When I saw you for the first time, I fell in love. But I knew you might have qualms and things, and I tried to stop thinking about you, but I couldn't. After the first host club ended, I just collapsed against a locker and thought, 'Why didn't I talk to him more?' And you came up to me. There was a serious butterflies and excitement thing going on in my stomach, and when I went home with your number in your clean handwriting on my hand, I couldn't sleep.
"You dropped by my homeroom more and more often, just to see me. We talked for hours on the phone at midnight. You would say something sarcastic, and I would get it, and we would laugh together, and no one would have any idea why. When you asked me out, and there was that long list of people for you to serve, you always made sure I was alright, even though Ranka was one of the people watching me and making you get him coffee every few minutes.
"I have a secret I never told you. On that date, when I had that explosion of blood coming out of my nose and tears coming from my eyes, just like now actually, I was daydreaming that I'd asked you to marry me. I knew I was going to marry you before our first date had even really started. I knew it, like I know it now." His voice was quivering and choked. Neither of them admitted their feelings in a dignified way, and somehow that made it all the more emotional. "I was in love with you then, I am in love with you now, and I will be in love with you forever. Don't ever think I won't. I vow to be beside you until I die." Tamaki crumpled the piece of paper in his hands. "Now, please Mr. Pastor, proclaim us married."
The pastor surreptitiously wiped his eyes, just as I did the same thing. "By the power vested in me by the nation of Japan, I now pronounce you husbands. You may now kiss..." Before the pastor was finished speaking, and even saying the important sentence, Umehito had crossed the distance between them and kissed Tamaki deeply. I had to look away; the moment seemed too loving and private for me to witness.
The people gathered cheered through their tears, and the two walked back down the aisle, hand in hand, the roses wound between their wrists. I took the beautiful maid of honor's arm and led her back to the doors we'd entered when this whole thing had began. Somehow, I was the best man to Tamaki and Haruhi was the maid of honor to Umehito. Tamaki would say something about him being the man of the relationship to explain that, but I thought the reason had more to do with the fact that Umehito and Haruhi had become very close friends, much like Tamaki and I. I grinned happily. Everything had turned out right for us.
Haruhi POV
The reception began about an hour after the ceremony. Of course, there were multitudes of pictures to be taken, and hors d'oerves to be eaten, and Kyoya's hand to hold. It really wasn't as bad as I would have thought it. Tama and Ume had an amazing partnership, and I was one of the first ones to see it become a forever partnership.
The photographer was someone Tama's dad was acquainted with, so he was rather enthusiastic, and it made Kyoya tired just trying to keep up with his various demands, including the poses and strange assortments of people he wanted with my brother and his husband. At one point, Kyoya kissed me in the middle of a photo, for 'de-stressing'. Tama squealed loudly, disturbing the entire company around us, and Ume just laughed, squeezing my shoulder's in a hug.
As we were milling about, greeting the guests, which were almost everyone Tama and Ume had ever come in contact with, I smiled at the memories the people brought back. Ume had graduated and become very busy suddenly, always taking extra shifts at the restaurant, while Tamaki finished high school. Tamaki was also working too much in his father's business. Kyoya and I both told the two of them to take care of themselves better and quit working so much, but they told us they had something in mind.
The day of Tama's graduation, Ume was more proud than any parent out there. He loved Tamaki so much, and announced to anyone who would listen, surprising many of the actual parents. When Tamaki came down from the stage, he immediately pulled Umehito off somewhere. In the school's garden, he proposed to Ume. Apparently they both had their moment of saying yes however, because Ume had a ring as well, and neither had any idea of the other's plan.
That seems so long ago now, I thought as Kyoya led me around. And right now, we were witnessing that love that the two of them worked so hard for. They deserved it.
"Ah, hello," a shy voice said behind me. I turned to see a boy about Ume's age that smelled like oranges. "Do you know where the grooms are? I have to tell them something important." His cheeks were flushed, and he looked happy.
I smiled. "They're probably talking to the chef."
"Thank you," he replied, smiling back. Kyo stared at him as he walked away.
"What?" I asked, swinging our clasped hands back and forth.
"He used to work with Ume, that's all." He gazed at me and pressed his lips to mine decisively. There was a little sound as he moved away, and we just smiled. "You know I love you, right?"
"Always. And I love you too." I was seeing more and more of those beautiful smiles as the days passed.
"Alright, let's go find our reserved seats," Kyo said. "They're special, right next to the two lovestruck ones."
Dinner passed in a blur of food and all the hosts acting like idiots, including my boyfriend. He insisted on feeding me, like a child. They were all being very lovable idiots, though, so I didn't care (and kind of joined in). When Tama and Ume showed up to cut the cake, both their faces were bright red. We all assumed where they'd been, but I didn't actually verbalize it, unlike some other people. Ume shoved cake in Tama's face, and Tama failed miserably to return the gesture. But Umehito ended up kissing the frosting off Tama's features, not making it a total loss.
After all of that, the dance floor opened. Kyo whirled me around expertly, and Hani (who'd taken the nickname Honey after everyone discovered his love for cake and sweet disposition) spun Mori-senpai enough to make him sick. Those two were probably going to get married; I couldn't see them spending the rest of their lives with anyone else. The twins danced with each other, but Hikaru often left his brother to dance a slow song with Zoe, the foreign prodigy that he'd fallen head over heels for. The happiness would have overwhelmed me not too long ago, but didn't.
Finally, Tama and Ume stepped onto the floor, and a song came on that I knew the two of them loved. They put their arms around each other and began to dance.
"Six on the second hand, two New Year's resolutions
"And there's no question what this man should do
"Take all the time lost, all those days that I cost
"Take what and I took and give it back to you."
The chorus began in a swell of sound. "All this time, we were waiting for each other
"All this time, I was waiting for you
"Got all these words, can't waste them on another
"So I straighten a straight line, run it back to you."
The two moved closer, and Tama put his head on Ume's shoulder. Couples joined them on the dance floor as the song went on, not understanding the words, but the meaning of love in them.
"I don't know what day it is, I had to check the papers
"I know the city, but it isn't home
"They say I'm lucky to love something that loves me
"But I'm torn as I can be wherever I roam." The one difference with this song was that both my brother and my best friend knew where they wanted to be and weren't at all confused like the songwriter.
"All this time, we were waiting for each other
"All this time I was waiting for you
"We've got all these words, can't waste them on another
"So I straighten a straight line, run it back to you." The bridge filled the space with the sound of strings pouring out their hearts to say something vital and important. Even the people in the crowd that couldn't speak English felt it, those that could felt it the most.
As the final notes of the song died out, the band leaving its last impression, Tamaki and Umehito kissed softly in the center of us, completing the dance. Kyo grasped my hand and squeezed it, reminding me that he would be here for me forever. Funny how the marriage system relied so much on forever, and how skeptical I'd been about the concept until I met him, and watched the new husbands, and laughed with my best friends. This would be forever.
Umehito POV
We sneaked away after the pictures were finally done to get some alone time. Tamaki kissed me deeply, winding his hands through my hair. "I wanted to do more of this when we kissed at the altar," he whispered. I felt his lips move as he spoke against me.
However, we were soon interrupted. "Hi, can I talk to you guys? If you're busy, I can ask later." I broke away from my gorgeous husband to see...
"Kuze?"
He grinned, a little self-deprecatingly. "The one and only."
"I knew it was right to invite him!" Tamaki triumphantly threw his hands in the air. "So, what can we do for you?"
Kuze looked down at his hands, which I noticed had more calluses and a plain, silver ring on his right index finger. "I need to apologize. I was so horrible to you, and Mori, and Honey, and myself, and I am so sorry. You are people just like everyone else, and you deserve happiness. I will never be hurtful to gay people again because of what you two said to me that one day at the park."
I was really surprised. I just assumed he came here out of politeness, not to say he was sorry for all his past behavior. "What do you think, Ume?" Tamaki asked. "I'll forgive him if you do."
I smiled at him and at Kuze. "You're forgiven, especially if he says so."
Kuze grinned, and it looked a weight went off his shoulders. "Thanks. Now, I should get back to my date."
Tama was very interested in this information. "Who'd you bring? Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
I knew my coworker well enough to know he almost never blushed, and yet, he was outright blushing at the question. "Um, well, you know Honey?"
We nodded. "He has a brother, and..." he broke off, "I'm currently dating him. The brother, I mean. His name's Yasuchika, and I really like him. A lot. Okay, more than a lot."
Tamaki squealed again, and my mouth kind of fell open. This Yasuchika had reduced the sharp, moody Kuze to a flushed, adorable mess of a teenager. I wanted to meet this guy.
"So, thanks again, and congrats." Kuze waved and headed off, probably to his boyfriend.
"Who knew he was closeted," Tamaki remarked.
I kissed his forehead. "You learn new things every day."
Kyoya POV
Near the end of the night, Umehito decided to do the bouquet toss. I scoffed outwardly at the tradition, but just this once, it could give me an opportunity. All the unmarried girls gathered around him as he twirled the roses in his hands.
"You ready?" he asked. Everyone excitedly screamed yes, so he threw it back behind him. I was not expecting the outcome.
"I caught it!" Kirimi, Umehito's little sister, happily jumped up and down.
Haruhi walked over to me and said dryly, "There's a lot of old maids in this room if the five-year-old is getting married first." I laughed, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles.
"Well, that just isn't right." I knelt in front of Haruhi, my one true love. A ring box made its way into my hands. "Haruhi Fujioka, I know we're at our best friends' wedding, and we're barely as old as them, and I haven't asked your father for permission yet," I gulped, looking over at the table where Tama and Ume's closest relations were sitting, "but I have a very important question, my love and girlfriend. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Haruhi gasped as she opened the ring box. It was simple, with a single diamond in a platinum ring. The box had been burning a hole in my pocket, and I knew I didn't want to go on without telling her how much she meant to me, so this was the result. Her voice was so choked with tears, I almost didn't hear her say, "Yes, Kyoya. Yes, yes, yes!" She hugged me close and I kissed her gently, not wanting to ruin the moment with something too rough.
When Haruhi had put the ring on her finger, and the newlyweds had finished congratulating us, I pulled Haruhi by the hand to go see her father, Ranka. He didn't say anything as we approached, just fingered his glass, staring at it intently. I was getting more and more nervous when he finally looked at us and smiled. "I was wondering when you'd actually do it. Geez, you stall more than the government." He patted his daughter's head. "I'm happy for the both of you. Kyoya, you have my blessing."
I sighed in relief, and Haruhi laughed. "Now, that wasn't so hard."
I didn't know that when I went to that common public school that I'd be rewriting my whole life. I would fall in love, meet the friends I would keep until the day I died, watch one of those friends get married to the love of his life, be a part of a club meant to make people happy, propose to aforementioned love. And this was just the beginning of a new story.
The song is 'All This Time' by OneRepublic. I want to thank everyone who helped me write this, knowingly and unknowingly: Tennosuke, mutemia, Reagan, TheDemonsRedRose, and the people I undoubtedly missed. I'm actually going to write the disclaimer this time. I do not own Ouran High, and I never will. Bisco Hatori is the awesomeness that did that. I'm going to for sure publish something on March 14th, which is the all-important White Day, I just don't know what it will be. Thank you readers, for sticking with me until the very end. See you around!