Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or any of its characters.
This story is my property, so no stealing, thanks.
A/N: Time for chapter number two! I wrote this one pretty fast, so it's not the most substantial chapter, more just a bit of background stuff. Also, this chapter is from Haruhi's point of view. I decided to give Haruhi more of a role in the fanfic, instead of being a background person. Hope you enjoy chapter two!
Haruhi walked up and down the rows at the outdoor market. Colorful stalls flashed at every corner, and vendors waved their products at passersby, looking for someone to barter with. A barrage of different smells wafted around the stalls, giving the air a warm spicy scent. Customers sporting bright scarves and woven bags weaved in and out of the crowd, while others carried paper dishes of exotic foods. The market was an eclectic paradise in the middle of the bustling city. Haruhi was glad she'd convinced Hikaru to visit the market. And yet in the midst of all the culture, she couldn't help but notice the depressing look on Hikaru's face the whole time.
As she moved from stall to stall, with Hikaru trailing behind her, Haruhi looked back to the events of the morning.
Walking up the driveway of the Hitachiin estate, Haruhi was still impressed by the size and design of the place, despite having visited many times. Beautiful architecture and well-manicured landscaping created an air of luxury she wasn't used to. She couldn't imagine growing up in such a large house, with so much space.
Reaching the front courtyard, she knocked on the door carefully. Within a minute or so, a maid answered, and recognizing Haruhi, she welcomed her into the front hall. Like the rest of the manor, it was decorated richly, but tastefully. The maid informed Haruhi that the masters of the house were in their bedrooms, located in the west wing of the home. Thanking the maid, who disappeared with a curtsy, Haruhi headed in the direction of the twins' rooms.
As Haruhi explored the manor, she could hear a faint sound echoing a ways away. Unless her ears deceived her, it sounded like one of the twins, probably Hikaru. And he was- shouting? Haruhi quickened her pace down the hall, the sound of the twins' voices growing louder. Finally she reached a door near the end of the hall. Putting her ear to it, she heard the voices coming from the other side. Haruhi knew she shouldn't be eavesdropping, but she was a little curious.
A few seconds later, she heard Kaoru shout something, and then silence. After a moment, she opened the door slowly, and peeked inside. Down the hall a few yards, Hikaru and Kaoru were standing facing each other. At the sound of the door, they both whipped around to look at her, surprised. Kaoru also seemed a little punch-drunk. It was apparent they had been fighting. She raised her eyebrow in concern.
"Hikaru? Kaoru? Is everything ok? I heard someone shouting." She tried to seem innocent, despite the fact she'd eavesdropped. Kaoru kept his gaze on her face, his back to Hikaru. For some reason, Hikaru blushed a little. If they weren't in the current situation, Haruhi might have laughed. He kind of resembled a little kid caught in the act. Quickly, however, he stood up straighter and walked towards her.
When he passed beside his brother, Hikaru muttered something that Haruhi couldn't make out. But whatever he said must have been important, because as soon as he walked past Kaoru, Kaoru bent his head over and stared at the floor. Within seconds, tears fell from his face, staining the carpet darkly. Hikaru didn't look back at his brother; he kept walking, his face pale and his jaw set in a severe line. As he reached Haruhi, she looked back at Kaoru. He had been watching her, and as Hikaru gently took her arm, they locked stares. For a second, Haruhi looked into Kaoru's soul, and saw the pain and frustration that he was feeling; she watched the tears spill from his eyes. And then the door close behind her, and he was gone.
Haruhi sighed, and tried to concentrate on the handmade scarves she was examining. It wasn't her business to be nosing around in their problems. After all, everyone has their fair share of bad days. It might just be something silly they were fighting over, knowing the twins.
At the same time, though, she couldn't shake the image of Kaoru in the hallway, broken down and crying. What she saw in his eyes made her worry. What did Hikaru say to make him cry like that? Kaoru was always so protective of his twin; what was said must have cut deep.
She glanced back at Hikaru, who was listlessly looking at something the next stall over. The entire afternoon, Hikaru had been following her around glumly. She tried to peak his interest numerous times, and occasionally asked about what happened that morning. But he'd just brush it off, and wander away to the next vendor, looking dour as ever. Haruhi suspected he was probably thinking of the fight with Kaoru, but she didn't know how to cheer him up. She didn't even know what they'd fought about, which didn't help her.
As the afternoon sun began to set, Haruhi paid for her scarf and took Hikaru's hand. She led him down the street as the vendors began to pack up.
"Maybe we should head back now. It's beginning to get dark." She told him. Hikaru just sighed.
"Yeah, sure." He got out his cell phone to call a cab. "Do you want me to drop you off first?"
"It's ok, we'll stop at your house first. It's closer." Haruhi replied. She wanted to talk to Kaoru before she headed home. She wanted to know his side of the story; more importantly, she wanted to help.
A/N: Time for a Haruhi-Kaoru one on one next chapter! Reviews are much appreciated. Stay tuned! Thanks for reading!