Chapter Thirty: Duel and Break
"Yaaaah!" a shinai made contact with a shoulder, claiming a point.
The club watched, in various stages of astonishment, as Mori beat yet another kendo challenger.
"A hit!" Haruhi, Kiiro, and the Twins were the most fired up about the match.
"Incredible. Even Mori-senpai raises his voice during kendo matches."
"Wah! Amazing, Mori-senpai!"
"Ne~! I've never seen a kendo match before. So cool."
Hikaru snapped out of it, "Eh? Where's Hani-senpai?"
"It seems he couldn't wait, so he's in the dining room eating cake." Kyouya answered.
Tamaki kept crying.
"Next, first year, Ookaba." Mori announced.
"Hai!" one boy stood.
"This certainly will take a while..." the Twins sighed.
"Soon this Kendo Club will not see Mori-senpai's gallant figure..." Tamaki blubbered.
"Hey, Tono, how long are you gonna cry?"
"I'm sad so it can't be helped!" he curled into a ball. "Furthermore, Hani and Mori graduating is sad enough, but they're separating!"
"Well, it certainly is somewhat surprising but..." Hikaru started.
"I never thought Mori would leave Hani's side. But, the two of them seem fine." Kaoru finished.
Then, Mori collapsed.
"Or maybe not?" the Twins said in unison.
"He's not okay." Satoshi Morinozuka and Yasuchika Haninozuka entered the dojo.
"Satoshi-kun! Chika-kun!"
"As for the department situation..." Satoshi continued. "...it was decided that revered older brother would overtake the Morinozuka parent company...and leave Mitsukuni's side. As proof, yesterday at dinner, what was he thinking? He put grilled fish, natto and boiled things into the miso soup! Another thing, the day before he still had bedhead during morning practice! He mistakenly washed the tanuki, Pome, and hung him up to dry and seemed to be looking for the glasses he had on!" the young boy held his hands to his head and began to cry, which was rather unsettling considering he and Mori looked so much alike.
'Wow...I'm not sure which one is less okay...' Kiiro sweatdropped.
"Revered older brother would never agree to the decision! So-!" Mori tapped Satoshi on the head with his shinai.
"Satoshi, don't say unnecessary things... I decided on this path myself. Don't misunderstand."
"Revered older brother. When I go to college, will I still have my eyes on Yasuchika?"
Mori walked away.
"I'd prefer we separate sooner though." Yasuchika sighed.
"Well, it seems like a valid choice." Kyouya leaned against the wall.
"Kyouya-senpai?"
"Haninozuka and Morinozuka are strong separate enterprises that cooperate and have many relationships that cannot be separated. In the future, Mori-senpai will head Morinozuka with Hani-senpai as his good partner. Even though at the university they will be separated, they have already thought of the future upstream, with the understanding that, in the future, a lawyer will be needed. His role will be needed all the more when Hani-senpai wants to patent his R&D. Satoshi and Yasuchika probably don't understand this yet. Tamaki, you should understand this."
"Tamaki-senpai." Haruhi reached out for him.
"I know." he said from his corner. "I know that much. From the start, Mori decided this. We shouldn't pry into it. Huh? What Haruhi?" he turned to her. "Are you comforting me?"
"No, not at all."
He slunk back to his corner.
"Tamaki? Isn't it time to go?" Kyouya reminded him.
"Oh shoot!" King got up. "There's a meeting at the head office to observe today! See you tomorrow, everyone!"
"Bye!"
"Ah, there's been so much going on lately that I barely noticed it was February already..." Kiiro admitted as she and Kyouya walked to their respective cars, she glanced up at the gray sky.
"Everyone has been busy lately it seems..." he agreed. "What with this investigation and the senior's graduation, even Tamaki has something productive to do..."
"At least with break coming, we can savor the moments we have off." she smiled. "Ne?" she spied a snowflake. It hardly ever snowed in Tokyo.
"Odd, snow wasn't in today's forecast." Kyouya joined her in looking up at the small flurry.
"Do you think it'll stick?" she asked enthusiastically.
"It's not likely." he shrugged, nonchalantly crushing her hopes.
"Oh, come on, Kyouya." she pouted. "Humor me every once in a while."
"You wanted my opinion." he smirked.
"You're no fun." she turned her nose up at him and went back to watching the tiny flakes fall from the sky.
After a long moment, and seemingly out of the blue, Kyouya asked, "Do you want to go out for coffee later?"
Taken by surprise, Kiiro blushed, "O-okay."
He smiled, kissing her goodbye, at the side of her car, "I'll see you at five, then."
"A-alright." she stayed there for a moment, feeling her heartbeat, 'Why does he do that to me?' she shook away her blush, stepping into the car.
The next day after school something strange was confirmed, "Yep~! Takashi lost~!" Hani announced. "What's wrong~? Did your stomach hurt?" he asked Mori.
"No... I left an opening..."
"Hmmm... This kind of thing is troublesome. Takashi's loss is just like a Haninozuka losing." Hani stated.
"Mitsukuni, to say it like that-!" Satoshi began.
Hani cut him off, his expression grew dark, "Being silent for all this time, even making your kouhai worry for you, what do you think you're doing?" he asked of Mori. "If you want to tell me something do it."
Mori hesitated, before saying, "Alright, I'll tell you, but before that... I request a match with you, Mitsukuni."
Even Kyouya wore an expression of surprise.
"Wow, the Newspaper Club was able to print something worth reading." Kiiro held up the day's paper, glossing over all of the details of the duel.
"Why is the date of the duel dragged out all the way until the day before graduation?" one girl asked Renge. "What'll we do if they don't patch things up quickly?"
Kyouya turned to Haruhi, the Twins and Kiiro, "The fun is, the longer we wait, the bigger the event gets. On the appointed day, videos will be available."
"Making money until the end." Kiiro said under her breath.
"Everyone is making light about Mori-senpai and Hani-senpai's most serious matter!" Tamaki cried.
"Place your bets!" someone yelled.
"Again, I realize who our number one sensitive boy is..." Hikaru commented.
"On the appointed day, let's trust in them. Get a hold of yourself." Kaoru added.
"I'll try my best!"
"However, since the duel declaration, it seems those two haven't said a thing." Hikaru sighed.
"Satoshi said that Mori-senpai is always up late practicing of course. He's been doing calligraphy, too." Kyouya said.
"What's he writing? Copying a sutra?" Kaoru wondered.
"The other side of the pair, Hani-senpai has been in his room. In the middle of the night, he can be heard chanting, 'shari, shari.' along with the sound of a blade being honed, Yasuchika said."
'Shari, shari, bones of a buddha?' Kiiro translated.
"I think in the end, Mori-senpai can't win against Hani-senpai."
"Kaoru?"
"But, try to picture it." Kaoru sneered. "The 192cm Mori-senpai flinging the 148cm Hani-senpai, or using some brutal move on him."
Kiiro felt her stomach flip when she thought of cute, little Hani getting thrown around.
"Well, Kaoru, one for Hani-senpai." Kyouya wrote it down.
"Ah, are we gambling now?" Kiiro raised her eyebrows at him, nly for Kyouya to ignore her.
"So sly!" Hikaru yelled. "If that's for me, one for Hani-senpai!"
"You guys are so disrespectful! How sad for Mori-senpai!" Tamaki cried.
"Well, it makes sense." Kiiro thought. "One for Hani-senpai!" she smiled.
"If you're all going to be that way, then ten for Mori-senpai!" King screeched.
"Calm down." Haruhi warned.
While Tamaki fought with the Twins, Kyouya said, "You just bet against me."
Kiiro put on the most arrogant smirk she could muster, "Hani-senpai is a little weapon of mass destruction. I have no fear of losing."
"What'll I do when you lose?" he smirked.
"Stop daydreaming." she poked him. "I placed a winning bet."
"We'll see." he chuckled.
'Already it's the day before graduation?'
They stood on a windy hill, the same one where Chika and Hani dueled. Both Hani and Mori stood in the middle of a crowd.
"And now the Morinozuka Takashi vs. Haninozuka Mitsukuni battle. They will use Haninozuka style." Tamaki announced. "This match will be decided if one's shoulders touch the ground for twenty seconds or more, if one goes out of bounds, or finds it impossible to continue the competition. Is that acceptable? Begin!"
Hani was up in the air within a second, he flung a kick at Mori, who caught his foot and punched Hani's shoulder. He kicked Hani and sent the small boy flying, but Hani spun and landed safely.
"Mitsukuni! Prepare yourself!" Mori grabbed Hani's collar.
Hani grabbed his arm and, using Mori's weight against him, threw him to the ground. But the two were upright in a flash, facing each other again.
"He has no mercy! Mori-senpai kicked Hani-senpai without hesitation!" Kaoru gaped.
"Hani-senpai, as expected, is the same way!" Hikaru gaped.
There was a loud 'kyaa' from the fangirls as the duelists' faces got close, Hani withdrew a staff from his gi, Mori did the same. The staffs clashed and Hani was up in the air.
"Usa-chan... shuriken!" Hani drew a few bunny-tipped kunai, sending them flying toward Mori.
Thinking quickly Mori held up his staff and the knives were embedded in the wood. Surprisingly, the staff shattered like glass in his hands so he threw what was left of it to the side.
"An opening!" Hani kicked Mori in the shoulder.
Mori slid on the ground, he slowly got up on his hands and knees.
"It's over, Takashi!" Hani flung himself at Mori, his leg extended.. "Usa-chan-!"
"Mori-senpai!" the club's first-years cried, fearing the worst.
Mori plucked Hani from the air and put him down on the ground.
"The one finished is you, Mitsukuni." Mori said.
"Eh? Ah..." Hani was outside of the ring.
'Hani-senpai lost?'
"It's over! Out of bounds! This match is Mori-senpai's victory!"
'Hani-senpai lost?!' Kiiro was still shocked.
"Mitsukuni..." Mori withdrew a long piece of paper from his gi. "Point: Even though you are going to college, don't forget to brush your teeth. Point: To prevent adult illness, decrease your cake intake to below nine pieces. And the last point:... Mitsukuni, you are eighteen years old, at college, you can't carry a rabbit around with you." he pointed accusingly.
'He finally said something about it...'
"Absolutely NO!" Hani cried.
"You cannot carry it around!" Mori placed his hand on Hani's head.
"...C-can I change it to three days?"
Mori smiled, "Yosh."
"Kyou-chan~! Kyou-chan~!" Hani ran over to him. "Was our duel useful to Kyo-chan~?"
"Eh? Yes...with a considerable part of the club's expenses." he smiled.
"How is everyone~? Were you worried~?"
"With that, somehow Tono's wish on a shooting star came true." the Twins looked surprised.
"Ahaha~! I see~!" Hani took Usa-chan back from Haruhi. "It looks like all the girls and the others are piled up~!" he looked back to where everyone was chatting about the match.
"Eh? Wait a second, no way, that was a show?" the Twins gasped.
"The duel was real~! But, if I had known what Takashi was going to demand, I'd have never lost..." he knitted his brow. "Even before, when Takashi kept looking at me, he was only staring at Usa-chan..."
"No way, is that true?"
"You know, we've known for a long time that we have different paths to go down. It's too late to be troubled by it now~! But, really, I hadn't planned on these three years being this fun~! Tama-chan invited me to the Host Club and I got to eat delicious cake with everyone~! I had so much fun thanks to everyone~!" he piggy-backed on Mori and flashed a peace sign. "Thanks to all of you, we had a great time, and that's why we are happy to entertain you at the end~!"
"Uwaa! Mori-senpai, Hani-senpai!" Tamaki, the Twins and Kiiro all clustered around the two, exchanging hugs with teary eyes. While Kyouya and Haruhi looked on with smiles.
'It really has been fun...' Kiiro wiped a tear from her eye.
"By the way, Kiiro..." Kyouya began at her side, tapping his notebook to her shoulder. "You lost."
Her heart sank into her stomach.
"N-ne, why mention that at a time like this?" she bumped him with her hip.
"Tada~! Check it out~! Check it out~!" Hani laughed, showing the club his diploma at the graduation party.
"Ah! You really graduated from high school and not elementary school!" Hikaru said, disbelieving.
"Tamaki, your face is disgusting, full of snot and tears." Kyouya criticized as King bawled into a handkerchief.
"No! These are graduation tears of joy!" Tamaki defended.
"But, it's sad." Kaoru started. "When I think even though we'll see you outside, we'll never see you in the Third Music Room..."
"Yeah, I have to agree." Kiiro said, holding back her own tears, fearing she would smudge her makeup. "It won't be the same at club time."
Mori patted their heads.
"Eh?" Hani looked confused. "Even though we're graduates, we can still normally show our faces around the club~! We can't everyday, but during college, we planned to occasionally~!"
"Um, what was that last speech for?" the Twins asked.
Tamaki burst into a new round of tears, "S-senpais!" he cried. "Really?! You should have said so earlier!" he wailed, clinging to the graduates.
"That's because it's our last time in life as high school hosts. By the way, is Haru-chan still in the kitchen?"
"Ah, I have to go tell her the good news!" Tamaki quit blubbering and ran to find her.
When Haruhi got back before Tamaki, she was extremely spacey and quiet, lost in thought. When Tamaki came back it looked like he had just run a mile.
'Wh-What happened to them?'
"Kiiro, about your losing bet." Kyouya said just before the party ended. "How about coming home with me today?"
"W-wha?" she felt the heat rush to her face and her eyes widened.
He just smirked.
"If you hadn't bet against me..." Kyouya said under his breath.
"You still would have found a way to get me here." Kiiro replied with a small smirk.
They stood past the entrance to one of his rooms. Kiiro had been here numerous times before, but, always on some kind of business. She had to admit, she was a little frightened, Kyouya looked at her like a hungry cat would at a bird that it had cornered.
"You're right." he smiled. "I was just looking for the right opportunity."
"Of course you were." Kiiro raised an eyebrow.
He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her.
"Do I sense a bit of arrogance, Kiiro?" he teased.
"Maybe some of yours rubbed off on me." she stuck out her tongue and he kissed her again. "You seem to have more than enough." she broke away from him. As he hung up his suit jacket and loosened his tie, she took a seat on one of his couches.
He sat beside her, "It's not a wise idea to tease me." he kissed her again, "Debtor." and he leaned against her, so that she was lying back against the couch's arm.
He held her hands back and licked her neck. Her face reddened and he chuckled, "Exactly."
She tried to get her hands free to no avail, "Are you trying to get away from me again?" he nipped her collar bone. "Why would you want to do that?" he said arrogantly.
She had something that she thought might work, she turned to his ear and whispered, in the sweetest voice she could, "Please let me go, Kyouya-sama..."
His eyes widened and he involuntarily loosened his grip on her wrists, she easily broke free.
"If I'm going to be here today, then you're going to learn to play fair." she smiled and ran her finger down his jawline. "Okay?"
He smirked, and this time the smirk was wicked, "Say it again."
She smiled.
She blushed when she saw the marks above her hip.
'At least these ones are easy to hide...' she sighed. She pulled her shirt over them. 'Last night was...interesting.' she fell back on her bed remembering all that had happened. She hid her face under a pillow but quickly pulled it off, 'God, am I really that girly?' She sighed. 'But, what he said before I left...it's becoming true, isn't it?'
Her phone began to ring, she swiped it open, "Ne?"
Kyouya greeted her, "Good morning, Kiiro. I'm surprised that I caught you awake before noon."
"H-hey, don't call me just to irritate me!" she protested. "State your business."
She heard him chuckle, "Alright, well I woke up with a Hitachiin in my bed, so it seems we're having an impromptu meeting."
"Ah, alright, I'll be right ov- W-wait, in your bed?! You can't saw something like that so casually!"
"Just come over, dear." he said in his host voice.
"Ah, fine! I'll be over soon!" she clicked end before he could say anything more.
Kaoru was grinning at her when she arrived at Kyouya's, looking forward to teasing her, "Were you jealous, senpai? I even saw Kyouya-senpai change while you weren't here."
She pulled on his cheeks, a blush quickly tinting her face, "What are you saying? What went on while I was away?"
"Uncle! Uncle!" Kaoru pulled free from her, laughing.
Kyouya sighed, "Alright, kids, settle down. We're here for a reason, remember?"
Kiiro smirked, sitting beside Kaoru on the couch across from Kyouya, "Okay, okay."
"As I was saying," Kyouya began, "Kousaka's craving for money is probably something that comes from her home environment."
"Then, what do you think is the goal of the headmaster?" Kaoru asked, sipping from his coffee. "He can't be so stupid as to not be able to see through Kousaka's actions. Her research was all about Tono's behavior, right? If the headmaster knew, and let her follow through with that, then that means that whatever her plan is Tono will be okay, right? After all, he is one of the most indulging fathers of the club."
"Ne, something doesn't add up about that..." Kiiro held a finger to her chin.
"Is it really like that?" Kyouya leaned forward in his chair.
"What do you guys mean by that?" Kaoru shifted his eyes from one senpai to another.
"I have a hard time understanding that." Kyouya admitted. "When we were in France I had a greater feeling that something was wrong. Tamaki can't meet his mother, he feels inferior and unaccepted in the main house and all of this is something that the headmaster allowed." he frowned.
Hearing it like that left a bad taste in Kiiro's mouth.
"What did that person ever do for Tamaki's sake?" he went on. "I understand the Grantaine's can live without the Suoh's assistance. So, in case the president checks on them, they have to be careful. But if our headmaster is doing everything the president says, can you really say he loves Tamaki?" he sighed, leafing through a notebook he had sitting on the coffee table. "Furthermore, I'm still in the middle of researching. There are more things I'm worried about. In the Suoh's company, under Yuzuru's orders, there was a subordinate that resigned from his position three years ago. It seems that he was a skillful man who was so competent as to be Yuzuru's right-hand man, or even more talented. "Due to health problem, he went back to live in his home village.", is what Yuzuru told those working in his company. However, even now, this person is not back in his village. His whereabouts have been unknown for three years now."
Kiiro grinned, "How sly. Well, if he was his right hand man, I suppose something like that is to be expected."
Kyouya nodded, "You know, I always thought that when Tamaki finally realized his feelings toward Haruhi, that would be the end of the Host Club. And, there was always the chance that he wouldn't act on it in order to help Hikaru. But, in any case, things wouldn't have been the same as before, but there would have been nothing to do about it. I feel the same as Hani-senpai and Mori-senpai, because what happened so far was completely different from what I imagined. And in the end, I was wrong. Remember when there was all the "trauma" talk?" he smiled. "Tamaki's stupidity exceeded all of my expectations by far. That's why I decided to stp thinking that, "This will only continue until the end of high school." And that, "The end will come soon." So, if someone came and tried to endanger all of this I..." he trailed off, looking down at his hands.
Kiiro was amazed to see this much feeling coming from Kyouya, she knew how he really felt about the club, but to say this much. Kaoru was also touched. They both placed their hands on their faces, "To think you felt like this..."
Kyouya raised an eyebrow, eyes becoming emotionless again, "Shut up." he said simply.
"Bye, Kyouya-senpai, Kiiro-senpai!" Kaoru waved, getting into his family's car. "I will try to investigate a bit, too."
"Bye!" Kiiro waved.
"Okay, but be careful." Kyouya placed his hands in his pockets.
As his car rolled away, Kiiro's entered the driveway. Kyouya looked over to her, "You're not going to stay?" he smiled.
She waved her hand, "Ah, if my dad finds out I've been over as much as I have there'll be hellfire and brimstone and all that." her chauffeur opened her door, "Ah, but before I go, about that subordinate, if he's acting like liaison, I'm rather excited to find out about what else the headmaster's been getting away with."
He raised an eyebrow, "What makes you think that?"
She shrugged, "If that woman believes in him, then something has to be going on, right?"
He smirked, "Then we'll have to look into it, won't we?"
She nodded, getting into her car.
Kiiro was just getting home when her phone buzzed, 'Odd. Could it have gone off while I was at Kyouya's?' she reached for it. 'A voice mail?'
She listened, "Kiiro! It's amazing news! Are you still asleep?"
It was Tamaki, Kiiro smiled, "I'm moving to the Main Residence! Isn't that great? I wonder if it was my charm that made my grandmother change her mind?" The message ended.
Kiiro was completely caught off guard, 'Then, this means, his grandmother...'
She had to sit down, 'We were only just talking about this... Was our time with the club that short?'
When her phone rang a few hours later, she was in her bedroom, trying to figure out what was going to happen now, "Hello?"
"Kiiro?" it was Kyouya. "I'm expecting from your tone of voice that you heard?"
"Yeah." she said in a small voice. "I knew it was coming."
He sighed, "He won't answer his phone. I'm guessing that he isn't allowed to. All of his servants have moved on, and even Antoinette is gone. Everything has already been moved to the first estate. He's practically on house arrest."
"So there's no way to contact him at all?" Kiiro ran a hand through her hair and leaned back, defeated, against a counter.
"No... Even if we could... Does he even realize what kind of situation he's in?"
"Most likely he doesn't..." she huffed in aggravation. "This is getting to be unreal."
'It's funny.' thought Kiiro. 'I'm always wishing for a peaceful vacation. I would have given anything for a hectic one this time.' The two weeks of Spring Vacation had crawled by and Kiiro just wanted them to end so badly. The only thing she had looked forward to were the meetings with Kyouya and the phone calls with Kaoru as they discussed the Suoh's lawyer and one of Yuzuru's missing subordinates.
When everyone finally had made it back to school, there was even worse news. Aside from Tamaki remaining rather uncharacteristically distant and explaining why he couldn't go to club any more, the was a sign on the front of the Third Music Room door, "No Entry. Closed for Repairs." it read in big, bold letters.
'That's a lie.' Kiiro sighed, 'What the hell is going on around here?' she thought, reaching her breaking point.
"Kyouya-senpai! Kiiro-senpai!" Haruhi ran up to where they stood in the hall. "Hikaru and Kaoru!"
"Good morning, Haruhi!" the Twins saluted.
"Kyouya-senpai, the Third Music Room is-!" she started.
"Ah...it's reached your ears." Kyouya turned. "It's merely under construction for repairs." he said simply.
'Yeah right.' Kiiro tried to hide her frown.
"Huh?"
"It seems they haven't completed the work that started over spring break." he sighed. "And my key doesn't work any more. So, I'll have to exchange it."
Haruhi looked relieved, "I see, so that's the case. I also heard Tamaki-senpai can't come to club..."
"Yes, that's true. He's forbidden from going out on personal matters after school. After classes, he is to go straight home to learn about the Suoh enterprise."
Kaoru spoke up, "Sorry, the word had not yet spread to you. But, there's nothing we can do about it at this point. We don't know the cause. Even though Tono entered the main residence, his grandmother still doesn't acknowledge him."
"Oh no."
"Since the club president is on break and we can't use the clubroom, it seems we won't have club activities for a while." Kiiro stated irked.
"Um, is Tamaki-senpai at school?" Haruhi asked.
"Yep. Tono is over there." the Twins pointed. "He's putting on the appearance of being very happy at the main residence."
Tamaki stood in the midst of his adoring fans. Cheering on and on about how beautiful the main estate was and how vast the garden was and how amazing the art was at the house. He really looked as if everything was perfectly great.
"He looks more than fine to me." Haruhi stated.
"So it would seem..." the Twins added. "As for that distracted guy over there, pointlessly worrying is..."
"Ha-!" Tamaki spun around. "Haruhi!" he ran over to them. "All of you, too! It's been so long! I was so lonely!" he hugged Hikaru.
"Why? Aren't you close to the main residence's servants?" Hikaru tried to shake him off.
Tamaki released his and rubbed the back of his head, "No, it's strange really. Revered grandmother said I should keep the talk with the servants to a minimum. Father is busy and I'm not worthy of talking to revered grandmother. Regardless, I had the time to improve my behavior and reflect upon how much I appreciate you guys. You guys... until now..." He turned to Haruhi and the Twins. "Until now I had thought you had treated me coldly. The improved me that you trained is deeply moved by your love."
The Twins and Haruhi looked at him disbelieving.
'Well, they did tease, harass, patronize and ignore him a lot.'
"I must leave the club for a little while but surely I will come to understand revered grandmother." he said, determinedly.
The bell rang, "Ah, that's the bell, let's go Haruhi."
"Wait!" Tamaki called. "Let's eat lunch together!"
'He wants to eat lunch with the club but...' Kiiro cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know if he can..."
Tamaki was currently surrounded by a throng of first year students who had all wanted to visit the club as the newest guests, but, seeing as how the club was still on break and the King was inactive indefinitely, they wouldn't be able to. They had easily persuaded Tamaki into eating lunch with them instead.
"Has Tono already gone home?" the Twins screeched.
"Yes, the secretary came and picked him up from class." Kyouya answered.
"Wow, that was thorough!" the boys disapproved.
"He gave me a note addressed to everyone." Kyouya withdrew the note that was signed with a crowned bear.
'To Everyone, I'm sorry about today! We'll have lunch tomorrow!' it read.
"Tomorrow he will definitely have lunch with you."
"No matter the rush, he can't write something without the bear..."
"Tono isn't here, we're taking a break from club activities, and Hani and Mori-senpai are busy, so now, what do we do?" Hikaru sighed. "Call Mei-chan and go do karaoke?"
'Kind of out of the blue...'
Each twin placed a hand on Haruhi's head, "Might as well."
"Huh?"
'Haruhi is tone deaf. And, has a bad choice in music...' Kiiro chuckled as Haruhi tried could tell at a glance that Mei and Hikaru thought the same thing.
"Have you heard anything more about the director's missing subordinate?" she heard Kaoru ask Kyouya.
"Yeah."
Hikaru and Mei went up to the stage to help Haruhi sing.
"There's nothing suspicious happening around Suoh, so I tried my own investigation." Kaoru continued. "Have you heard of Dr. Arman?"
"Tamaki's mother's primary physician? He retired two years ago." Kyouya stated. "Are his whereabouts confirmed?"
"Not yet, I tried sending mail, though."
"Kaoru...don't use mail."
"It was my father's so-called friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend."
"And? What became of this mail?"
"He wrote, 'Since I have plans to go to France soon, why don't I meet and talk to the doctor? Besides, I want to be a doctor.' When he was ten-years-old, he was pure and very cute. And then his wife kindly replied, 'Though it's a secret, he didn't go to France.'"
"You..."
"A pure child became a lying adult. And then I heard this from my father's friend's friend's friend's relative. Did you know, Tono's mother's sickness can't be completely treated because, it's an incurable disease? And, in general, it gets worse when the patient becomes an adult?"
"Then how could-?" Kiiro turned towards them.
Kyouya was obviously wondering the same thing.
"I wonder why then, when you saw Tono's mother, she seemed healthy?" Kaoru finished.
'She may not be able to sing well, but Haruhi can definitely cook!' Kiiro smiled.
Everyone, meaning Hani, Mori, Tamaki, Kyouya, Kiiro, Hikaru, Kaoru and Haruhi, sat around a big table outside of school. Haruhi had decided to make lunches for all of them. And, if it wasn't for Tamaki's uncharacteristic distance, Kiiro would believe that this was just another normal day.
"It was a really nice idea, Haruhi!" Hikaru smiled. "There are only a few students who bring a lunch, so, when it's like this, it's easier to turn down girls' invitations."
"I hear you~! Being surrounded everyday has been a bother~!" Hani cheered.
"Look! A hearty stew!" Kaoru pointed out.
"A homemade bento." Kiiro grinned, finally being able to try one.
"For our chefs, this would be completely impossible." Kyouya remarked.
"So true, given the cost of the ingredients." Haruhi added.
"Oh, I get it, are Mori-senpai and Hani-senpai using this as an excuse to make their grand entrance as Old Boy's?" the Twins asked.
"Isn't it because Tama-chan has to go directly home after school?" Hani answered. "And I'm worried Chika-chan is being bullied and is probably doing nothing about it."
"Why would anyone bully your brother, Hani-senpai?" Kiiro chuckled.
"Yeah, nobody's teasing that impudent four-eyed boy." the Twins laughed.
"Hmmm? What'd you just say?" Hani turned to them.
Tamaki started giggling.
"Why are you laughing, Tama-chan?" Hani asked quickly.
"It's nothing, sorry. It just feels like it's been a while since we were like this." King smiled. "Haruhi, thank you. The omelet and the hamburger are quite tasty."
"You're welcome." Haruhi looked almost surprised.
"Really, I'm glad I got to spend time with everyone. Actually, I have something to tell you all..." he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm quitting the Host Club."