You sound so innocent. All full of good intent— Swear you know best.

I can't believe that guy!

"Haruhi!" Hikaru swarmed to her as she reached the hall out side their classroom. Noticing how mad she looked, he became concerned. "Wow. What did the Shadow King do to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it, really." She said.

"You seem really pissed. What happened?"

"He was trying to be nice, but I guess he doesn't practice a lot, because he isn't very good at it." Erase my debt, ha! As though he could have said that at anytime! "Hey, where are your new glasses?"

His hand flew to his face. He checked his pockets, rummaged his bag and then it hit him. "Damn it! I left them in the library room!" He checked his watch, and then reminded himself, "I guess I still have a few minutes before class starts, so if I run…"

"Hikaru, can I ask you something?"

"Anything!"

"Do you need those glasses or did you really just get them because of Kyoya-sempai?"

"Well," He pulled at the hair on the back of his neck. "I guess if I'm being honest with myself… It would have to be because of Kyoya-sempai."

"Why would you do that?" She said, unblinking.

"Hikaru? Haruhi?" Kaoru poked his head out the classroom door. "What are you two doing? Come on! Class is starting!"

Reluctantly, Haruhi trudged into the classroom. Hikaru followed, deciding that maybe he didn't need those glasses after all.

xXx

Riiiing. Riiiing. Riiiing.

"Hello?" Kyoya answered his phone from the back seat of the limo on his way home.

"You! What did you do to Haruhi today!" Hikaru's accusatory tone and brash voice blared through Kyoya's earpiece, causing him to move it a few inches farther from his ear. Apparently, no one had ever taught Hikaru phone etiquette.

"You tell me, what did I do to Haruhi? I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, Hikaru." He remembered the enraged look on her face as she had stormed out of the clubroom, but decided playing dumb was really the best strategy in this situation.

"You bastard! You know what you did! She was so upset… What did you say to her?" Hikaru's temperature was rising by the minute. "Does this have something to do with the pool house?"

"The pool house? I don't follow."

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about! I know you do! I saw the two of you… You were all wet and hugging, and to be honest, you kind of looked like lovers."

"That sounds like an accusation rather than an observation to me." Kyoya defended. "Besides, it's none of your business if I'm Haruhi's lover or not. Haruhi is not yours to protect and shelter."

"That's… I don't care, Kyoya-sempai! I know it's not my job, but I'm still going to be there, making sure that no one hurts her! Even if Haruhi loves you, even if you love her back, I won't give up, no matter what!"

"Hikaru? Who are you talking to?" The static-y sound of Kaoru's voice could be heard in the background of the call. Hikaru hung up.

Kyoya stared at his phone for a minute wondering what Haruhi had said to make Hikaru so apprehensive.

"Driver? We need to make an unscheduled stop."

XxX

Kyoya extended his finger to ring the bell of the Fujioka apartment. Quickly, he took it back, not sure any longer if that was what he really wanted to do. That was the second almost-ring. The third time's the charm, but just as his finger grazed the button, the door flew open and Ranka almost ran him over.

"Kyoya-kun? What are you doing here? Isn't it almost dinnertime? Shouldn't you be at home?" Ranka asked.

"I suppose I should be, it's just that Haruhi-san and I had a misunderstanding earlier today, and I came to properly apologize."

"Oh, I hate to have to say so, but Haruhi isn't home right now," Ranka said regretfully. "But I really do have to be on my way, or I'll be late for work. I'll be sure to tell her you stopped by but you know how Haruhi is about holding grudges…"

"Oh, of course. Let me walk you out, Ranka-san."

"You're such a gentleman, Kyoya-kun! It's a shame that you and Haruhi are fighting. I'm sure it's all her fault, right?"

"Dad, that's not very nice to say," Haruhi pointed out on her way up the stairs, groceries in hand.

"Oh, Haruhi! Daddy's just kidding! Of you're the one whose side I'll take, no matter what!" he quickly covered his tracks. "I'll be back at 11 sharp! So don't stay up for me, you have school tomorrow!"

And with that Ranka flew down the stairs, leaving Haruhi and Kyoya with a thick air of tension about them.

"Why do we always end up like this when we're alone?" Kyoya asked quietly, after a few excruciating seconds of silence.

"Like what, Sempai?" She asked cautiously, forgetting for a moment that she was still mad at him.

"When it's just the two of us, it feels, I don't know," He searched for a moment for the right word, studying the texture of the concrete between them. "Strange."

"That's how I would describe it." She said it with an edge to remind him that she was upset. "Why did you suddenly come to my house, Sempai?"

"To explain myself, I guess. I didn't try to make you feel like I pitied you. Really, I only thought that's what you meant yesterday. I was only trying to give you what you wanted. So that's why," He bowed his head with a jerk. "I am sincerely sorry, Haruhi."

"I know Sempai. I over reacted, so I'm sorry, too." She shifted the groceries to the other arm. "I know that you really only had my best interest at heart, but you didn't consider how much I grew to love the host club."

"I also didn't consider how much I grew to love you."

A.N.: This may seem like an awkward place to end the chapter, but I'm doing it anyway! Ha ha… More than half done :)

I hope that you liked this one, because it's definitely been one the hardest to write so far. Chapter 8 will be up tomorrow (I'm finishing the first draft now, and it's frustrating me, but I hope it will turn out okay…)