"What's this? Club activities only just ended, but you already have your nose in a book?" Hikaru exclaimed, scooting closer to the only female host and lifting up her book from the table so he could take a peek at the title. "Physics?"

Haruhi frowned and jerked the textbook back away from him. "Don't you remember? We have a physics test coming up."

"But Haruhi," Kaoru reminded from her other side. He propped up his chin with his elbow. "That test isn't until next week. You shouldn't spend your entire weekend studying."

"But I want to make sure I do well," Haruhi protested.

Suddenly, Tamaki charged in at that very moment and stamped his foot. "Fools!" he cried dramatically. "Quit molesting my precious daughter while she's studying! You know very well that she has to stay at the top of the class to receive her scholarship, otherwise she can't afford a school such as this. She'll have to go to a . . . a . . . public school!" Tamaki gasped horror, as if the word were synonymous with prison.

"It's not as though I've never been to a public school before. Are you insulting my lack of money?" Haruhi muttered pointedly, making Tamaki return to his corner of woe.

"But anyway, Haruhi," Hikaru pouted. "You should take a break sometime. Too much studying will give you premature wrinkles. You'll look like an old crone by the age of 25. It's a proven fact"

"Done by who?" Haruhi asked skeptically.

That's when Hikaru's face lit up, and he banged his fist against the table, smiling wildly. "That's it! I have an idea!" he declared excitedly.

Kaoru blinked and cocked his head. "Ehh? What's this? That's pretty rare for you."

Hikaru ignored his twin for the moment. He grinned down at Haruhi crookedly. "Our mom is doing a fashion shoot tomorrow. She wanted to know if you would like to be a model for some of her designs. Why don't you take a break from studying and come hang out at our house, and then you can be in the fashion shoot."

"Oh." Haruhi looked down at her hands in her lap, and to Kaoru's surprise, the girl blushed a little. Kaoru stared at her in interest. "I'm sorry, Hikaru. But I have plans."

"That sucks. Well, some other time, huh?" Hikaru replied, clapping her on the back.

"What's this?" Tamaki cried from his corner. He took a great giant leap and glomped Haruhi, much to her chagrin. "Were you perhaps hoping to spend your Saturday with your beloved father? Why didn't you ask sooner! I would love to! I would love to, Haruhi!"

"Tamaki, you're suffocating me," Haruhi stated emotionlessly, though her blush had increased in its intensity. This time, even Hikaru noticed, and jealousy welled up inside of him.

"Oi, Tono! Don't you see she wants you to stop?" Hikaru shouted.

"Nonsense! Affection between father and daughter is completely natural! Right, right?" Tamaki insisted.

Kaoru watched Tamaki and Hikaru bicker for a moment, but then he turned his gaze back on Haruhi. She let out a long sigh and fiddled with the end of the table cloth. "Have you seen Kyouya?" Haruhi asked suddenly, meeting Kaoru's eyes for a brief moment.

"U-uh, no. Sorry," Kaoru stammered, surprised.

Haruhi went back to playing with the end of the table cloth. "Oh, I see," she sighed, preoccupied.

Kaoru wanted to inquire further, but he sensed it wasn't the time to do so. He stood up from the table. "Hikaru, let's go home," Kaoru said.

"Huh? So soon?" Hikaru replied, forgetting about his fight with Tamaki for a moment.

"Yes. Mother wants us to help set up for the fashion shoot tomorrow, remember? Besides, club activities are finished anyway."

Hikaru frowned for a moment, but then he gave in. "Alright. Later, Haruhi," he called.

"Oh! I'll see you two out!" Tamaki offered, following them.

The door clicked shut. Haruhi let out another sigh. She gave up on her textbook, knowing full well that her thoughts were too jumbled to concentrate on physics. It's like this every day, Haruhi thought to herself. He always vanishes just before the club meetings end. And then . . .

Haruhi shut her text book and walked over to the sofa where she had left her textbook. But it wasn't there. Cocking her head in confusion, Haruhi checked under the pillows and even under the sofa. "Where'd it go?" she wondered aloud.

"Looking for this?"

His voice didn't even make her flinch anymore, she was so used to him sneaking up on her. Haruhi turned around to find Kyouya holding out her bag for her. Haruhi smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Kyouya-sempai."

"Are you all set, then?"

"Yep!" Haruhi replied cheerfully with a nod.

There was a slight pause, but then Kyouya smiled softly as well. He took her hand in his and lead her out the door. "Then let's go."

As they walked through the empty halls, Haruhi made sure to trail slightly behind Kyouya. That way, she could stare at him without being caught. At one point, he gave her hand a little squeeze, and rush of warmth floated up her arm, reaching all the way to her shoulder.

It's always like this, Haruhi thought bemusedly. He always vanishes just before the club meeting ends. And then, as soon as everyone has left, he reappears as if nothing had happened. Why does he act like this? And why does he always insist on giving me a ride home in his limo? I can understand his reason when it was raining, but the weather is perfectly nice today.

It had almost become their little routine. One that Haruhi never questioned. She was half-afraid to find out what Kyouya's answer was. After the piano incident, she never knew what to expect around him. He had changed somewhat . . . well, only when they were alone.

When they reached the limo, Kyouya held the door open for her. Haruhi muttered a quick, embarrassed thank you and scrambled inside. Haruhi sat on one side. Kyouya on the other. A whole, empty seat lied in between them, a space that Haruhi was always acutely aware of. Kyouya had released her hand. But even though his hand was gone, Haruhi could still feel a slight burning sensation from where his fingers had been, almost as if she had been branded. Haruhi placed her hands in her lap and leaned slightly away from Kyouya, looking out the window. Though Haruhi didn't check, she was pretty certain that Kyouya had done the same. The silences in the limo were always quite awkward and agonizing for the both of them.

However, surprisingly, it seemed Kyouya was going to do something about that today. He cleared his throat and remarked, "I heard that you turned down the Hitachin's invitation today."

"Eh?" Haruhi said, removing her eyes from the window to look at Kyouya. But she wished she hadn't. He was staring so intently at her with his onyx eyes. It made Haruhi shrink back in embarrassment, and she felt a flush cross her cheeks.

"Does that mean we're still on for our date tomorrow?" Kyouya asked, genuinely curious.

Haruhi's temperature skyrocketed. "It isn't a date!" Haruhi insisted, mortified. "It's just . . . it's just a get-together between two friends!"

"So it's a date," Kyouya stated, amused that Haruhi was getting so flustered.

Haruhi folded her arms and returned to staring out the window, waiting for her face to cool down before speaking again in a soft voice. "Hey . . . do you really see me like that?"

"Hmm?"

The car passed by a small park. Haruhi could see a small family, swinging their child back and forth. There was also a couple, talking and laughing. But one girl was all by herself, sitting at a picnic table and reading a book in the sun. Where was her special someone?

"What are we?" Haruhi asked quietly.

Kyouya stared at her helplessly, not knowing what to say. It was quite difficult to deal with such an oblivious girl all the time. Though perhaps that was part of her charm. Still, he didn't want to ruin things by saying the wrong thing now. Once again, he doubted himself, wondering if it was really right of him to be seeing Haruhi like this. After all, Tamaki liked Haruhi, even if the idiot didn't see that himself. And Haruhi might be holding feelings for Tamaki as well.

Tamaki always beat him when it came to situations of this nature.

Kyouya clenched his fists. No. No, he would not lose this time around. The stakes were too high. He didn't know if he could bear watching Tamaki steal Haruhi away from him.

Besides, Haruhi herself had told Kyouya to be more open.

Kyouya adjusted his glances and said, "We should just take it a step at a time. Perhaps it will be easier to answer that question after Saturday."

"Oh, we're here!" Haruhi exclaimed when she saw the apartment complex.

The limo stopped, and Haruhi and Kyouya got out. Haruhi was so very grateful that no one was standing outside today. Sometimes when Kyouya dropped her off, it created so much fuss around the renters that Haruhi would gain a massive migraine by the time she entered her apartment. Kyouya walked her all the way up to her door, where they both hesitated for a moment. That pause had become a part of their ritual too, it seemed.

To break the awkwardness, Haruhi beamed up at Kyouya. "Thanks once again for taking me home. It saves me a bunch of time."

"It's my pleasure."

They paused again in uncertainty. Then Haruhi laughed nervously. "Ummm, I should probably open the door now, h-huh?" she stammered.

The corner of Kyouya's mouth twitched upward. "Yes, you probably should."

Haruhi moved to unlock the door, but it wouldn't budge. Haruhi shoved against the door with all her might, but it still was locked. "Oh!" she exclaimed, looking at her key ring. She looked up at Kyouya sheepishly. "W-wrong key. How stupid of me."

Her expression was so cute that Kyouya couldn't help but chuckle. And then he tilted his head back and started to laugh heartily. "You really are something, Haruhi," he laughed. Still snickering and shaking his head in amazement, Kyouya leaned forward.

Haruhi tensed up. The memory of the day at the piano flashed back before her eyes, and without thinking, she turned her head and held up her hands in defense. Kyouya caught this and realized what he had been doing. To save face, he changed his target and kissed the corner of her forehead instead. "Until tomorrow," he whispered, his face still extremely close to hers. "I cannot wait to see you again."

Too stunned for words, Haruhi only nodded.

Satisfied, Kyouya stood straight, and he left. As soon as he had made it down the stairs, Haruhi scrambled inside her apartment and slammed the door shut. She slid down the door and pressed her hands against her racing heart.

"My chest hurts," she muttered to herself. "What's going on?"

Haruhi stood in front of her closet with her hands on her hips. She pursed her lips before once more picking out the cutesy blue skirt to go with the pale yellow blouse lying on her bed. It even had a matching ribbon. It was an outfit courtesy of the Hitachiins, given to her one Christmas day. It had resided in the back of her closet for the longest time, but now . . .

"Should I wear it?" Haruhi agonized. She quickly slipped it on and posed in front of the mirror. But when she caught sight of her reflection, she chickened out once more and switched to the other outfit that had been resting on her bed. One more casual. More herself. A plain magenta tank top with denim capris. But when she examined herself in the mirror, she was dissatisfied with how little she stood out. Besides, would Kyouya criticize her lack of dressing up for the occasion, even though they were just grabbing a bite to eat? And back and forth she went between the two outfits. Eventually, the more rational side of her reasoned that she might as well choose the outfit that was more comfortable. Besides, why should Kyouya care about what she wore? Haruhi slipped on a light fleece jacket that was a little too big on her, and then she was satisfied.

"Eh? Are you going out today, Haruhi?" Ranka asked as he watched his daughter bustle about.

"Yes, so I'm afraid you'll have to fix lunch yourself. Is that okay?" Haruhi asked.

"It's fine, it's fine," Ranka reassured as he went back to nursing his black coffee and watching the TV.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. Haruhi glanced at her watch in shock. What was Kyouya doing here? It wasn't as if Haruhi were late. She still had about an hour and a half left until she had to meet him at the arranged place.

"Can you get that, Haruhi?" Ranka called from the living room.

"Uh, um . . . sure," Haruhi said, hesitating for a moment before taking a deep breath and heading for the door. She stood on her tiptoes and glanced through the peephole. Haruhi sucked in her breath and yanked open the door.

"Wha . . . What are you doing here?" she demanded to a happily waving Tamaki.

Tamaki laughed, clearly cheerful, and asked, "I wanted to ask you something."

A/N: oh no! a cliffhanger! what ever could tamaki want to ask? O.O do you hate me now? do you want to rant loudly? then go ahead. i'll listen. you just have to press that little button down there. you know. the one that starts with a "r" and rhymes with "a wonderful view!"