Chapter 4: Betrayal

It had been a week since Tamaki got the phone call and none of us had heard from him. I was currently on my way to Haruhi's apartment, she had asked me over for tea and to catch us and had insisted that I go. This was the fourth reschedule in a week and she threatened the life of my first born if I rescheduled again. It felt wrong going to Haruhi's to see her by myself, especially knowing my feelings for her. After I finished the movie with Haruhi and went home the other night I couldn't stop thinking about her and not in the, I need a cold shower way. My mind was racing with ideas and possibilities about what could be. At one point I found myself smiling for no reason and couldn't stop until I realized I was thinking about what could happen if Tamaki left. If he left Haruhi would be shattered and I could be there to help her and hold her and with time she could fall in love and we could be together. It sounds so wrong even now but I couldn't help but wonder.

The drive to Haruhi's was longer than usual because of my brain. I was trying so hard not to think of her but the more I tried the more I thought of her. The way she looked at me last week asking me to stay, like her whole world was shattering and she was just trying to hold on to something that wasn't going to move. That night we went back to the couch in the living room and finished watching the movie but I was more interested in what Haruhi was doing than the movie itself.

**FLASHBACK**

Haruhi was sitting on the far left side of the couch leaving a seat cushion between her and me. She had wrapped herself tightly in a blanket and was staring at the TV with glazed eyes. The rest of the movie she sat like this, never reacting to things just watching numb and lost in thought. What had Tamaki said to her to make her like this? She was okay, supportive even when Tamaki told us all, and then when she came back, she was lost in thought, crying into my chest.

"Kyouya…" Haruhi finally said turning towards me as the credits began to roll. "He… he said that… that if he left we were… he said he wanted to brake up… I just don't understand…" tears threated to spill over when she said this and she looked completely lost. He had become her world her everything even when he annoyed him, she loved him over everything. How was he just going to leave that kind of love, that kind of loyalty? How could he hurt her so much? I felt my blood pressure rise and I thought this. I trusted him.

I reached over and put my hand on her knee and said, "I don't undrstand either, Haruhi. He probably wasn't thinking straight and didn't mean it." Maybe if I said it out loud I'd believe it myself. "I can promise you that everything will be okay."

She put her hand on top of my and squeezed it slightly. "Thank you for staying Kyouya-sempi, it means a lot to me knowing you're here for me."

"I told you, you'll never be alone," I said to her. She scooted over to the middle seat and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her in the most loving embrace I was capable of, holding her tight to me. At that moment I didn't know if I could let her go again, especially back to him. To remind myself as much as her I said, "He's still around though, he's still here and he's still yours. You didn't brake up. He'll come to his senses, it'll be okay, Haruhi." As I said this still hugging her, Ranka peeked into the room and saw the scene giving me a small, sad, smile that told me he knew that he was right and at that moment so did I. Tamaki was going to leave her again.

"Thank you again Kyouya-sempi, you're the best friend I need right now," Hauhi said letting go of me.

**END FLASHBACK**

As the limo pulled up to Haruhi's apartment complex I took a deep breath in, it was going to be a long day. I got out of the limo and walked up to Haruhi's door knocking when I got there. When Haruhi opened the door I was expecting a natural host smile and a hello, what I got was her almost knocking me over with a hug and shaking in my arms with dry tears.

"Oh Kyouya-sempi!" she said into my chest between breaths.

"Haruhi! What on earth is the matter?" I said slightly in shock from her emotional state.

"I'm … I'm s-s-sorry," she said pulling away, she was crying to the point of hyperventilating! I grabbed her hand and placed it on my chest forcing myself to breath slow and deep.

"Haruhi," I said looking her in the eyes. "calm down I'm here for you. Focus on my breaths and make yours match, okay?" She nodded and hiccupped a few times before her breathing became normal again. "Haruhi, what happened?" I asked her. She answered me by looking me in the eye with her tear filled brown eyes and handed me a note that was crinkled into a ball. As I smoothed it out I saw tearstains covering it and I recognized Tamaki's writing, it said:

My Dearest Haruhi,

I am a coward, a spineless coward. I love you Haruhi but I am not a strong enough man to tell you the news in person. It took me a long time to make my decision and a lot of alone time but I have finally come up with my decision. Nothing will change my mind but you, which is why I am a coward. I'm to afraid that you will change my mind my sweet Haruhi. You are more important to me than anyone at all. You have my heart and I know one look into those brown eyes filled with hurt will change my mind. You are the best thing to ever happen to me. I am truly sorry you must find out this way but I am truly a coward. Haruhi, my dearest sweetheart, I love you but I must leave. I have decided it is time for me to live with my mother and learn my French heritage. You are the only thing keeping me in Japan and because of that I must let you go. I do love you and if we are meant to be…. We will be. For now please understand and forgive me. My heart aches with yours. I love you, Haruhi.

Your Prince,

Tamaki Suou

As I finished reading the letter I looked down at Haruhi. She looked so sad, so hurt, so broken, so alone, something came over me and I did something I never do, I reached out to her and hugged her to me. "Haruhi… I don't have words," was all I could muster out. I was in shock and my brain was trying to decide on an emotion. Was I angry with him or hurt because he didn't tell me either? Was I hurting for Haruhi or myself? Was I angry because he broke my trust, he left without telling or because he hurt Haruhi?

"Lets go inside," Haruhi said pulling away from my hug. I fallowed her in and we took a seat at the table.

"Haruhi, when did you get this letter?" I asked.

"About a half hour ago when the mail came in," she paused, wiped her face and then continued. "Do ou want some tea? I had it started when I go t the mail, and I made cookies last night as well."

"That would be great, let me help you," I said standing up with her. As I watched Haruhi finished the tea and I put the cookies on a plate my mind caught up. I knew a few things. First, Tamaki left. Second, he didn't tell anyone but Haruhi. Third, he broke Haruhi's heart. Four, my emotion was definitely anger. How could he?!

"Kyouya-sempi, braking that cookie to bits isn't going to fix it," Haruhi said touching my shoulder. "Lets go sit down," she gave me a sad smile and walked over to the table with the tea tray. It was going to be a longer day than I originally thought.