Author's Note: Bisco Hatori remains a goddess because she owns OHSHC. I am a Plebeian who owns nothing.
Thanks to all my reviewers, followers, and favoriters! It's appreciated more than you realize! I try to consider all feedback given to me within the confines of my carefully formulated plans for the story (you know, the plans I make up as I go). If you do have ideas, shoot them out, and I'll see what I can do. For the record though, I do not plan for anything ridiculously drastic or a pregnant Haruhi in this story-maybe another story.
For now, please read, review, and enjoy!
Haruhi and an Ootori
Chapter 8
Haruhi was sitting on the low stone wall that bordered a section of the garden. She was leaning back into Akito's chest as they looked up and the darkening sky, waiting for the fireworks display. Not too far away were Hikaru and Kaoru, who were romancing the Shoukoujin sisters. Akito pointed out Tamaki and Renge arguing about something, which made Haruhi laugh.
"They've been arguing with each other since they met back in high school."
"Really? Renge-san has always seemed so . . . energetic?" Akito offered for lack of a better adjective.
"Yeah, that's one way of looking at it," Haruhi commented as a smile spread across her face. "But the other hosts have bets on when Tamaki will finally pop the question."
"And you?" Akito inquired. "Have you made a bet on Tamaki's proposal date?"
She turned her head and smiled up at him. "No, I'm banking on Renge asking Tamaki."
Akito chuckled. "I can definitely see that happening, knowing what I do of the pair."
He wrapped his arms around Haruhi, his fingers trailing across her waist, tickling her slightly. It felt wonderfully unsettling. Haruhi slipped her hands around Akito's, which here resting against his stomach. "This is nice," she murmured.
"I take that to mean I'm forgiven?" Akito whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her skin and brushing against her hair.
Haruhi tucked a small, sly smile away. "Not quite, but you're almost there," she told him, lifting their intertwined hands up to her chest and brushing her lips against his fingers.
She was rewarded by Akito ducking down and pressing his lips to the base of her throat. Haruhi sighed and rested against him, tilting her head so that his lips were free to roam along her neck. The whole affair was rather enjoyable, but the couple's coupling was quickly interrupted by the two eldest hosts.
Honey threw himself at the pair and landed in Haruhi's lap. The short blonde quickly jumped up, pulling Haruhi with him, babbling a mile a minute as he tugged her away from Akito. Haruhi took a moment to try and register what her friend was saying, but he was talking so fast . . .
"I-know-you-like-Akito-san-but-you-can't-abandon-y our-friends-Haru-chan-so-you've-got-to-sit-with-Ta kashi-and-me-'kay?" Honey said in one breath at top speed.
Haruhi stared at him blankly before managing a response.
"That's okay, Honey. I kind of want to spend tonight with Akito-kun. But if you want, we can all hang out tomorrow. Call me and we'll get lunch tomorrow afternoon, okay?" Haruhi told him as she headed back towards where Akito was sitting. "Just because I have a boyfriend I'm not going to forget about you guys, promise!"
Haruhi didn't notice Honey exchange a sad glance with Mori, who was standing a few paces away.
"Mitsukuni," Mori started. "You did not have to take such a direct approach."
"B-but, I mean, Did—didn't you see them?" Honey stuttered back.
"Yes. You did not have to jump into her lap like that."
"I had to get Haru-chan away from him, though! They don't belong together!" Honey cried in anguish. "Haru-chan's supposed to be with Kyo-chan. No one else can make him smile like she does except for Tamaki, but Tamaki's supposed to be with Renge!"
Mori chose to ignore Honey's allusion to Tamaki and Kyoya becoming a couple. "Haruhi will find happiness her own way. We cannot force her into anything she does not want to be part of."
Honey pouted. "We could, it just might make her a little upset. Are you okay with Haruhi calling Akito-san her boyfriend? I thought you wanted Kyo-chan and Haru-chan to be together, too."
"I do think Haruhi would be good for Kyoya. But she seems happy with Akito-san, and right now I think she is angry at Kyoya. If she and Kyoya are going to be a couple, he needs to talk to her. We can only do so much for them."
"I know," Honey sighed. "We can only do so much, after all. I just want Haru-chan to be happy, and Akito-san is going to hurt her."
"He might," Mori consented. "But I think Kyoya might beat him to it."
As Mori spoke he pointed in the direction of the side gate. Honey's eyes followed his gesture to find Kyoya leading a wealthy banker's daughter through the side gate and past the unknowing press. The two cousins were grateful that Akito was distracting Haruhi, pointing up at the sky where the first fireworks were being released.
Haruhi didn't see Kyoya sneaking off with a girl, the type of girl who was all too willing to please the Ootori heir. Mori and Honey, however, did notice Kyoya and his companion, and they were not happy about it.
They knew Haruhi had started crushing on Kyoya back in University.
They knew Kyoya had fallen for Haruhi back in high school.
They did not know, however, why the youngest Ootori brother was being such an idiot by allowing his brother to run off with the girl.
"I'm going to kill him myself," Honey growled.
"I will not hold you back," Mori chimed in.
Mori and Honey had always been protective of Haruhi, the little sister neither of them had ever had. Kyoya might be their friend, but they weren't about to let him trifle with Haruhi.
Hikaru and Kaoru might have been flirting with the Shoukoujin sisters, but they were nothing if not excellent multi-taskers. As they put on the old brotherly love act for the sisters, they kept a careful eye on Haruhi and Akito at all times. Haruhi was their best friend, had been since their first year of high school. There was no way in hell that Hikaru and Kaoru were about to let Haruhi get her heart broken by the Ootori boy, regardless of which Ootori boy it was. Akito was romancing her and Kyoya was . . . thoroughly failing at wooing her it would seem.
Kaoru had pointed out to his brother that Haruhi and Kyoya had been acting off earlier when they had all met up. Hikaru had whispered to his brother that Kyoya had looked livid when Akito and Haruhi had started dancing. Both of them had noticed when Kyoya had disappeared with a dark-haired chick in a trashy dress, and both of them caught sight of Kyoya reappearing with the same girl so that they could sneak out of the side gate.
"Kaoru," Hikaru called out to his brother.
"Yeah, Hika?" Kaoru answered as he walked the few paces separating him from his twin. They each slung an arm around the other's shoulders in a practiced gesture.
"I thought Kyoya would be good to her," was all the elder twin said.
"So did I," Kaoru added.
"I didn't expect him to take so long to admit he's in love with her," Hikaru continued.
"Neither did I."
"If he hurts her . . ." Hikaru trailed off.
"I know," Kaoru sighed. "I'll be right there with you." Kaoru patted Hikaru on his back before nodding his head over at Haruhi and Akito watching the fireworks. "But look."
Hikaru turned his gaze towards the two of them. Haruhi was leaning back against Akito's chest, a smile on her face and her eyes bright with laughter. Akito held her close, his arms draped around her waist, his fingers trailing delicately up across her stomach and sides over her dress.
"She looks happy," Hikaru commented with the slightest hint of surprise etched into his voice.
"Yeah," Kaoru agreed. "Let's just hope she stays that way."
Renge and Tamaki were arguing, but their subject matter was a little different than usual.
"I don't think we can trust Akito," Tamaki insisted for what felt like the millionth time that night. "He's got a bit of a reputation, you know that. He's already done something to make her angry, who says he won't do something to upset her again?"
Renge waved her hands in the air, trying in vain to shut Tamaki up. "He might not be what's best for her, he might break her heart, and the whole thing might make for an excellent manga. But it's up to Haruhi to make her own decisions—"
"—But she can't! I won't allow it! She ought to—"
"—And to find happiness on her own," Renge continues as if she'd never been interrupted. "Even if she gets hurt along the way. You can't protect her forever."
"Yes I can! I won't let my little girl—"
Tamaki was cut off as Renge thumped him on the head with her fist. He started to whine, but Renge simply smacked him upside the head. She then grabbed his head between her hands and turned him in the direction of one of the garden's gates. The pair took in the sight of Kyoya smiling coyly as he lead a girl with long black hair out of the gate, slipping by the paparazzi unseen.
Tamaki's jaw dropped.
"And to think I thought he was my Miyabi," Renge said with a low whistle of disbelief.
Tamaki floundered for a minute before deciding that anger was the appropriate emotion for the situation at hand.
Kyoya had not enjoyed kissing the Hanami girl. It had been uneventful in terms of pleasure; nothing like kissing Haruhi. However, it had provided an excellent distraction. Their time together in the rose garden had been pleasant if nothing else, but it got to the point where they needed a more private place if they were going to continue.
So he took her through the side gate, tiptoeing quietly past the media personnel without arousing suspicion.
Or so he thought.
His limo was surrounded by the five other male hosts and Renge.
Kyoya turned to the girl next to him, releasing her hand, which he had been holding. "It appears my friends have other plans for me tonight. Goodbye," he dismissed her abruptly.
The girl looked startled and displeased, but she left wordlessly nonetheless.
Kyoya let out a breath and rubbed his temples. "And to what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked the group gathered before him. All of them looked more than disgruntled, but Tamaki was the first to speak.
"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded angrily. "Do you care about Haruhi at all?"
"Of course I care about her!" Kyoya shouted back.
"Well, you've got a funny way of showing it!" Hikaru yelled at him with shaking fists.
Honey spoke up then. "Kyo-chan, you're being an idiot," he said as bluntly as Haruhi would. "We know you want Haru-chan, but you're too damn proud to admit it. Swallow your pride and talk to her."
"Haruhi has made her choice. I expressed my interest, and she did not react—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Kaoru shot out while holding up his hands in a 'stop' gesture. "When did you confess to Haruhi?"
Kyoya rolled his eyes in frustration, a mild gesture given how he was feeling. "After her date with Akito-san. She called me over to shout at me, asked me to spend the night, and we wound up kissing. Apparently she was upset by my actions because she kicked me out."
All of them eyed Kyoya suspiciously.
Mori narrowed his eyes at the bespectacled man before him. "The two of you kissed, and then she kicked you out," he repeated. "I don't believe you."
Kyoya glared at the tall man. "I don't care if you believe me. Nothing is going to happen between me and Haruhi!"
"Why the hell not?!" Renge exclaimed, jumping up and down on the pavement, her high heels clicking dangerously as they threatened to snap beneath her.
"Because I'm not good enough for her!" Kyoya screamed into the night.
All of the fight went out of him as he slumped to the ground, his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands.
"I cannot offer Haruhi what Akito-san can. I cannot make her happy, I cannot promise I won't hurt her. Apparently I've kissed her before and I don't even remember it," Kyoya admitted with a bitter laugh. "Me being with her will end in disaster. I will not chase Haruhi out of my life entirely, and if I enter into a romantic relationship with her, it will surely end in shambles."
Tamaki crept slowly toward his friend before resting his hand on Kyoya's shoulder. "Why are you so convinced you'll hurt her? You're a good guy, Kyoya."
"Tamaki, I am a workaholic. I do not know how to be sweet or romantic. Neither is my first instinct. It does not matter how much I want her; she doesn't want me. Or she won't once she's in a relationship with me. Akito,-san for all that he's a flirt, knows how to be a proper boyfriend."
Honey stared at him in disbelief. "So you're just going to let Haruhi go without a fight?"
When Kyoya looked up, the hosts and Renge saw through his glasses to his eyes, a rarity. They were sad, resigned.
"Yes. What else can I do?"
Surprisingly it was Mori who answered. "Fight for her. If things end badly, so be it. But you should give Haruhi the chance to decide if she wants to be with you or Akito-san. If you love her, you'll do right by her. And if she loves you, she'll forgive you for your weaknesses."
Kyoya looked up at Mori, studying his expression. He mulled over Mori's words, considering the possibilities. The hosts and Renge waited with bated breath for some sort of response from the powerful businessman slumped on the ground in front of them. Eventually, Kyoya spoke in a voice so soft they almost didn't hear him.
"Okay. What do I do?"
Tamaki smiled down at Kyoya. "Well," he replied. "I have a few ideas . . ."
Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed! I will update for The Broken Hearts Club later today (I'm posting this at 2:00am on Wednesday, July 3rd because that's how committed I am to you all), so be on the lookout. Please review or send me a message if you've got anything to say about the story!