Hesitant, she stepped into the room. She could never know what to expect with those idiots. And although she would have liked to say that she was glad there was no one to be found, she was slightly disappointed. She had hoped to get it over with. She'd already lost enough sleep over it.
She'd seen the twins earlier that day. She'd lied and told them she had to use the restroom, and they'd gone ahead. So where was everyone?
All of a sudden the lights went out, startling her. She smiled wryly to herself. This was more like it. One of their ridiculous stunts. She could imagine Hikaru's bored voice: "Oh, it's just Haruhi." A spotlight appeared then, on a door to her right. Had that been there before?
"What now?" she murmured, not really surprised. They'd created an artificial jungle in the third music room. It was no surprise if they'd created a room off to the side. But… it still was a bit odd. Yet, it was obviously meant to show here where to go. With a mushroom sigh, she walked towards the door; she was sure that Kyouya would find a way to get her back in debt if she pushed him too far.
The doors opened in front of her, revealing a relatively (and uncharacteristically since it was the host club) empty room. There was a spotlight on one chair in the middle of the room, obviously implying that she sit in it. As soon as she-reluctantly-did so, lights flashed on, blinding her. When her vision had cleared she saw five members of the host club gathered around her, most of them sitting, Kyouya and Mori leaned against the walls. Everyone had a very serious look on their face, even Huny.
"Glad you could finally join us," said Kyouya in his usual smooth tone, with his usual sarcasm. Haruhi was not at all surprised at his calm demeanor when this gathering was anything but normal.
"What's this about?" she asked resignedly. She looked around. "Where's senpai?"
"Of course she'd ask that," muttered Hikaru, but she couldn't be sure. Kaoru looked at his twin, but said nothing. Everyone looked at Kyouya.
"This was not my idea," he said nonchalantly, not bothering to look up, his notebook in his hand even now. Everyone watched him twirl his pen for a few moments, then finally turned back to Haruhi.
"Haru-chan," began Huny, tilting his head to the side, "what happened with Tama-chan?"
Oh. So that's what this was all about. She relaxed slightly.
"I met up with Tamaki-Senpai on the bridge. He'd decided that he was hurting us with the Host Club, and thought it was better if he left." She shrugged. "I told him he was an idiot and that we were joking when we said he was causing problems. Then the carriage lurched and I fell off the side. Senpai jumped after me, and she drove away."
"So, what you're saying is that he didn't have a choice," responded Kyouya. Haruhi looked up at him, but his glasses glared.
"Not…really…" She paused. "I would have been fine without him. I can swim."
"Like how you were fine at the beach," said the twins.
"I was fine," she protested, shrugging. She was obviously unperturbed by all of it.
"You were unconscious!" Hikaru exclaimed, looking amused and annoyed at the same time. Her eyes strayed to the cast, and she decided he must be in pain.
"I wasn't this time."
"Tama-chan didn't know that you would be okay," pointed out Huny.
"He didn't have to come. He could have stayed," she argued, her voice no longer uncaring.
"And let you fall?" asked Kaoru quietly, in that reasoning tone of his.
"It's not like I fell on purpose." Her voice was defensive.
"Hm." Mori said, and for once she couldn't discern his meaning.
"I'm sure you didn't, but it didn't give him much of a choice," said Kyouya coolly.
"He looked happy enough at the dance."
"Tama-chan wouldn't like making us sad."
"Well why don't you ask him then!?"
Silence.
The pounding of her blood in her ears, the echoes of her voice around the room. But no other sound at all. She didn't know why she'd yelled. Well, of course she knew why. She just didn't want to admit it. What if… what if he hadn't come back because he wanted to? All faces remained serious, and she found herself staring at Huny. Wishing for a smile, and offer of cake, anything that would seem remotely normal for the older and shorter boy. And then the twins, hoping for a "gotcha" smirk, or a hint of twincest, anything that would get rid of that look on their faces. Those identical looks of slight pain that surprised her so much. And then to Kyouya, imagining him telling her that her outburst would cost her X amount of yen. But he simply stared back at her, his glasses for once not glaring, instead dark slate-grey eyes burning holes into her. And for once in her life she could see a flicker of emotion in them. It lasted less than a second, but she saw the same pain of the twins reflected in his eyes. And finally to Mori, his expressionless face the one she settled on because it was familiar and it made her feel a little more normal. And, finally seeing something familiar, she spoke.
"Don't we have customers?" Her voice came out dry. Kyouya nodded, and settled into his familiar glasses-glaring pose.
"This little gathering has cost us. I suggest you get out there and make up for Tamaki's absence today," he looked pointedly at the twins, and they shivered simultaneously before slipping out the doors together. Kyouya adjusted his glasses and walked after them, Huny bouncing behind, tugging Mori along and asking him if he could have some chocolate cake, would he like some, did they have strawberry for after that.
Haruhi sat there for a few more moments, and the only thing that motivated her to stand was the thought of Kyouya replacing her debt for lack of work.
A/N: R and R, pls. I know that was really tense and a little OOC, but I hope you don't mind. I'm a little rusty. Review pls! If I get a lot of reviews I might even update tomorrow despite my huge project and practice and homework and babysitting…
