Haruhi was never big into romance as a child, or really ever until Ozzie literally dropped into her life. As such, she'd never quite got the concept of a broken heart. She understood the meaning behind the phrase, just not what had started it. Could being rejected by a crush or ending a relationship with someone really make someone feel that bad? Like their hearts had actually been smashed into pieces? It seemed a little far-fetched.
Sitting at the lone empty table in the farthest corner of the garden she could find, with her head in her hands and tears freely leaking, Haruhi now knew with absolute certainty that it wasn't. It was, in fact, far worse than she could have imagined.
At least a quarter of an hour had passed since Haruhi staggered away from Tamaki-senpai and Reiko, but she could still she them in her mind's eye with perfect clarity. Every single trivial detail from the one undone button on Tamaki's shirt to the half eaten scone Reiko held on a paper plate. It was ridiculous that she could be that affected by something that, from an objective standpoint, did not affect her life at all.
So what if Tamaki-senpai and Reiko are supposed to be together? Haruhi had put together at least thirty couples in the past few days. Nothing was different here except that she happened to know the male half pretty well. Very well.
Well enough to be in love with him.
'It is different,' her inner voice said. 'You can try all you like, but you can't deny it. Seeing him with another woman is killing you, and you actually have to bring them together! It's inevitable that you will walk away from this with nothing but misery.'
Haruhi groaned and kneaded her fingers into her skull. She couldn't handle that stupid voice in her head right now.
"Go away… go away…"
"Hey!" Ozzie shouted, stamping a foot in her face to make her glance up. "What are you doing sitting down on the job. There are still more people here, wandering around Destined Loveless and you need to get on that."
For once, Haruhi didn't have the energy to snap back at him. She no longer wanted to anyway. As if sensing her distress, Ozzie's anger softened and he sat down in front of her.
"Look, I know that was hard for you to see. I don't blame you for being upset, but we still have a job to do."
Haruhi paused, then wiped the tears away from her eyes and sat up. She looked coldly down on Ozzie, an inexplicable anger filling her and demanding to be unleashed.
"It's not even supposed to be my job," she said, her voice going low and making Ozzie stiffen. "I never wanted it in the first place. You forced it on me. I would have been just fine if I never had it. I'd be doing even better, because this never would have happened."
"Oh really?" Ozzie shot back to his feet, not about to be cowed by his own substitute. "You think you wouldn't have figured it out eventually that you love him? You may be oblivious, Haruhi, but not that much. You would have worked it out on your own, all I've done, if anything, is make you realize sooner."
"And look at where that's gotten me," Haruhi cried, getting up to pace as a fresh batch of tears welled up. "I have to watch him fall in love with someone else. I have to be the one to make him fall in love with her. I never wanted this! I don't even like Valentine's Day. It's such a stupid holiday, why do we even need it?"
Haruhi fell back into her seat, not caring in the slightest that she'd potentially enraged Ozzie by insulting the day he loved so much. She wasn't sorry for saying it either. It had been on her mind since day one and it was about time she spoke her mind. Then she saw the hurt look on his face, and suddenly felt awful for another reason.
"Why do we need it?" Ozzie said softly, almost introspectively. "Why do you think we don't? Is it because we shouldn't reserve our love for someone for just one day? Because it's too commercial? Because people look down on those who are single? Well, you may be right, but those things aren't what Valentine's Day is really about. It's a reminder of the love you and your partner share. It's a day to celebrate your love. You should express it every day, make it known, but Valentine's Day is the day to really appreciate how blessed you are to have this remarkable person in your life. Do you know what I mean?"
Haruhi stared at him, her mind still processing his words as the need to cry slowly receded into nothing. She shook her head.
"I think it means you watch too many TV movies," she said.
Ozzie visibly deflated, but then Haruhi smiled.
"I do understand what you mean, though," she said. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up."
Haruhi stood, stretching the kinks out of her back and then allowing Ozzie to climb onto her hand and up her arm.
"Are sure you're okay?" he asked once he'd taken he usual place next to her ear.
"I just want to get this over with," she said stiffly. "So, we already know about Tamaki-senpai and… and Reiko. Then there's Kazuya and Yuriko, that just leaves Renge. Renge and… wait-"
Haruhi whirled around. The ever growing crowd of party goers was a mixture of blue and yellow uniforms, without a hint of black in the bunch. For that matter, no pink bows where visible either. The former, at least, was a given, but where on earth had Renge gone off to?
Haruhi broke into a run. Ozzie was almost thrown off, but grabbed hold of her blazer at the last minute. His body flew into the air, but he didn't scream or anything. He must have been used to it by now. Haruhi entered the crowd, trying hard not to bump into people or draw attention to herself. Several times, one of her more devoted (and far too noticeably orange Life Thread bearing) fans almost caught a glimpse of her. Haruhi ducked out of sight in the nick of time and went on.
She came out the other end no worse for the wear, but she had found nothing. Not a single trace of Renge. It was like she had disappeared. Haruhi rubbed her temples and bit back a groan of frustration.
"Great, just great," she said. "Always barging in at the most unnecessary times, but when you actually need to find her…"
"Are you talking about Renge?" Ozzie asked.
Haruhi gawked at him. "Who else? I think I know who her Destined Love- I can hardly believe it- and it looks like she's already left. That figures…"
"What do you mean, she left?" Ozzie was fighting back a grin, and that just made Haruhi even more agitated. Now was not the time for him to be playing games with her.
"You know where she is then?"
"Yes," Ozzie answered slyly. "And you would too if you'd stop freaking out over nothing and look under that tree over there."
Haruhi blinked, needing a second to process that before she did as she was told and looked. The first thing of note was that the tree was Nekozawa's. He'd been hiding under it since the moment he'd arrived, half dragged along by a breathless Reiko. He was still there now, Haruhi doubted he'd be moving until nightfall. The biggest difference from before was that he was no longer alone.
Renge was with him.
"No way…" Haruhi's jaw was almost on the floor.
Ozzie smiled knowingly.
They went over. Haruhi stepped lightly so not to draw their attention. Renge was seated beside Nekozawa, her legs pulled all the way up and covered by long skirts. She was talking animatedly to their senpai about… something. Haruhi wasn't close enough to hear more than a word at a time. Whatever it was, Nekozawa actually seemed intrigued by it. He listened carefully and appeared to be looking right into her eyes (the hood made it difficult to tell). They actually looked pretty normal under there, like this was a totally natural thing that happened every day.
Haruhi eyed their Life Threads, still bring pink and unconnected. Ozzie shifted beside her for a better look. She could feel the smile creeping it's way up his face.
"They uh…" Haruhi wasn't often struck completely speechless like this. It was an unpleasant feeling. When no words would come to her, she settled for a stiff wave of her hand at their individual Life Threads.
Ozzie nodded in understanding. "Yeah, they're for each other."
"Really?" Haruhi said, eyebrows going all the way up her hairline. "I never expected… I mean, I don't know of many times that they've hung out, and now… are you sure?"
"Hey, you thought of it first, didn't you?"
"Well, yeah…" Haruhi trailed off lamely. "It's just- actually seeing it like this is something else."
Renge let out a laugh, shrill and melodious, before grabbing Nekozawa's hooded head and planted a kiss on his temple.
"You are something else, you know that, Senpai?" she said loudly.
What little of Nekozawa's face Haruhi could see was bright red. Renge didn't notice, and her wandering eyes soon fell on Haruhi.
"Oh, hey!" she said, waving at her. "Looking for someone?"
Renge winked, a very unsubtle grin flashing fast, then falling away as she turned her focus back on Nekozawa. She didn't even seem to care whether or not Haruhi answered.
"So those two figured it out for themselves," Ozzie observed. "It happens."
"But their Life Threads haven't connected," Haruhi said.
"Not yet, but they will soon," Ozzie said. "I told you, our job is mainly to push people in the right direction and everything else is on them. Sometimes, a person is smart enough to go for it on their own, and that's what happened here."
Haruhi glanced at him, then back at Renge and Nekozawa-senpai. They sure seemed happy to be in each other's company. A hint of sunlight was striking Nekozawa-senpai's shoe, but he hadn't even noticed.
"It's pretty cool, huh?"
Haruhi nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off the 'couple' before her. The party went on behind her, louder now as Kyoya-senpai declared the dance floor open and started up some cheery pop music. Haruhi took a step back, locking eyes one more time with Renge, who grinned reassuringly at her. At a certain point, Haruhi turned her back to them, and the very first thing she saw was Yuriko sitting alone at one of the tables with a book and a glass of juice. Haruhi backed up behind a smaller tree to avoid being spotted, watching her and wishing Kazuya could be somewhere nearby.
Ozzie answered her prayers.
"Destined Love, twelve o'clock," he tugged at her ear lobe, pointing in the direction of the entrance, where Kazuya stood drinking his own juice.
They were directly across from each other, completely unaware that the other existed. Haruhi remembered her Dad watching sappy movies where things like this happened. Life really did imitate art sometimes.
Now what was she supposed to do with them?
"I don't suppose they can do it on their own too," she said, already knowing what Ozzie would say.
"I think these two have a bit of a wall between them," he said, not disappointing. "Sorry, Haruhi, you aren't getting out of this job. You're going to have to give them the first push."
Haruhi thought about it. Something in Ozzie's words was like a trigger, getting the wheels in her head turning faster than ever. She looked at Yuriko, then at Kazuya; she focused on the drinks in their hands, and she got it.
"I have an idea."
This perked Ozzie right up. "Great! What are we doing?"
"I'm going to need a little more help," she said, taking note of the way Ozzie's face fell. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell them anything. First off, remember the party last night, when you used me as a channel for your powers? Do you think you can do that again?"
Hikaru and Kaoru were with a few of their regulars when Haruhi found them. Kaoru had, as usual, 'accidentally' spilled hot tea on his hand, leaving Hikaru to 'tend' to his wounds. Haruhi was pretty sure that didn't require longing stares or whispered affirmations of brotherly love, but who was she to judge? The girls loved it anyway.
"You must be more careful, Kaoru," Hikaru said sternly.
Kaoru looked away with feigned embarrassment. "I'm just so clumsy sometimes."
"It's alright, brother, I like cleaning your wounds for you…"
"Oh, Hikaru…"
"KYAAAAAA!"
Haruhi's eye twitched. 'If either of them meet their Destined Loves while still in High School, it's going to kill these girls.'
"Hey guys!" she shouted over the incessant squee-ing. "Sorry, but can we talk for a second?"
The twins looked at each other, then casually excused themselves to the girls, far too wrapped up in their twincest induced high to protest. The filed out into the open space and came to stand before Haruhi, easy smiles adorning their faces.
"What can we do for you?" Kaoru asked.
Haruhi straightened, serious like a teacher giving a lecture. She had no time to wait.
"I need your help, and it's going to sound a little strange, but here's what I want you guys to do…"
Yuriko turned to the next page, reading the first line and feeling increasingly bored. Coming to this party hadn't been as good an idea as she thought. All her friends were off mooning over their favorite host or having alone time with their boyfriends. Yuriko was the only one with no desire to do either, so why was she even here again?
She was reaching blindly for her juice when someone ran into the table, jostling it. Her hand came down and felt something wet and sticky creeping along the surface. Yuriko jumped up, waving her fingers in the air and looking upon her fallen juice cup. The boy who'd run into it was still there, shrugging and grinning apologetically. Yuriko recognized him instantly as one of the Hitachiin twins.
"Oh man, I'm so sorry," he said, picking up her glass and righting it. "I'll get someone to clean this up. In the mean time, why don't you go to the refreshment table and get some more?"
Yuriko furrowed her brow, staring at him oddly for a moment. Then she stepped around him on her way to the table, picking up her glass along the way.
Hikaru watched her go with a smile on his face.
Kazuya was raising his glass for another drink when someone bumped into him.
The shock knocked his glass out of his hand and into the grass. His delicious orange juice seeped into the dirt for the worms to enjoy while Kazuya was left to stare brokenly at the mess.
"Oh, sorry," the person who ran into him said.
Kazuya looked up. It was a redheaded boy he'd seen with one of the first year classes.
"No problem, I guess."
The redhead motioned for the drinks table. "You can get more over there if you want."
"Thanks," Kazuya said, then started for the table before things could get any weirder.
Kaoru waited for a short time, then started off in the other direction.
"Mission Accomplished."
Haruhi saw them coming, Yuriko on the left and Kazuya on the right. From the speed at which they were walking, they would almost certainly reach the table at the same time, exactly as Haruhi had planned. She made a note to thank the twins a hundred times over for the help if this worked out.
She was crouched down under the table, the punch bowl directly above her. With the lack of a tablecloth and clear top, it would have been very easy to spot her, where it not for Ozzie. The tiny Cupid sat in Haruhi's left hand, eyes closed as he poured his magic through her body and blended it in with their surroundings. Being invisible felt like nothing at all, going far against Haruhi's initial expectations. There was no pain, no tingling, and when she looked down, she could still see her lower half perfectly. It seemed the spell didn't work on her own eyes, but enough people had come and gone and looked directly at her while getting their drinks without reacting that Haruhi knew it was working.
Everything was working.
She kept literally on her toes, switching from Yuriko to Kazuya several times. They were moving slower than she thought, or maybe Haruhi was just getting excited. She didn't recall ever feeling like this about a match-making job, but she'd never failed twice with anyone but these two anyway.
'I wonder if I'm enjoying this,' she thought.
Something about that made her smile as Kazuya made it to the table and started ladling punch into his cup. Yuriko was almost there. She was three steps away when Haruhi made her move. This was her only shot.
It happened in two seconds.
Haruhi stuck her leg out.
Yuriko's foot collided with it, and Haruhi was finally made aware of the hard and pointy tips of her shoes.
She hissed in pain while Yuriko shrieked and stumbled.
Kazuya turned, not conscious of what was happening until the flailing Yuriko collapsed against him, sending him falling to the ground with her. Haruhi scrambled to get away, almost dropping Ozzie in the process.
"Could you be careful for one second?" he cried, hanging on desperately to her pinky finger while still somehow keeping the spell going. "I know I can't feel pain in this form but I don't feel like falling from any sort of high place. It's bad enough that my wing is still healing."
Haruhi got to her feet and ran to a clear spot, getting far enough away so that nobody could see her, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay, you can stop now," she said.
"Way ahead of you," Ozzie said, gasping for air like he'd just run a hundred miles. He slumped down in her palm. "I hope you know that takes a lot out for me. You should be thanking me on bended knee for this."
"How about I just thank you?" Haruhi asked good-naturedly.
Ozzie 'hmphed' and looked away childishly, but Haruhi was no longer concerned with him. She walked back into the crowd, which had mostly dispersed now that the spectacle was over. Haruhi was happy to see Yuriko and Kazuya still there, and very happy to see that they were talking to each other.
"I'm really, really sorry about that," Yuriko said, blushing hard as Kazuya put on a dopey grin.
"It's fine," he said. "I'm the one who should be sorry, getting all that juice on your dress."
Yuriko looked down at the stain, running a hand over it as if to smooth out a wrinkle. When she looked back up, she was still smiling.
"It's no big deal. I have a spare uniform in my locker, I can just run and get it now."
"Well, okay then," Kazuya said, then nervously cleared his throat. "I-If you like, I could walk you there… I'm Kazuya, by the way."
Yuriko laughed softly. "Nice to meet you, I'm Yuriko."
She started to walk away, but with a tiny gesture of her head, beckoned him to follow. Kazuya wasted no time, and soon they were off. Haruhi and Ozzie were in their wake, seeing them off while the latter beamed proudly.
"You did it, Haruhi," he said with reverence. "It was a horribly cliché method for a meet cute, but you did it."
"Thanks…" Haruhi said with a half smile.
She pressed on hand on the table, shifting her weight to it. Various couples walked by, some stopping to greet her, many too wrapped up in themselves to see her. Their Life Threads were red more often than blue, and Haruhi recognized many of the red ones as work of her own. There had been at least ten of them so far.
Ten happy couples she had brought together.
She had.
Ozzie nudged her. "What's up?"
"Nothing," Haruhi said. "I feel… accomplished."
Ozzie's face broke out in a grin. "Well, you should."
"I know," Haruhi answered, looking around. "I didn't think I was doing much at first, but seeing all these people so happy, and knowing that I helped them is… actually pretty nice. I think I'm starting to understand why you love your job so much, Ozzie."
She trailed off, her face darkening as two faces entered her mind's eye. She saw the delicately pretty face of a girl, and the always handsome face of a boy who made her heart hurt. He was smiling at her, and she pushed the image away. It was too painful.
Ozzie walked along her forearm to meet her gaze. He looked worried, that was different. Since when did he worry about her?
Haruhi took a deep breath.
"I've decided that it's not right to keep anyone from having that. That happiness. It doesn't matter who it is."
'Or how I feel about him.'
She stood up tall, shoulders back and stance strong. It was a perfect mask for the desire to cry that was building in intensity within her.
"We still have one more job," she said in a firm, unwavering voice. "Let's go find Reiko and Tamaki-senpai."
A/N: One more chapter and it's over. If you still want to kill me for the last chapter or the fact that I took so long to post this one, please keep that in mind.
Trust me, the next chapter is going to be good.
And if you're wondering about my pairing Renge up with Nekozawa... I can't really explain that beyond the fact that I once read a TamaHaru fanfic with them as a side couple, and the more I thought about it, the more interesting and actually kind of plausible it became to me. I hope I made it clear in their little scene that Renge's wearing the pants, because she is.
Poor, poor Nekozawa. XD
One more thing: I don't know if anyone noticed, but Kazuya and Yuriko are named after Hiramaru and Aoki from Bakuman. If you aren't familiar with that series, check it out. It's shocking how engrossing it is.