Kyouya and Mori's phone started ringing at the same time. Kyouya knew who it was before he answered the phone. He hesitated before pressing the green button that appeared on the screen.
"Souo," he said in a business-like tone.
Mori didn't say anything when he answered his phone, remained expressionless when he hung up and slipped his phone back in his pocket. He remained silent as he exited the kitchen. Kyouya watched his tall frame leave the kitchen to go who-knows-where.
"We're in the back." Click.
Kyouya pocketed his phone and told one of his bodyguards to allow the others to enter. He knew that Tamaki wasn't alone. The Hitachiin twins would most probably be with him, tagging along.
Like old times.
He braced himself for trouble for when those three were together, trouble was a result of their composition.
Kyouya eyed the basket of churros that the chef had made and left on the kitchen island. He knew it was one of Haruhi's favourite snacks and had readily prepared a list of food that the chef was to prepare during her stay. And for none other than obvious reasons, ootoro was definitely on that list.
Kyouya picked a churro from the basket and took a bite. A small smile crept on is face, comforted with the fact that he found Haruhi munching happily on the churros when he found her in the kitchen. It felt like he achieved something great.
It was the small things.
"Morning, Ootori!" Tamaki clapped his hands on Kyouya's back, muddling his morning musings.
Kyouya turned around to find Hikaru and Kaoru sauntering in, eyes looking around for any traces of Haruhi.
They were all here for one reason.
"Where's Haruhi?" Hikaru asked immediately, leaning against the counter.
"Bathroom upstairs, third door to your left from the stairs at the main entrance," Kyouya curtly said and dusted the crumbs off his shirt.
Tamaki looked unsure as gazed at the basket of churros. He knew is it was one of Haruhi's favourites.
"How was she when you guys came back?" Kyouya asked concerned.
"She slept," Kyouya answered shortly omitting the fact that he and Mori slept next to her.
"We're not sure how to approach this," Tamaki admitted. "It's a very delicate matter."
This took Kyouya and the twins by surprise.
It was usually Tamaki who was the brilliant genius that conjured the most creative ideas and solutions to their problems. Kyouya was the executioner. and the twins, well... they were still indispensable.
But this time around, everyone seemed to be at a loss, not knowing what to do. Haruhi's shocking outburst may have had them provide immediate protection, but these were only short term solutions. They knew this but with the sudden revelation, it had also stunned them in their places, froze them from their constant cogitations as to their hypothesis on Haruhi's disappearance. Because in all their possible theories, a kidnapping that took place two years ago that was responsible for her disappearance was not one of them.
"I guess, as of now we just need to be there for Haruhi," Tamaki said out loud. "Until we find a solution."
Kyouya nodded in agreement.
"Let's go see Haruhi," Hikaru said impatiently. Kyouya told them to go ahead.
"Something urgent has come up," he lied.
They left him in the kitchen.
Kyouya would see her but he had a few things to settle beforehand. Kyouya decided that he needed to make a few international calls before he was willing to hear answers from Haruhi. He needed to prepare himself for what she would have to say.
He needed assurance that he had done everything within his limited capacity to make sure that he had done enough for Haruhi in ensuring that she was safe.
He felt guilt weighing him down with every step as he paced slowly to his office because inasmuch as he tried to convince himself that this was for Haruhi, in truth, as he swallowed down his guilt that it was more for himself.
He didn't need assurance.
No.
He needed validation.
Haruhi was supposed to change her clothes. The maid had kindly brought her clothes to the bathroom where she was required to, no, compelled to change to a more decent attire.
Haruhi eyed the jeans and large sweater wearily. She didn't even have a say in her style anymore. Haruhi delayed changing. She needed time. She sat down on the bathroom floor, reveling in the silence. It was the only moments of silence that she would get before she would open the door to chaos again. She leaned against the bathroom wall and wondered again, for the millionth time since yesterday whether it was the right choice to make.
She brought her knees up to her chest and buried her face.
They would probably get tired of her at one point, she half-hoped. But the thought of that possibility also left a sunken feeling of disappointment in the pit of her stomach. If they left her because they grew tiresome of having to baby-sit her, then she truly would be alone.
And she would be in a more terrible state than she was when she had shaken herself from after the incident two years ago. Because what saved her more than anything else was the desire to be worthy of their eyes, their admiration when they looked at her, and more importantly to be worthy of their friendship.
Even now, she wondered what they saw in her when they saw her in this state.
Did they think her broken, she need fixing, she needed more than what she had now?
No, she made sure she had put on a brave face. They couldn't see anything beyond that mask.
A sudden knock on the bathroom door startled her from her daydreaming.
She quickly stood up and grabbed the clothes that were on the bathroom counter.
"Give me a minute."
A few seconds later, she opened the bathroom door and was met with Tamaki's anxious and panic-stricken face. Behind Tamaki were the twins. Hikaru was shifting his weight from one leg to another, undecided how he would carry himself in front of Haruhi. It was an internal struggle, one that Haruhi clearly saw through.
Yes. Chaos all over again.
"Good morning," she said brightly.
Tamaki saw the shorts in her hands and gasped. "You wore shorts just now?!" he cried in disbelief. He glanced around trying to find Kyouya, to demand an explanation from him.
"Did he forget to give you clothes or something?" Hikaru asked frowning, this voice laced with sarcasm and sass.
Shorts were clothes, thought Haruhi.
"Have you guys had breakfast?" Haruhi spoke up trying to change the subject.
"Breakfast can wait," Kaoru said. Haruhi looked at him. Trust him to be the straight-forward and the reasonable person. She knew why they were all here.
They wanted answers.
"No it can't. You guys must be hungry." Haruhi was stalling. She knew it and she knew with the way the others were watching her every move, observing her like a hawk, they knew it too.
"We came –" Hikaru started.
"We'll have breakfast," Tamaki interrupted.
Haruhi nodded and proceeded to the kitchen. She gulped down the rising bile in her throat.
Answers.
Answers that she, at the moment, was just not ready to give.
Time.
She needed time.
Please, just give me more time.
Mother in Heaven,
I just need more time.