Step #12:
Try And Forget About The Wedding Day
...\~/...
July 24th, 11:45 A.M.:
It had been about three months since Ripley began to act strange. He remembered clearly the first day she started acting weird- March 5th. He had called her to ask her about her day and he remembered distinctly the sad tone in her voice when she told him. He had asked her if there was anything wrong, but she told she had been fine. That was the first clue when he knew she hadn't been. After that, their phone calls got shorter, and their messages to one another didn't last long. The time gaps in their conversations, though not uncommon, were getting longer and longer, but something triggered the second clue where he knew something was terribly wrong with Ripley. In the past, when there would be gaps, Ripley would always message him saying that she was okay and couldn't talk long. Hikaru sighed, running his hand down his face in frustration.
It had been four days since Ripley's last message.
Hikaru slipped out his phone to make sure she hadn't tried to contact him. Every time he tried to call her, all he'd get was voice mail. Every time he messaged her, he'd be left wondering if she even got his worry-filled texts. Every time he sent her an Xbox invite when she was obviously on, she wouldn't accept. One time he had been so close though; Quin had sent him a party invite, Hikaru accepting it immediately. And there had been Ripley, sounding lively like he had remembered her, and the moment he opened his mouth, she was off the Xbox party.
"What the hell? Where'd she go?" Mark called out.
"Dunno. Hey, asshole," Joey was referring to Hikaru. "Did somethin' happen between you two?"
"I...I don't know. She won't talk to me or message me or anything else." Hikaru answered, his voice shaky.
There's no way he was going to break down in front of these guys.
Quin said to him, "I'll talk to her. I'll tell her to call you."
She hadn't called him.
Hikaru sighed, spinning in his artist's stool, gazing out the window. The streets were busy once more and heat waves rolled off the pavement. The thermometer outside his window read a hundred and two degrees. Hikaru frowned, narrowing his gaze. He hated summer too, especially this summer. On the news, there had been nothing but complaints about the drought that was spreading across America and how farmers were already cutting down their harvest, which had been ruined due to no rain. He had sent many texts to Ripley telling her to be careful and stay hydrated while she worked out under the blazing sun. Sometimes, he was thankful he didn't have to work like her.
He turned back to the picture he was drawing for his summer art class. Their assignment was to draw their dream boy/girl. Everyone around him had had an instant reaction: the girls wanted muscular, good-looking men (most girls in his class had glanced over in his direction) and the guys wanted a woman with natural curves and a seductive nature. Hikaru found them all to be idiots; he thought it was gross how the men spoke so lewdly of women. In his family, his mother had drilled him to be a gentleman and to never treat women disrespectfully. Hikaru shook his head, looking over his picture. When the teacher had listed off the rules for this assignment (no inappropriate nudity, positions, etc.), Hikaru had written a list of things he wanted to include: he wanted her to be cute with long, brown hair and his ever wanted doe, brown eyes, but he kept on leaning towards her wearing a graphics tee emblazoned with some superhero symbol over a long-sleeved white shirt, jeans, and Converse with Batman's Joker printed on the sides of them. He assumed the clothes were based off Ripley's likes and personality.
He had drawn his dream girl beautifully.
Maybe he could turn it in without presenting it to the class...
His heart skipped a beat when his phone buzzed. Hikaru didn't even bother to look at the caller I.D. when he cried in it, "Ripley?"
It hadn't been her.
"Not...exactly. This is Quin."
Quin? Quin...Barrett...was calling him? The third of the family was calling him... Great...
"Are you going to mock me?" Hikaru asked.
"No..." Quin replied, drawing out the O.
"Are you going to say I'm not fit for your sister?"
"Again, no..."
"Then, what? What do you want?"
Quin sighed through the phone, "I just want to know your side of the story. What exactly is going on between you and Ripley?"
Hikaru threw his hand up in the air. "I don't know! I get voice mail most of the time when I call her and she won't answer my messages, but when she does, they're usually really short! I keep on trying to think back and see if I might have said something hurtful, but I haven't! I know I haven't because I don't want to hurt your sister!" Quin was just listening to this. He wondered how Joey or Mark would've responded to his rant. "I really like your sister; I really, really do. She's...she...she's getting me through some really hard times and I care about her. It's been four days since she's messaged me and I keep on trying to contact her, but she won't answer! I'm worried about her..."
"Don't worry; you haven't done anything. We're under a lot of stress over here. It's been going on for a while now."
"What's going on, then?"
"Dad's health is in jeopardy again. He's going to have surgery next month and we're fretting on how to pay it. Spine surgery is not...cheap. The business... We thought it was slowly becoming successful, but we have better competition now and they're taking all the business. We're still trying to pay off medical bills from two months ago..." Quin paused to talk to someone. Was that Ripley in the background? Did she know it was him on the phone? Just the thought of her being right there in the same room as Quin...
"Is that Ripley?"
"...yes..."
"Well...?"
"Well what?"
"Can I talk to her?"
"Mmm, no. You can't." Hikaru was about to say something, but Quin added, "Look, I told her to call you. Whether or not she does, I have no control over. I know what happened, but I'm not allowed to tell you, so don't ask. And don't worry; she doesn't hate you. Rip's just in a tight spot right now with everything's that going on. But...you may be able to get ahold of her later. She's going out with friends later and there's a guy..."
"A guy? What guy?" he growled into the phone.
Quin sounded like he was taken aback by Hikaru's sudden change in attitude. "A guy in college that kind of inserted himself into their group. None of them have the heart to tell him to go away, but he's kind of a creep and I think he's attracted to Rips. Well, he used to like Erika, then it went to MJ, Dawn, and Renée. Now it's Ripley. We've met him when he asked if he could meet us. Of course, we don't like him."
Hikaru gritted his teeth, fists clenched.
"Compared to him, though, you're gold."
"And you guys are just letting him hang out with the girls unsupervised? What if he tries to pull something with Ripley?"
"They asked some guys from high school to hang out with them, too."
Hikaru stood up suddenly, his stool falling backwards onto the floor with a loud thud. These were the times when he hated being so far away from her. He wished he lived right next to her sometimes, so when moments where she were upset he could hold her or when other men tried to advance onto her, he could protect her. Hikaru growled through the phone, forgetting that Quin was on the other line for a moment. He slid his sketchbook off the table out of frustration, kicking it for good measure. His overactive mind was imagining an oblivious Ripley with that disgusting creep following her, then suddenly he grabs her and drags her off somewhere. Hikaru paced around the room, running his hand through his hair, gritting his teeth. He couldn't take this...
"Go with her."
"What?"
"Go with her." he hissed.
"Calm down, dude. Just because I said she's creeped out by this guy, doesn't mean she can't defend herself. She's paranoid and she'll be watching him like a hawk." Quin directed the next thing he said to someone on the other side. Hikaru calmed down when he heard her voice on the other end. He wanted so badly to talk to her. "Yeah, it's Hikaru. You want to talk to him?"
And then her voice... Her voice flooded his ear.
"Hey, Hikaru." She sounded so sad.
"Ripley..." he started, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "Why haven't you called?"
"I've been busy. I'm sorry I haven't been able to message you." God, he missed her.
"I'm sorry about your dad. Is there anything I can do?" Their conversation was so tense. How did they become like this?
"Thanks, and don't worry about it. We have everything under control."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." Damn it, Ripley! Come on! "Hikaru, I have to-"
"Why won't you tell me?"
"Why won't you tell me?" He was taken aback by her response. Here he was, being such a hypocrite. "Hikaru, I have to go. I'll talk to you later."
And click...
Hikaru stared at his phone, watching as the screen switched off automatically. She was turning away from him and it was driving him up the wall, the thought of losing her was driving him crazy. She was getting tired of him being secretive towards her and now he knew what it felt like to be on the other side, totally blind at what was really going on. Hikaru hated being on the outside, wishing that Ripley would just open up to him instead of being secretive right back. Hikaru bent down to pick up his sketchbook, sighing.
That's when it slid out, floating to the ground.
Tamaki and Haruhi's wedding picture...
Hikaru picked it up gently, almost like it was made of fine china and not cheap paper. This particular picture showed Haruhi being pulled into Tamaki's embrace, his front pressed firmly to her back, arms wrapped securely around her. They were both smiling, his nose buried into her long hair. Hikaru settled into his artist's stool, picture still held between his two fingers.
He hated it...
He really, really hated it...
...\~/...
March 3rd. Two Years Ago.
11:14 A.M.
It was annoying watching Tamaki be happy. It wasn't that he hated seeing the blonde idiot happy, but Tamaki had a way of exaggerating every little thing he did...and that was what he was doing now. The blonde man was hopping from foot to foot, making it impossible for Yuzuha's assistant to mark his pant legs so they could be hemmed later on, and his voice was spitting out words a mile a minute, making it very hard to keep track and have a conversation with him. Kyoya was to his side, arms crossed, pretending to listen to every word, but really just ignoring him. Now that he thought about it, Kyoya could be just as annoying as Tamaki.
Hikaru kept his mouth shut as he focused on sticking pins in Hunny's pants, which the legs had been incredibly long on. He glanced over to the right, Kaoru falling into view. His little brother was focusing on Mori's pant legs, which had been too short, and was currently taking measurements. Hikaru looked over his shoulder quickly, seeing his mother at the computer, the gears in her head turning at mach speed trying to concoct some genius idea for the wedding dress. Hikaru turned back to Hunny, remembering the day when Haruhi had come to the Hitachiin Manor on her own and without invitation. It wasn't like he hadn't been unhappy about her visit, but he hadn't been exactly glad about her request- for his mother to design her wedding dress. When she had asked, it had been like another hit of reality to the face, and it had been just like all the others every time he was reminded that Tamaki and Haruhi's wedding was actually going to happen.
The wedding dress was beautiful, just like the woman it was being designed for. The torso had an intricate design woven into it that took his mother forever to do by hand (she wanted this dress to be her best, so she wanted every detail to be exact) and it was strapless, like Haruhi had requested. The bottom was layered and made out of the finest satin Yuzuha Hitachiin could find and afford; the bottom was set in waves. And his mother even made the veil, which was still to be attached to a flowered comb that was to be slipped into Haruhi's hair. Yuzuha had asked him for suggestions on what she could do to embolish the look of the dress, but he would always tell her to keep it simple, so that it could reflect the personality of the bride.
"Hika-chan, are you okay?" Hunny asked, sounding concerned.
Hikaru didn't look at him, only nodded his head with a curt, "Yeah, I'm fine..."
He didn't notice, but Hunny was looking down on him with an understanding gaze, fist curled up next to his mouth in a sort of thoughtful gesture. His senpai was fully aware of the feelings Hikaru was having, despite the fact the ash-haired man had kept his lips sealed shut. Hikaru was devestated about the fact that Tamaki and Haruhi were actually getting married. Hunny looked over at Mori, who was giving Hikaru the same knowing gaze. The blonde man turned his head towards Tamaki and Kyoya; he knew for a fact that Kyoya knew Hikaru was upset about the wedding, but Hunny had to wonder if Tamaki knew or had sensed anything. Probably not, considering how dim-witted the Frenchman was...
"Are you sure? You don't sound okay."
"Yes, senpai, I'm fine." Hikaru hissed through gritted teeth. He sounded stressed.
"You have bags under your eyes."
"I haven't been sleeping lately. I'm fine."
"Okay... But we're here if you need anything."
"Fine..." He was saying that a lot.
Hikaru let out a yell when he was suddenly pulled off the ground and twirled around in circles. Unbeknownst to him, Tamaki had rushed over when he heard Hikaru sound upset about something. So what was the number one way of cheering someone up? Twirling them around in rapid circles, of course. Tamaki laughed loudly, Hikaru yelling at him to let him go, but Tamaki refused. "It is my duty as your bosom buddy to cheer you up, so I won't let you go until you smile!"
"How am I supposed to smile when I'm about to puke?!" Hikaru shouted, struggling in his senpai's grasp.
"Then puke with a smile!" Tamaki laughed.
Then, Hikaru heard the studio doors open with a creak, footsteps coming towards them.
"Hey, idiot, I want your opinion on something." Hikaru had never been so happy to hear Tara's voice before.
Tamaki dropped Hikaru to the floor in an instant, bouncing over to where Tara stood. "Yes, Tara?"
"Do you like the lemon, red velvet, chocolate, vanilla, or this spice cake? You and Haruhi never answered my question from before."
Tamaki smiled, "How about a layer of each?"
Tara's expression went from peeved to disgusted, "If you want everyone to vomit, then sure, so get your head out of your ass and decide." she ordered, displaying the tray of cake in front of him. By this time, Hunny had run over, shouting "Cake, cake! I want some cake!" Tara, however, stuck her foot out, planting it right in the middle of Hunny's torso, keeping him at bay while the lolita-type struggled against her foot. She had no tolerance for Hunny most of the time...
"Um...chocolate...?" Tamaki said doubtfully. Hikaru cringed; one should never doubt themselves around Tara.
"Do you want chocolate or not?" she snapped.
"Yes! Yes, I do!"
Tara's eyebrows knitted together, "You're planning your wedding, Tamaki, not your birthday party. Chocolate, really?"
"But...you..."
The blonde woman just gave a smirk, "I'm just messing with you. Haruhi already decided on vanilla with cream cheese icing and strawberries, so your opinion doesn't matter." Tara shoved past Tamaki, walking straight up to Hikaru, who straightened his posture. Tara hated people slouching in front of her. He remembered a time when she had snapped at a complete stranger to sit up straight in her presence. Tara stopped in front of him, "Hikaru, I know you like spice cake, so here." she said, handing him the plate with spice cake.
"But I'm not hungry..."
"Eat it, damn it!"
"Y-yes, ma'am!" Hikaru sputtered, taking a bite quickly. Tara watched him carefully, like she was making sure he was actually eating, before she slowly dragged her gaze away from him. She began to walk away when Kyoya called out cooly, "No good-bye kiss?" Everyone watched as Tara stopped by the spectacled man, staring straight at him.
She planted a plate of cake right in his face.
The plate dropped, Kyoya's cake-covered face displayed for everyone to see.
Tara smirked, patting her boyfriend on the chest. "Just keepin' you on your toes, sweetheart."
And she left.
Hikaru couldn't help but smirk at how Kyoya removed his glasses, gesturing for someone to give him a towel. He looked down at his spice cake, taking another bite.
Tara had been the best part of his day so far.
...\~/...
Later that night at 6:06. Suoh Mansion #1.
Bachelor Party.
Champagne foamed out of the top of the bottle when Kaoru popped the cork out. Everyone was laughing and cheering when the champagne was poured into everybody's glasses. Wealthy bachelor parties weren't like commoner bachelor parties at all; they were just like any other social gathering that they would host. This time, however, there were no girls to entertain and keep happy. The ballroom was filled to the brim with well-dressed gentlemen and Tamaki was making his rounds, being congratulated for his upcoming wedding and was being complimented on his future wife. It bothered Hikaru how the other men commented on how beautiful Haruhi was and how they would've been overjoyed for a wife like her. Hikaru couldn't help but scoff every time he heard such a thing. They didn't even know her, so they didn't have the right to talk like that.
"Hey there, Hikaru! Long time no see!" It was some guy from high school that he couldn't remember the name of.
"Uh...hey..." God, he sounded awkward. Hikaru couldn't help but notice how Kaoru was laughing with people and having a good time.
"Isn't it great that Suoh is finally getting married to Fujioka? And to think we thought you were going to end up with her!"
That stung...
"Oh, yeah, I'm happy for them." And he was, but that didn't mean he couldn't be bitter about it.
"I mean, you and Fujioka were, what, best friends in high school? You and your brother both opened up a lot after she came around. And it was so obvious that you liked her! It must've hurt when she went for Suoh instead!"
"Uh, yeah, it did..." Okay, he knew he was awkward in conversation, but this guy was just plain rude.
"And Fujioka sure is beautiful! Hell, she was even cute when everyone thought she was guy!"
"Yeah...yeah, she is..." He wanted to punch this guy in the face.
This stranger grabbed Hikaru by the shoulder, giving him a firm shake. "Don't worry, Hitachiin; it may not be Fujioka, but you'll find someone." The familiar stranger gave a smile before making his way towards another group of men, clapping another man on the back. Hikaru stood there, alone, a champagne glass in his hand. He was so focused on what the stranger had said, that he didn't notice his tight grip on his glass. Suddenly, the glass burst into shatters, coating the polished marble floor with white alcohol and shimmering shards of glass. Guests turned their heads to stare as Hikaru kneeled down, collecting the pieces. The splinters in his palm hurt, but he'd focus on them later. Right now, he had to concentrate on getting the pain in his chest to settle down.
"Hikaru, you need to be more careful." a voice said beside him. "What are you thinking about that made you do this?"
"I think you already know, Kaoru."
Kaoru hummed in response, his golden eyes resting on his older brother. Then, he gasped, "Hikaru, your hand is bleeding!" He instantly dropped the pieces, reaching for Hikaru's hand. Blood dotted the palm and upper part of the hand, glimmering pieces of glass embedded in his skin. Kaoru looked into Hikaru's eyes and saw the somber expression his brother was giving.
"Hikaru...?"
"Funny thing is, I can't feel it."
No, he was numb. Completely and totally numb to this pain. All the hits of reality he had had helped him become immune to physical pain a long time ago. Now, it was just the mental and emotional pain that he felt. He stared at the blood on his hand and frowned, wishing that he could feel it. Maybe it would've distracted him from all the thoughts in his head. Kaoru helped him stand up, his arm around Hikaru's shoulders.
Tamaki rushed up to them, "What happened over here?"
"Oh, Hikaru wasn't paying attention and broke his glass. His hand's cut up so I have to bandage it." Kaoru explained.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Tamaki asked. He noticed how Hikaru was avoiding his eyes.
"No, I got it. Thanks, though." Kaoru said, and began to guide Hikaru out of the ballroom.
...\~/...
Same night at 6:15. Momoka Kurasano's Mansion.
Bachelorette Party.
The bachelorette party was more like a girl's day out than a party. The gathering consisted of Haruhi Fujioka, Mei Yasumura (who had been made the Maid of Honor), Momoka Kurasano, Kimiko Sakurazuka, Reiko Haninozuka, Tara Alexander, with the exceptions of Renge Houshakuji and Syd McNamara, who were both not included in the wedding itself, but Haruhi invited them anyway. At the table, Haruhi was busily nodding at her high school customers' fast-paced conversation, answering questions when she could.
"All the Hosts looked so handsome today!" gushed Kimiko. "I know we're not in high school anymore, but I still can't help but blush every time they're all together."
"Yeah, Haruhi, you're so lucky to be marrying Tamaki!" Momoka added excitedly. "And you, Tara, dating Kyoya! You two are so cute!"
Tara gave a forced laugh, "Oh yeah, dating a manipulative bastard is always a privilege!" Kimiko and Momoka's faces fell slightly, still keeping their forced smiles. The only ones in the room who understood Kyoya and Tara's odd relationship were Haruhi and Syd, but the others thought Tara was a bit harsh towards the third son. Yeah right; Kyoya was always trying to irritate Tara by acting cooly towards her jabs.
"And Reiko, what's it like being married to Hunny?! He's so adorable and sweet!" Kimiko asked.
"It is nice. I am glad my curses finally got through to him." Reiko responded, her face emotionless.
"Oh, uh...yeah..." Kimiko muttered. They weren't used to Reiko yet.
"Hey, Haruhi, do you know if Yuzuha is done with your dress yet? When I called a few days ago, Hikaru said it wasn't done yet." Mei said, her leg curled up by her chest. "I bet it's beautiful! Yuzuka is a genius, ya know."
"I'm not sure. I was planning on going over there to check it out tomorrow, though." Haruhi replied. "You can come too, if you want."
"Nah, I'm busy with my own designs. I have a photo shoot coming up in a couple weeks." Mei said, then added, "Hey, do you know what's wrong with Hikaru? He was pretty quiet over the phone."
"Um...I don't know. He seemed pretty normal when I talked to him the other day."
Mei frowned, "Why did I even ask? We both know how ridiculously stupid you are when it comes to people's emotions."
"Hey, wait a second, is there something wr-"
Suddenly, Renge stood up, slamming her hands into the table. "Is there some romantic conflict going on between you two?! Oh my gosh, tell me, tell me, TELL ME! I've been in a bit of a dry spell lately and I need inspiration!" A gasp escaped the otaku. "Is he secretly still in love with you?! I thought he was over you! Can you tell-mmph!" Tara had come up behind Renge and covered her mouth with her hand, dragging her out of the parlor. She then found a random storage closet and stuffed her in it, slamming the door and stuffing a chair under the knob.
"Hey, let me out!" Renge cried out, pounding the door with her fists.
"No! We can't have your over-analytical mind right now!" Tara yelled back. When she turned around, there was Mei and Syd standing there, Mei with her arms crossed. "What?" Tara snapped.
"What the hell was that all about?" Mei asked.
"What was what about?"
Mei stared at her.
"Okay, Hikaru isn't over Haruhi. He's a bit...upset about the wedding."
"I knew it!" Renge shouted from inside the closet happily. Tara pounded her fist against the door, snarling, "I swear to God, if you say anything or write any doujinshi about it, I will dump you off in the middle of nowhere with a severe case of amnesia!"
"So, what's he going to do about it?" Mei questioned, arching an eyebrow.
"Be a man and suck it up. It's the only thing he can do."
Syd stood in the background, scoffing, "Pathetic..." They ignored her.
Mei sighed, "Let's just hope he doesn't make a fool of himself..."
Tara frowned, "Knowing Hikaru, he probably will." She finally kicked the chair out of the way and opened the door. Renge stumbled out, Tara immediately putting her in a headlock. "Swear to me you won't say or do anything that acknowledges this conversation."
"I...swear..." Renge sputtered out, struggling against Tara's hold.
"Good. I'll be watching." She released Renge, pushing her forward.
"You're a bully." Mei spat.
"I will admit, I have shoved a couple kids in lockers in my school days. Kyoya says I'm the Godzilla in his life."
Syd snickered, "Remember that kid you threw head-first into the garbage back in Boston."
Tara frowned, then turned her head away, "I have absolutely no recollection of that."
"Let me jog your mem-OW! Tara! I think you broke my shin!"
"Yes, well, you deserved it."
...\~/...
Back at the Bachelor Party.
6:16.
Hikaru clutched at the bathroom sink, gritting his teeth as Kaoru scrubbed his hand. The glass splinters had been removed and now his brother was cleaning out his wound. It hurt like hell. Now, he was wishing he couldn't feel physical pain. Hikaru struggled against Kaoru's grip, but it was all in vain. Kaoru pulled him back every time he pulled away. Blood mixed with the running water, the soap causing the injury to sting and his palm to pulsate with pain.
"There. Now we're done. See, it wasn't so bad." Kaoru said, turning the water off, and then lightly dabbing his brother's hand dry. Red stained the white towel. Hikaru's upper lip lifted up in a snarl, "You weren't the one with the wound." Hikaru mumbled, wincing when Kaoru pressed against the wound a bit harder than he meant to...or he did do it on purpose, he couldn't tell. Kaoru pushed him to a sitting position on the toilet, kneeling down so he could wrap Hikaru's hand in gauze and bandages.
"You really need to be more careful." Kaoru scolded.
"It was an accident." Hikaru muttered.
"I know, I know; I'm just saying."
"Well, I got it, okay."
"Boy, you sure are crabby today." Kaoru said with a laugh. He found Hikaru's bad moods amusing.
Hikaru leaned forward, resting his forehead on Kaoru's shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's just...this wedding is really getting to me." Hikaru sighed, stealing a glance in his brother's direction. "It's like it's rubbing the fact that Haruhi chose Milord over me in my face and I hate it. Why did I even agree to be in it?"
"Because you love both Milord and Haruhi and you want to see them happy."
"But I want to be happy."
"So does everyone else. We can't always get what we want." Kaoru whispered.
"I wish we could, then the world would be a better place."
"No, it wouldn't. You just need to stop being a baby and get over the fact that you lost."
Hikaru frowned, sitting up straighter now whilst looking into Kaoru's eyes. "What happened to my kind and caring brother?"
"He's still here, just a little bit wiser than before, that's all."
"Hmph, well I don't like him."
Kaoru chuckled when he saw his older brother's lip protrude in a pouting manner. His brother was such a child; it was pathetic to see a grown man pout like a five-year-old. But behind that juvenile expression, was a very hurt man who was constantly being reminded of something he lost that was very dear to him. Hikaru dropped his pout, only to regain his solemn look from before, lowering his gaze from Kaoru's.
"It'll all be over soon." Kaoru reassured softly, taping the end of the bandage.
"Then I'll never have a chance." He sounded so pitiful.
"You'll find someone, don't worry."
"Huh, yeah, hopefully. I seriously think Haruhi was the only girl for me."
...\~/...
Next day at 1:01 P.M.
Hitachiin Mansion.
The doorbell rang.
He answered the door.
He wished he hadn't.
"Haruhi?"
There she was, standing there with her wide-eyed gaze fixated straight on him, looking directly into his eyes. A warm smile spread across her face, looking like she hadn't seen him in forever. That look, that smile, her being here right in front of him, it all made his heart race and his palms sweat. He rubbed his hands inconspicuously against his jeans, making sure he was careful of his wounded hand. Haruhi tilted her head to the side a bit and he couldn't help but think how cute she looked. She was dressed in a girlish outfit, consisting of pink and flowers, so it was obvious either Tamaki or Ranka dressed her.
"Can I come in?" she asked.
"Why?" he questioned.
"Because I called your mom earlier and she said I could come see the dress." Haruhi answered.
"Fine. You can come in." Hikaru muttered, stepping aside for her.
When he closed the door and turned, he saw his mother and Kaoru coming down the stairs. "Haruhi!" they both exclaimed. Kaoru swooped in for a hug and it was a surprise to see Haruhi actually return it, even if she did it a bit hesitantly. Kaoru pulled back, his hands still rested firmly on her shoulders. Hikaru wanted to shove them off and replace them with his own. Why couldn't he have tried to act happy to see her and pulled the hug move? Act happy? Shouldn't he be happy to see her?
"Did you come here to see your dress?" Kaoru asked, giving her a smile.
"Yeah, your mom said it was almost done."
Yuzuha stepped up, setting a hand on top of Haruhi's head, ruffling her hair. "I've been working nonstop on it! By the way, I forgot to tell you that I'll have to have you try it on so I can make some last minute alterations." Yuzuha said. "You should also thank Kaoru. He's been helping me design it!"
Haruhi smiled in Kaoru's direction, "Thanks, Kaoru. It means a lot to me."
The red-head put his hands up in embarrassment, a light blush dusting his features. "It was no problem! I was glad to help. But, ya know, Hikaru gave me a lot of ideas for the designs, so you should thank him as well." Kaoru mentioned, looking over at Hikaru. he noticed his brother's narrowed, piercing gaze, and it was meant for him. Kaoru immediately slid his hands off of Haruhi's shoulders and clasped them behind his back. He knew why he was being glared at.
Haruhi turned towards Hikaru, but she wasn't wearing a smile, but more of a concerned look.
"Hikaru, Mei mentioned something about you sounding upset over the phone. Are you alright?" She really was concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't I look fine?" Ha, him looking fine? Never in a million years.
"No, you don't. You look horrible. Have you been sleeping?"
"Thanks, Haruhi. I'll definitely come to you next time for a pick-me-up, since you're really good with the compliments and all."
Haruhi blinked, staring at him a moment. "You don't have to be rude."
"And I have to say the same to you, as well."
Haruhi still kept her doe eyes on him, Hikaru feeling his insides literally melt. That look always gave him goosebumps and made him want to pick her up and kiss her. God, did she know what she did him? Probably not; she was oblivious to most things, especially emotions. He watched her turn away and he desperately wanted to tell her all things he was thinking, but he knew he would just get turned down again. She was marrying Tamaki, so of course she wouldn't magically fall in love with him and leave the overdramatic blonde behind. He wished she would though; he wished she would realize what a great guy he was and call off the wedding to elope with him.
But Tamaki was the better man.
There was no competition.
He should apologize for being rude.
Then he remembered something Kaoru said to him a long time ago, back on their 1-A ski trip: "There's no point in wallowing over it now! You can't change what you said! Besides, Hikaru, you've lived your whole life saying rude things to people!"
That's all he was- a rude person.
"Ready to try on the dress?!" Yuzuka asked excitedly, clapping her hands together.
"Yes, and can we make it quick? There's a sale at the supermarket and I don't want to miss it."
No matter what situation Haruhi was thrown in, she would always worry about missing sales...
...\~/...
They ditched him.
They freakin' ditched him.
Alone...with Haruhi...and she was in her wedding dress...
Fuck...
"Ow, Hikaru, you poked me...again." Haruhi muttered, her leg jerking up when she felt the pin prick her skin.
"Sorry..." Hikaru mumbled, the pins he was holding between his lips keeping him from being coherent.
She was so beautiful, all dressed up in white. His mother and brother did this dress wonderfully. He had to remind himself of all the nights he'd wake up in the middle of the night to see them both in the studio, busily working on getting the dress just right. And their hard work paid off. Haruhi was gorgeous. But Kaoru had lied when he said he had given him ideas for the dress because he hadn't. Yeah, he thought the dress was pretty and yeah, Haurhi was beautiful in it, but he hated it, too. He hated all the pictures running through his head that pertained to him having to watch her walk down the aisle.
Not to him.
To Tamaki.
"Where did Kaoru and your mom go? They just kind of dashed out of here." Haruhi asked, looking towards the door.
Hikaru's face fell, though she didn't see it. "Sorry about me being here. Didn't know I was such horrible company."
"Hikaru, what's your problem? You're being a jerk."
"Yeah, well, what's new? It seems being a jerk is fastly becoming one of my new character traits."
He was being harsh. He shouldn't be; she hadn't done anything.
She fell for Tamaki...
Haruhi pushed his hands away, stepping down off the podium. "I'll just go find Kaoru and have him do it." And she started to walk towards the door when Hikaru ran after her, grabbing the ribbons on the back of the dress. "W-wait! I'm...I'm sorry... I'm just really stressed and I haven't been sleeping lately, so I get irritated easily. I'm sorry..."
Haruhi whipped around. "How come you're not telling me anything?! It's just like in high school! Remember when I was so worried about you, but you wouldn't tell me anything?! I do!" Her gaze softened. It killed him to see her like this. "What's going on, Hikaru?"
"It's just...school..." He had to lie.
"School? Are you going to game design? Is it really that stressful?"
"Yeah, my physics course is a bit tougher than expected, and I've been losing sleep over it." It wasn't really.
"Oh..." Then, she pointed a finger up like she was making a point. "If you're having trouble, I can always help. I passed my physics course."
"Oh...um...no, thanks. I'm fine." Shit, why did he say that all the time? Why couldn't he just say what was on his mind?
Haruhi smiled, "Well, the key to passing school is getting a good night's sleep, so don't fret over your class."
"Yeah, I won't...promise."
Then, she did the most unexpected thing ever.
She hugged him. He went stiff in her embrace, then slowly returned it, setting his hands on her back awkwardly. When she pulled back, she stood on her tip-toes, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I'm going to go find Kaoru now. Maybe you should go get some sleep; you look tired." And she left him standing there, looking like a fool with his hand pressed against his cheek.
She had kissed him. Not a full-blown kiss, but still...a kiss.
...\~/...
Present time.
"Ripley, please call back. I'm sorry about earlier. I've just missed you and I'm worried about you. Call me back when you get this."
He was getting tired of getting voice mail all the time.
Hikaru sighed, biting the corner of his phone, feeling the plastic indent from the force of his teeth. He pulled it away, resting his head in his hands. Why was she acting like this? He thought they were finally getting somewhere after their "date" on Valentine's Day. He had gotten around to asking her more personal questions, like what kind of romantic things she would want to do if they ended up together. He liked the scenarios she came up with that contained him and her being together, but with her being a writer, he really couldn't be surprised. Hikaru sighed, running his hands through his dark hair. They had actually flirted over the phone...after he gave her a long tutorial on how to actually flirt. But Ripley had a way to make his heart flutter without faking a seductive undertone (which she'd always laugh after doing, which would make him laugh in return). All she had to do was say she missed him or tell him she had thought of him and his heart was beating a mile a minute.
Hikaru looked down at the picture in his hand. A burst of anger rushed through him as he crumpled the photo in his hand, throwing it across the room.
"Goddamn it! Leave me alone! Why did I ever have to meet you?!" he yelled, resting his forehead on his drawn up knees.
It wasn't Haruhi's fault that he couldn't let her go.
"Ripley, c'mon, answer me. I need you."
...\~/...
A Week Before The Wedding; March 13th:
"Kaoru, I heard you have a girlfriend now!" Tamaki exclaimed across the table. "Are you bringing her to the wedding?"
Kaoru gave a weak smile, "O-oh, um, I was wondering about that. Is it alright if she comes? I mean, if she does come."
"Of course! I want to meet her! What's her name?"
"Her name is Clarisse De La Fontaine." Kyoya answered before Kaoru could get a response out. "She's a French model that Kaoru met when her team and designer came here to Japan to model for one of his new collections. As a child, she's starred in several beauty pagaents, and won a majority of them. She's also been a part of multiple commercials and even was cast in a very popular French sitcom. Her parents, Majorie and Claude, are both teachers at an elementary school in Clarisse's hometown."
Kaoru's eye twitched, "Senpai, it's kind of creepy how you know more about my girlfriend than I do."
"I wouldn't call it creepy, Kaoru, but more cautious. What if she had a criminal record that you didn't know anything of?"
"But Clarisse isn't-"
"She's shop-lifted twice and has been enrolled in group therapy. Her parents were worried because she lashes out at people for no reason."
Kaoru sighed, "She really is nice."
"No, she's not. She's a bitch." Hikaru hissed.
The whole table went quiet, all staring at Hikaru. He didn't regret his words at all, but that wasn't until Kaoru dropped his gaze, his eyes sad. That's when he regretted his words. He had met Clarisse and instantly didn't like her. She gave off a bad vibe and he had to admit that his brother smiled a lot more at her than him now. Clarisse was all he talked about now, sounding like she was some kind of blessing. True, she was his first girlfriend, and he was probably excited about the concept, but Hikaru still hated her. He watched her ogle other models, licking her lips like they looked like some kind of treat, and he'd eavesdropped on a conversation where Clarisse was bragging about how she already slept with Kaoru. That made his blood boil; how dare she talk about his brother like he were some kind of prize.
"Hikaru, how can you say-!"
Tamaki was cut off by Kaoru, "It's okay, Milord, Hikaru is allowed to have his own opinions."
Hikaru was furious. He stood up rather abruptly, slamming his hands into the table. Customers in the restaurant were staring at them now. "Fine, if I'm allowed to have my own opinions, I'll tell you what's on my mind! I think she's a horrible person who has no right to have you! How can you go for someone like her?! She's rotten! She...she degraded you in front of her friends... I'm sorry, but I hate her for that."
"I thought you would be happy for me, brother."
Hikaru felt defeated when Kaoru looked into his eyes with a watery gaze. He looked like he was about to cry.
Tamaki stood up, "Hikaru, come on, I'll take you home. You need sleep." he said, grabbing Hikaru's arm.
Hikaru jerked his arm away, glaring at Tamaki. "I can take myself home. I don't need your help." he growled.
And he left, leaving everyone behind.
God, what was he becoming?
Week Later, March 20th:
The Most Hated Day Of His Life:
Tamaki was pacing back and forth, beads of sweat forming at his brow. He was so nervous, anyone could tell by the way his movements were jerky and his words came out in a jumbled mess. It was his big day, after all; he had a reason to be nervous. But Hikaru found it pathetic as he stood in the corner of the dressing room, arms crossed. He hated the fact that he was here, ready for his mind to slowly torture him when the wedding actually started. Kaoru was scrambling around, making last minute changes to their tuxedos, currently tying Hunny's tie in the proper way.
Tamaki suddenly let out a yell, throwing his hands up in the air. "I need to see Haruhi! I want to see her! HARUHI!"
Kaoru grabbed him from around the waist, pulling him back. "No, Milord, you can't do that! It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding!" he exclaimed, his voice reaching that higher pitch.
"Oh no, let him. Let their whole marriage be cursed with bad luck." Hikaru said, his tone condescending.
Suddenly, Tamaki was in front of him, grabbing onto his shoulders. "Hikaru, why would you want our marriage to be tainted with a curse?! Don't you want us to live a long and happy life together! I know, you can move in with us! Will that make you feel better?! Are you feeling like I've been ignoring you lately?! I'm sorry! I've just been busy with the business and the wedding preparations! Hikaru, we'll go have some man-to-man bonding after the wedding! Wouldn't you enjoy that?!"
"No, 'cause you're annoying."
Tamaki gasped, his eyes filling with tears. "Hikaru, is that what you've always thought of me?"
"Yes."
"But I thought we were bosom buddies..."
"Milord, please don't use the words 'bosom' and 'buddies' in the same sentence. It's kind of disturbing."
Tamaki's arm found itself around Hikaru's shoulders, his other hand gesturing outwards, like Tamaki was trying to show him a world that he couldn't see. Hikaru couldn't help but notice how the blonde's mood had drastically changed. "But that's exactly what we are, Hikaru: bosom buddies." Hikaru tried to shift out of Tamaki's embrace, but he failed. "Just imagine us, two fine friends, spending precious time together. We can do manly things, in case tea parties and ballroom dancing aren't your thing, like hunting-"
"I'd shoot you in the foot..."
"-the elegant art of being an equestrian-"
"I'd spook your horse and laugh when it bucked you off..."
"-and bowling! I've always wanted to bowl!"
"I'd throw the ball at your head..."
Tamaki didn't hear him. Drats... The groom turned towards him, hands grasping his shoulders firmly. "Hikaru, even after Haruhi and I get married, I promise to devote my Wednesdays and Sundays to you."
"Oh, you don't have to be so generous. I'll live if I never see you again."
"Oh, but I must. I've recognized my error in neglecting you and I must fix it. After Haruhi and I's honeymoon, you and I can go camping, how does that sound?"
"Can't."
Tamaki looked at him with a fallen expression. "What?"
"I'm moving to New York. I'm going to study abroad at the Art Institute there."
"But..."
"And, even if I could, I'd feed you to a bear."
Before Tamaki could respond, the door to the dressing room opened, and Syd popped her head in. "Aw man, I was expecting some nudity in here." she said, stepping in. "Tara wanted me to tell all of you that the wedding's about to start, so everyone get into their places."
Tamaki started for the door, but while he left the room, Syd slapped his butt. He turned, his hands on his backside, exclaiming, "What was that for?!"
"I just thought I'd get it in before you're claimed. I always thought you were easy on the eyes."
Tamaki narrowed his gaze, backing away with his front towards Syd, before he bolted off to his station.
Hikaru sighed, "Here we go..."
...\~/...
"Would it kill you to smile?" Tara hissed through her teeth as they made their way down the aisle. They were paired up and he was beginning to hate the arrangement. Why couldn't he have been with Momoka or Kimiko? No, he had to be with Tara out of all the bridesmaids. Kyoya and Mei were ahead of them since they were the Best Man and Maid of Honor. Then, it was Kaoru and Momoka, Hunny and Reiko, then Mori and Kimiko. His little sister, Ageha, had already made her way down as the flowergirl, the aisle decorated with ruby red rose petals.
"How can I? I'm watching the woman I love being married off to someone else." he hissed back.
"Just do it."
"How about you? You look like you're constipated." He was going to get killed later.
"At least I'm trying to look happy, jackass. You think I want to be here?"
"Yes?"
"No, I think this is the biggest goddamn hassle ever. Do you know how long it took me to bake their cake?"
"Five minutes?"
"Eleven hours. I'm never doing that again."
They found themselves at the end of the aisle and Hikaru presented Tara to her spot, bowing slightly before walking off to his spot beside Kyoya. It wasn't moments later when the wedding march began to play, the small orchestra behind them playing it like it was a piece of cake.
And there she was, appearing at the end of the aisle: Haruhi. Hikaru glanced over at Tamaki, who was staring at Haruhi in awe. As he looked back at Haruhi, who looked flawless in her wedding dress, had made it halfway down the aisle already. Ranka was grinning, and Hikaru couldn't help but find it humourous how Ranka could go from a glamorous tranny to a rather handsome man. Hikaru had no idea what the relationship between Tamaki and Ranka was, but they always seemed to be in good sorts around each other...though they always seemed to be around Haruhi when they were laughing and having a good time.
Tamaki grabbed Haruhi's hand when she reached the front of the aisle, Ranka bowing while he gave her away.
Hikaru watched as Haruhi smiled warmly up at Tamaki, the blonde squeezing her hand.
"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in holy matrimony to bring these two bodies in Christ to one. Now, Haruhi Fujioka, you may now announce your vows to Tamaki Suoh." the priest instructed.
Haruhi nodded, looking up straight into Tamaki's eyes. "I, Haruhi Fujioka, take you Tamaki Suoh, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." Haruhi recited.
Tamaki smiled, squeezing his bride's hands. "And now you, Tamaki Suoh, may now announce your vows to Haruhi Fujioka."
"I, Tamaki Suoh, take you Haruhi Fujioka, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part."
They placed the rings on each other's fingers. Hikaru looked down when they did so. Two more steps...
"Do you, Haruhi, take Tamaki to be your lawfully wedded husband till death do you part?"
"I do."
"And do you, Tamaki, take Haruhi to be your lawfully wedded wife till death do you part?"
"I do."
One more step...
"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Hikaru grabbed his shirt that was just above the place where his heart was when Tamaki and Haruhi kissed. His heart pounded and it felt painful. Maybe he was experiencing a heart attack and was going to keel over and die? No, he was still standing when Tamaki swooped Haruhi off her feet, walking down the aisle with Haruhi's arms wrapped around his neck. Everyone was whooping, cheering, clapping, throwing rice and rose petals above them. No, he was still standing when Kaoru pulled him out the church so they could watch Tamaki set Haruhi down in a horse-drawn carriage. No, he was still standing when Tamaki pulled Haruhi in for another kiss, cameras flashing all around them.
Why couldn't he just die already?
...\~/...
At the Wedding Reception:
He hated everyone in the room. Hated them all. He wished he could curse every single one of them.
Hikaru tapped the bar counter, a silent signal for another scotch on the rocks. He wasn't exactly new to alcohol; he'd had his fair share of liquor in the past, but he had never gotten drunk, ever. Until now... His mind was spinning, his head feeling lighter than a feather, and he hadn't felt this good in forever. He felt like he could climb a mountain, run ten miles, and save people from a burning building all in five minutes. The bartender slid him another glass full of amber liquid, and Hikaru brought it up to his lips, loving the bitter taste of scotch against his tongue. It cleared his senses and gave him a buzz that he didn't want to get rid of.
"Hey, bub, you alright?" the bartender asked, looking over Hikaru's head at all the other wedding guests. He'd had people like Hikaru before, the kind of people that felt lonely and bitter about life, and it was usually because they were in love with the bride or groom. The dak-haired man took a gulp of his scotch, setting the glass down with a bang.
"No, I'm not okay! I'm alone and I just watched my first love be married off to a total idiot! Would you be okay if that happened to you?!" Hikaru asked, his voice loud, pointing at the bartender. "And everyone tells me to get over it! Do they..." He paused to hiccup, taking another drink. "...understand the pain and misery I'm going through?! No, no they don't! They are...hic...abso-hic-lutely clueless."
People were staring.
"My little brother, my precious little brother who has a heart of gold, is now dating a woman, who has the brain of a water flea and the morals and values of a whore! How...hic...does that happen?! I don't understand!"
"Sorry I asked kid..." the bartender muttered, serving others guests, who were all staring at Hikaru.
"Wait, wait, wait, don't leave; come back." Hikaru called out, beckoning the bartender over with his hand. "I'm...not done yet..."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not. I still have a lot to say. Like how that woman broke my heart, not once, but three times!" Hikaru exclaimed, holding up three fingers. "Once when she rejected me when we were first years in high school; a second time when she finally chose that dim-witted fool; and a fuckin' third time today! My...h-heart felt like it was going to explode! KaBOOM! Just...like...that..." Hikaru's words were slurred now. "I have never been so flippin' pissed before. I love her and here I am without her. What the hell is wrong with me, huh?!"
Hikaru threw his glass, the glass shattering to pieces when it hit a wall.
That was it.
He had to be stopped.
"Hikaru..." a deep voice said behind him.
Hikaru spun around in his chair, looking up to see Mori standing there, adorning a serious expression. Hikaru grinned like a fool, spreading his arms out. "Oh, Mori-senpai, long time no see! C'mere, gimme a hug!" Mori picked up the smaller man, throwing him over his shoulder. Hikaru didn't struggle at all, only laughed as Mori walked towards the exit. "Where are you taking me?! Hey, hey, hey, throw me over the edge of this building! I...I want to see if I can fly!"
When Mori threw the doors open, Hikaru looked up.
He couldn't see Haruhi.
He was sober enough to see the look of disappointment and sadness on Tamaki's face.
He really did wish Mori would hurl him over the side of the building...
...\~/...
Present Time:
Hikaru was sprawled out on the floor, his sketchbook in his hand. He lifted it above his face and allowed his golden eyes to scan over his dream girl. Then, he lifted his phone to where it was in his line of vision. He called Ripley a fourth time since their conversation from earlier. After experiencing all those painful memories, all he wanted was to hear her voice, to have her calm him down and soothe him. All he wanted was for her to go back to her normal self.
Finally, his ear filled with chatter and laughing. He could hear Renée on the other end, saying, "...and then I said, I would rather be hit by a bus driven by my own grandma than see you in your nasty-ass thong." He couldn't help but laugh; Renée always had the wildest stories. Then, a voice that he didn't recognize filled his ear, "Kit speaking." This must be the creepy guy Quin was talking about.
"Who the hell is this? Where's Ripley?" Hikaru growled into the phone.
"This is Kit, Ripley's lover. Who is this?"
"This is Hikaru-" He was cut off when Ripley's voice filled his ear. "Hika, thank God you called!" She called him Hika, something she hadn't done in awhile. "Hold on... Kit, if you ever take my phone again, I'll cut off your hands and feed them to the coyotes, got that?" Then, she directed her attention back to the phone. "That guy's seriously a creep. I'm so glad you called."
"I'm just glad you answered. I've been calling you all day."
"I know. I heard. I would've answered, but Kit stole my phone and wouldn't give it back."
"Have you told that idiot to get lost?"
"No..."
"And why not?"
"Because I'm five foot two and he's almost six foot, who possesses a violent temper." Then, she added, "Hika, are you okay? You sound upset."
He was scared about what he was going to say next.
He didn't want to lose her.
"Ripley, I need to tell you about the woman I love."
MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Cliffhanger! Wait, would this be considered a cliffhanger...? I'm sorry about the delay in this update. I lost all motivation about writing it and I was out at my dad's and he loses Internet around night-time and that's when I write, so I couldn't do anything! I'm going to try really hard to post the next chapter because I have Band Week next week and I'm going to be B-U-S-Y! Then, school starts the next... :( I don't want to go back! I feel like I butchered Haruhi's character in this chapter. I feel like I made her too happy, but who wouldn't be when their wedding day is close?
Question: What kind of women do you think Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Mori would fall for?
Author's Note - Fin