Author's note: Time for some introspection. This time, it's Kaoru...

Mori didn't look surprised to see the Hitachiins stalk into his dojo – but looks were deceiving. He was stunned as hell. Especially when he saw the rage that was filling them both near to bursting. It wasn't unusual for Hikaru to lose his cool, but the icy fury in Kaoru's eyes was so out of character as to be disturbing to the young kendo master. It was Hikaru that spoke.

"We need to hit something. Now."

Not letting any of his worry show, he turned and led the twins out of the main practice area and into a smaller back room. Without a word he pulled out a training dummy and secured it to the bolt in the center of the floor. Once it was stable he stepped back and regarded his friends seriously.

"Go."

They needed no further prompting. Hikaru lashed out first with a series of kicks and punches that showed he'd been practicing since the last time Mori and Honey had coached them. Observing the elder redhead from the perspective of both teacher and friend Mori gauged how well the...percussive damage therapy...was helping. Resisting the urge to step in and make corrections to angles or to correct balance, he simply stood impassively to the side and watched as Hikaru took all of his anger and threw it into beating the inanimate target before him. After what seemed to be the shortest forever possible the Hitachiin heir backed away, still tense but much more noticeably himself. Mori was not surprised when Kaoru, having already shed his button-up shirt, stepped forward into the place his brother had vacated. No, what surprised Mori was the depth of emotion in his eyes as he focused all of his immense temper and attacked the dummy.

Where Hikaru had simply been beating at whatever was in front of him, Kaoru was obviously aiming to deliberately hurt something. There was a clarity to his attacks, an almost surgical precision, and Mori wished his cousin were there to see how his protege had come to life. Watching Hikaru was impressive, seeing how far he'd come in the year or so that Mori and Honey had been giving them lessons. But Kaoru – the change was astonishing. He'd never taken to martial arts like his brother, and there were times Mori would swear he'd only shown up because the two couldn't bear to be separated for any amount of time. What he was seeing now had him shocked enough that his expression actually reflected it – not that anyone would ever know, as the only other person in the room was also gaping at the shirtless younger twin.

Kaoru didn't feel their gazes, didn't know their awe. In his mind he wasn't even in a room with anyone. He had enough strength of will to keep from imagining Tamaki in front of him, though it was difficult. He knew that whenever anyone stopped to think of himself and Hikaru as separate beings as opposed to two halves of a whole – a rare occurrence, true – they saw Hikaru as the impulsive, dominant one. Kaoru was perfectly okay with that. He was quiet and introspective and more likely to keep his cool under stress. Considering how little provocation it usually took for Hikaru to fly off the handle, he was happy to be the more mellow twin.

Mellow was not even in his vocabulary right now. He kept his movements solid, steady. Kick, strike, swipe, shift...the actions themselves weren't the therapeutic part. It was the mindless repetition he craved. Outside he was a flurry of motion, but inwardly he'd begun to calm, to iron out his feelings, to think clearly.

One: he loved Haruhi. He'd known it for a long time now, but he also knew of his brother's feelings for their honest, beautiful friend. And whereas he'd happily fight anyone else in the club – in the world – for the chance to be the one to make her happy, he couldn't, he wouldn't, place his own desires over those of his brother. So he contented himself with the knowledge that even if he couldn't have his happily-ever-after with her, he had at least not stood in Hikaru's way. He mused occasionally over what it might be like if she...loved them enough to stay. Enough to let them love her in return. If he were totally forthright with himself, he'd often fantasized about the possibility that she might, just maybe, be able to accept them both as lovers – not just of her, but of each other.

As heir to a very wealthy, very powerful family, Kaoru was well aware of the fact that he and Hikaru would eventually be married off to different women. It would be the end of their mutually satisfying and eternally comforting physical relationship. However, unlike, say, Takami or Kyoya, their mother was open minded and her sons' happiness was paramount to her. So he also knew that if either himself or his twin truly fell in love, their preference would win out over pedigree or financial status in their mother's eyes. If, for example, they fell in love with a commoner and she returned the feelings, the Hitachiin matriarch would happily agree to a marriage. But would she be so understanding if they both wanted to marry the same woman? If the woman – against all odds – wanted to be wife to both of them? In his eyes nothing could be more ideal. He knew Hikaru felt the same. And in their family line, polygamy and polyamory, while uncommon, were not completely unheard of. It would be the most perfect situation he could imagine for him and his brother.

But would it be what was best for Haruhi?

Two: he wasn't angry at Tamaki for slapping them. He wasn't thrilled about it, and he'd been too upset to try and differentiate his own emotions when it happened. But now that he'd had a chance to mentally go over it he realized a few things. That he and Hikaru had been deliberately baiting the golden-haired host. That Tamaki was easily as distressed over the events of the afternoon as they were – likely moreso, in fact, since he'd been hiding his love for the girl under a facade of fatherly affection. And that it must have all struck him really hard for the genial, friendly, completely accepting and generous host to lash out the way he had. It wasn't Tamaki's style, not even close. Kaoru began to feel extremely remorseful for the way he and Hikaru had pushed and insinuated, that they'd let it escalate to the point that it had. Tamaki probably thought neither of them heard his whispered apology. He was wrong.

The third and final thing that became clear to Kaoru was how much their actions – all of them – had hurt Haruhi. All the rage, the burning fire, drained out of him in that instant and he slumped bonelessly to the ground, covered in sweat and completely out of breath. In a flash Hikaru was there and then they were in each other's arms and Kaoru didn't care that he was crying because he knew he could weep for years and it wouldn't make up for the fact that he'd hurt the woman he loved.

"Takashi?" a small voice piped up, confused, from the doorway. Kaoru didn't bother to raise his head as he knew his friends would never judge. Sure enough the brothers were joined in their hug by the forever-energetic loli-shota. After a few minutes in which the twins managed to catch their breath and come back to the real world, they were surprised by Mori as he quietly handed out bottles of water to everyone before joining them on the floor.

"So Hika-chan, Kao-chan...what's wrong? You both seem so upset."

"How is Haruhi?" the twins asked in tandem, Kaoru still slightly breathless from his workout and Hikaru quieter than usual.

"She's...well, she's okay," Honey hedged carefully, not wanting to break her confidence to the twins that would undoubtedly want to rush straight to her. "She was really upset, but I helped her feel better."

"How?" Their voices were wary.

"Oh, I took her to see my grove and we cuddled for a while," he replied absently, musing over the best way to answer their questions without giving away the secret Haruhi shared with him.

"WHAT?" they exclaimed in stereo. Honey belatedly realized that he should have maybe...not...said what he did. He played it cool.

"Well, you know, we sat together and I let her talk for a while."

"Why would she talk to you? She wouldn't even talk to us, and we're her best friends!" Hikaru's indignant squawk cut in. Kaoru nodded in agreement and though Honey would usually try to reassure them both, after having heard what Haruhi was going through he'd had enough. The memory of her tears and the way she had crumpled against him, still so fresh in his mind, warred with the whining of the twins and his temper sparked.

"The was talking to me because she was pissed off at all of you," he snapped. "In case you hadn't noticed, Haruhi's been unhappy lately and you guys and Tamaki have been doing nothing but causing her more problems. If you would just behave and treat her more like a friend and less like a possession, she'd be more likely to confide in you." He sat back, leaning on his hands and stretching his legs out in front of him, regarding the twins with an expression that seemed to be equal parts fond, exasperated, and stern. Under that gaze the brothers wilted.

"I was just thinking that," Kaoru murmured. "We tease her a lot, we know, but it's just because we lo-like her," he finished with a stammer and a glance as Hikaru. His brother smiled wryly.

"No, you had it right, Kao. We love her. Every one of us, in our own way." He flopped backwards, stretching his arms out before folding them under his head. "And the worst part is that she doesn't seem to realize just how important she is. How we'd do anything to see her smile."

"Or hear her laugh," Kaoru added. Honey and Mori nodded their agreement, but the smallest host was still curious.

"So what's got you guys so upset?" The redheads shared a slightly sheepish look and Hikaru explained everything that had happened after everyone else had left the Music Room. Honey carefully kept his expression neutral, not wanting to side with either the brothers or the Host King.

"We were so pissed we had to come here and work ourselves out before we took out our anger on anyone else." The two sighed heavily and drained their water bottles.

"I see. Well, how are you feeling now?" Honey asked. There was a bit of contemplative silence.

"I...I feel...worn out. Like a shirt that's been washed too often."

"Or a leaf blown from a tree in a spring storm."

"Understandable," murmured Mori.

"Absolutely," concurred Honey. "I think everyone's been a little stressed out lately."

"Yeah, what's with you, Honey?" Hikaru asked bluntly. "You're not as cutesy as you usually are. I'd say you're almost acting your age." The loli rolled his eyes.

"Even I get bored with the cute after a while. And right now cute wouldn't solve any problems. Though I could really go for some fresh berry cheesecake..." he mused, looking thoughtful. "At any rate, just...take it easy on Haru-chan, 'kay? She's got a lot to deal with right now and she needs us all more than ever." He belatedly realized he'd said more than he'd planned and rushed to speak again before the duo could. "And no, I will not tell you anything. So don't ask. If she wants to tell you then that is her choice. And if I find out you've badgered her about it, you will answer to me. Is that clear?" he asked quietly, waiting until they both nodded. "Just be there for her when she needs it."

"You really do care for her, don't you, Honey-senpai?" Kaoru asked in a hushed tone. Honey let his head drop backwards with a sigh.

"I love her. So very much. So much it hurts sometimes. But I know I could never be the one she chooses. So instead I'll be the best friend I can, whatever and wherever she needs. As long as Haruhi is happy, I'll be happy."

No one in the room could disagree.