"So will you come back with me, with us? I assume I was the only one unaware of your presence here?" The Host King wasn't wearing his pleading puppy-dog look, but Haruhi thought that this new understanding, mildly amused expression could possibly be even more devastating to her resolve. With a resigned shake of her head she gave in gracefully.

"Yeah, I'll come with you."

"Wonderful!" he exclaimed, reaching out towards her as though to pick her up. At the last second he stopped short and chuckled.

"Sorry," he said with a sheepish grin, and she laughed.

"It's fine, senpai. You don't have to keep apologizing."

"Haruhi?"

"Mmm?" she asked curiously.

"Could you maybe...just call me Tamaki? I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, but I thought that if we're friends and all – you know what? Never mind." He seemed almost flustered and she couldn't help the smile that bloomed on her lips as she took a step closer.

"I think I could do that, Tamaki," she said, his name sans honorifics slipping out easily as though she wasn't running it repeatedly through her mind in an attempt to make it sound casual. Her efforts paid off tenfold when she was graced with a dazzling smile of pure happiness. They stood there for a moment, neither saying a word, and Haruhi felt everything begin to fade away beside the glory of that violet gaze. She was frozen in place as he reached out his hand, supple fingers tracing gently over her cheek.

"Haruhi," he murmured, his voice as softly caressing as the fingertips that had stolen her own words away. They might have stood there for hours were it not for the sudden explosion of birdsong from the trees overhead. The spell broken abruptly, both of them stumbled back a couple of steps and began to look anywhere but at one another. After a moment Tamaki chuckled, running one hand absently through his hair. Haruhi couldn't help but laugh as well.

"So, um – did you want to come with me now, or would you rather visit later?" He was so obviously making an effort not to make her decision for her and she couldn't help the warm feeling that came over her at his new-found consideration.

"We can go now, if you want. I'd like to be able to hang out with everyone. To tell the truth...I've kind of missed the chaos." Her grin was gentle, teasing, but his return smile rendered her completely breathless. Holding out a hand to her much like he had once done when the frumpy honor student had stumbled into his domain, he spoke.

"Let's go, then. We've all missed you terribly too."

When Hikaru, Honey, and Mori made their way back to the beach they were greeted by utter silence. Kyoya's attention was fully focused on whatever he was reading on his laptop, while across from him Kaoru's pen was flying over his paper as the younger twin's thoughts raced to be written down. Neither looked up or even acknowledged the group's return. Hikaru wandered over and crouched down next to his brother, leaning his head against Kaoru's leg. After a moment he felt his brother's hand ruffle gently through his hair and he closed his eyes in contentment. He could hear Mori's footfalls as the cousins approached the table as well, Honey clearing his throat softly.

"Kyo-chan – I wanted to apologize. My suggestion was...ill-conceived, and I'm sorry if I made things difficult for you." Honey's voice held no note of the boy Lolita persona; rather, it was full of honest repentance and sincere chagrin. Perhaps it was that difference that prompted Kyoya to slowly close the lid to his laptop before deliberately turning to face the eldest host.

"Your apology is quite unnecessary," he said calmly. "Whatever...inner turmoil you may think I suffer from, let me assure you that it has nothing to do with you or with anything you may have said or done."

"Still, I wanted to apologize."

"Very well. Apology accepted." Glasses glinting in the light, the Shadow King stood and stretched before gathering his laptop and notebook. Without another word he turned to walk back to the cabin. About halfway there he paused and spoke over his shoulder.

"Even though it is still fairly early in the afternoon, you all may wish to begin thinking about dinner plans. We will likely have one more at our table tonight, such that it is." He resumed his walk to the cabin, leaving the four hosts to look at one another – well, three of them, anyway, as Kaoru was still writing.

"Does he figure on Haruhi joining us?" Hikaru asked. Above him his brother snorted and glanced down fondly.

"Of course he was talking about Haruhi. Do you really think the Boss will let her spend the last night of our vacation by herself in her camp?" He chuckled and returned to his writing. Hikaru smiled, relaxing against his twin once more. It was about time she came to see them all – he knew he wasn't the only one that felt incomplete without her.

"Haru-chan!"

It took less than the space of a blink for Honey to tackle her, and he was quickly followed by the redheaded rascal duo. For once Mori didn't seem inclined to rescue her. Instead he stood back, expression blank, yet Tamaki could see hints of – was that hesitance? - on the senior's face. The Host King resolved to try and find out what could have prompted such an odd reaction from the tall one. In the meantime, however, there was someone else he was more concerned with. Smiling at the Haruhi-dogpile, at the laughing group and their girl's obviously insincere protests, he slipped away and headed for his cabin. Walking inside, feeling happier than he had in ages, he announced himself as soon as he opened the door.

"Kyoya, I'm home!" There was no response, but he heard water running so he wandered over to the closed bathroom door. With a grin he opened it and stepped inside, the steaminess hitting him full in the face.

"Mon amour?" he asked.

"Ah. You're back." Kyoya's voice sounded decidedly bland, even more so than usual. Tamaki wasn't certain what that could mean.

"Of course I am. And I brought Haruhi back with me. She said she wanted to spend the rest of the evening with us all."

"That's nice." There was definitely something amiss, the blond realized, worried.

"Kyoya, is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine."

"Are you sure? You don't sound fine."

"I am. I just...have a lot on my mind."

"Oh," Tamaki said. "Would it help to talk about it?"

"Not likely." This time his lover's voice was muffled by water and Tamaki figured he was rinsing his hair. The urge to shed his own clothes and join the brunette was strong, but he knew that for whatever reason Kyoya would not appreciate the company right then. Feeling dejected and a bit useless, he sighed.

"Well, then, I'm going to go back outside. Come out when you're ready. I know Haruhi would like to see you too." He turned and left, shutting the bathroom door gently behind him as he headed out to rejoin the rest of the Club.

"Behind the shower curtain stood one lonely, confused Shadow King, wondering if it might not be better to just go crawl into bed and deal with everything at a later date. After a few moments' debate, he shook his head and forced himself to turn off the water. Ootori Kyoya never, ever ran from things – and especially not from himself. He'd be damned if he started now.

Author's note: I know, I'm horrible. So long a wait between updates, and then I post this abominably short chapter. I apologize wholeheartedly. I'm finally almost over the sinus infection that laid me out for the last ten days or so, and this is really the first I've felt up to sitting at my desk long enough to type and proofread anything. But at least things are finally coming together for our favorite group of hosts. Haruhi's back together with her boys. Yaaaayyy! And they still have the evening, the night, and the next morning together. That's the main reason for the shortness of the chapter - it was the only logical breaking point for the story as it stands now. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter typed and posted in the next few days. :)