The Memory of Murder
By E.M. Megs
Chapter 8 – Secret
He'd always thought that the people who said that history always repeated itself were crazy… Until it started happening to him.
The day he received the first note from a department messenger, he did his best to school his features so Haruhi wouldn't notice. He loved her so the last thing he wanted was to bring her into his past. He didn't want her to worry about him.
When he took in the words he didn't let himself react, just slipped it into his pocket for safe keeping. He'd have to talk to his father later.
He nearly jumped in surprise when Haruhi's hands landed on his shoulders and started working away knots in his muscles. He couldn't stop the soft groan from leaving his mouth as he leaned his head back against her stomach, his eyes fluttering shut. "You shouldn't work so hard," she breathed, pressing her lips to his gently. "Let's go home."
He nodded and gathered his things to leave with his girlfriend.
He completely forgot about the note until she brought it up over dinner. "What was the note?" she called from the kitchen while she finished making dinner.
"Ah…" he muttered, remembering now. "Just Takikara reminding me of some paperwork."
"Oh?" She popped her head out of the kitchen to gaze at him. "What case?"
"Charity's."
"I thought I finished that…"
"Not my account."
She hummed lightly in consent and returned to the stove. He brought a hand to his head and rubbed his temples. Lying to her hurt him more than he could possibly describe. But this definitely wasn't something that he could tell her. Not if he wanted her to stay alive.
Haruhi pecked his cheek as she sat down at the table with two plates filled with food. "Shouldn't be too hard for you."
"What?"
"The Charity paperwork?"
"Oh. Yes. I'll probably finish sometime tomorrow."
She'd looked at him suspiciously. Like she knew that something else was going on. "Kyoya, what's distracting you?"
He chuckled. "Haruhi, my dear, I think the only thing that has ever had the ability to distract me is you."
She pointed her fork at him. "Don't you lie to me."
"I'm not," he said gently, "Really. Everything's fine. And I'd never have any reason to lie to you unless it was for your own protection."
She scoffed lightly and stared at him like she could grab the information out of his brain if she looked at him long enough. Then she sighed and gave up. "We're having breakfast with Dad tomorrow, don't forget."
"Of course. I'll be having lunch with my father sometime this week though, just so you know."
She frowned for a moment. "Why?"
He used information that he – thank God – had not told her yet. "Akito's engaged. Again. This lunch is basically Yuiichi, father and I trying to decide if this one will last."
"Didn't his last marriage end like three months ago?" He merely nodded. "Which one is this?"
"Five."
"How is it that we can manage to be in a steady relationship for nearly five years and not even talk about marriage but your brother can't even make a marriage last a year let alone take six months in between?"
He shrugged, a bit startled by the fact that she'd bought up marriage in reference to their relationship. "Did you want to get married?"
She stared at him then shrugged slowly. "Eventually. No rush though. Besides, Tamaki just got through freaking out over Hikaru's engagement and Kaoru's wedding. I think he'd have a heart attack if we were to suddenly just decide to get married right now."
"So… Eventually. That's… Interesting."
She seemed flustered, which he smirked at, taking her hand – which effectively distracted her from her half-finished plate of food. "I'm not really hungry anymore," he said quietly.
That had to be one of the most distracting things he could ever say.
He thought that it might just be a fluke in the system when he relooked at it the next morning before Haruhi was out of the shower. And that's all it was until it happened again.
And again.
And again.
Each one was slightly different. Each delivered a different way. However, he didn't pay much attention to it until they showed up at the apartment. With his nieces when they came to visit. And even once, he spotted one in Haruhi's jacket pocket when she got home.
Right after the Takahashis had been killed was when he finally decided to go visit his father.
"Who are they?"
His father had swallowed, the one sign that he was nervous. "I don't know."
"Bullshit. How can you not know? You got the same exact notes 24 years ago. Who. Are. they?"
"They can't be stopped, Kyoya. And no one knows who they are. Not even my surveillance team. They can't be stopped. If they've set their sights on you then…"
"No," Kyoya growled, "No. Because you see… They aren't after me. It's you. Something you're doing they don't like and they expect me to stop you. So stop. Whatever you're doing just stop before it gets your granddaughters or one of your children killed."
When he had gotten home that night, Haruhi had looked at his shaken appearance with worry but hadn't questioned.
She never questioned.
She always worried.
Perhaps, this time though, it was warranted.
~o~
A/N: A bit later than I intended, sorry! Got preoccupied with moving and camp and such. I'm back, I swear. Working both on this, LD, and a few random little one-shots that came to mind.
Kudos to: Smartapple, MarinaStryke, and LittleLiar666.