As a New Years present; here's a double update :)
Make sure you start reading the right chapter (this one) first, I thought about making it a filler but changed my mind in the end ^_^ I hope you enjoy reading it!
Happy New Year to everyone ^_^
It's been a while since I cried like this. I used to hide my pain behind a mask of indifference because I knew it would hurt the people around me when they would see me cry. Somehow I noticed through my tears and feelings of despair that Kyo-niichan sat next to me on his knees.
He placed his hand on my arm, a bit hesitant and with a strange look in his eyes. I wiped away the tears but the next tears were already rolling down my cheeks. Suddenly Kyo-niichan took out a handkerchief and gave it to me. "You can use it." He said. I sniveled and accepted his handkerchief.
"T-thank you." I said and tried to get control over my emotions again.
"Better?" Kyo-niichan asked, I nodded weakly. "Come on, I'll bring you home." He said after some silence. "No!" I saw slight surprise flash through Kyo-niichan eyes. "I want to go back to the school."
"But…" Kyo-niichan started but fell silent as I looked at him with my tear-filled eyes.
"Please?" I asked softly. I must have really looked pitiful. He was quite for a while until he pushed his glasses higher up his nose and sighed. "All right." He said and helped me up. He walked me to a car that was parked behind a corner and opened the door for me.
Kyo-nii walked around the car and sat down next to me, after he told his driver our direction. We sat next to each other in silence. I whipped some tears away.
"That question…" I started.
"It's all right, I don't want to know the answer anymore." Kyo-niichan answered.
"Eh?" I asked confused.
Kyo-niichan let his head lean against the window and his chin rested on his hand. "I'm not interested anymore so I don't need to know your answer." He said.
"Kyo-n…" I began but stopped.
"Yes?" Kyo-niichan turned his face to me.
To my annoyance I felt tears coming up again. "I'm sorry…" I sobbed. "I'm sorry… I really want to tell you but I can't."
"I said it was all right, didn't I?" Kyo-niichan putted his hand on my shoulder to comfort me but I knew he felt awkward with me crying like a little child.
"Thanks…" I whispered.
Kyo-nii hesitantly lifted his hand to my head and patted it awkwardly. "Idiot, what are you apologizing for?" he said. "Be sure to stop crying before Tamaki sees you, he'll panic."
I nodded and wiped my tears away once again. Suddenly my phone started to ring. I picked up.
"Haruhi?" I heard Taka-niichan's worried voice through the phone. "Where are you now?"
"Taka-n… -shi-senpai? I'm with Kyoya-senpai right now. We're heading towards school."
I could heard Taka-nii breathe relieved. "Thank Goodness."
I sniffed.
"… Haruhi, are you… crying?"Taka-niichan asked me
"N-no, I'm not!" I said hasty.
"I see." He didn't sound like he believed me.
"Ah! Did you find Hikaru?" I asked concerned. I noticed that Kyo-niichan was following our conversation with interest. "Yeah, he's all right. A bit shocked but no injuries."
"Great." I said relieved.
"There was a strange girl with him but she escaped before I could stop her." Taka-niichan added.
"I see." So Shiori got away… I had wanted to ask her a couple of things.
"You are not going to tell me what happened, are you?" Taka-niichan guessed.
"… I'm sorry." I said softly. I heard him sigh and felt a sting of guilt. Tears came up again and I wiped them quickly away.
Damn it, why do those tears keep coming?
"We'll meet you in the clubroom." I said.
"Good, I'll see you then."
I hung up and putted my phone away.
"Does he know?" Kyo-niichan asked suddenly.
"What?" I asked, confused.
"The thing you can't tell me, does Mori-senpai know it?" he repeated his question.
I hesitated a moment before answering. "Yes."
"I see…" He replied and looked out the window. Both of us didn't say another word until we reached school. Kyo-niichan and I got out the car and went to the clubroom. Everyone had gathered around Hika-niichan and looked up when we came in.
"Haruhi~!" Tama-niichan cried. "Do you know how worried I was?!" he said as he hugged me tight. "T-Tamaki-senpai, c-can't breathe." Taka-niichan took Tama-niichan by his collar and peeled him of me. "Thanks, Takashi-senpai." I said, his eyes crossed mine.
I saw concern in them but also another emotion. Ah… he's angry at me. Well, he has all rights to be angry at me, I screwed up pretty bad this time.
I looked at Hika-niichan. Kao-niichan sat on his knees on the ground next to his twin brother who sat in one of the chairs.
"Hikaru… What happened?" I felt extremely guilty for acting like I didn't know what happened.
Hika-niichan smiled, to my surprise. "A girl asked me out but I refused." He replied. "She wasn't really happy to hear that and if Mori-senpai hadn't shown op, I swear she would have seriously killed me."
"… I see, good that you didn't get killed." I said. Why is Hika-niichan lying? Did Taka-niichan tell him something? I looked at Taka-niichan but he shook his head at my unspoken question so I looked at Hika-niichan and met his eyes. I saw the many questions he had within them.
Ah~ thing are getting complicated again…
"What about you, Haru-chan? Are you all right?" Mitsu-niichan asked.
"O-oh, yeah, I'm all right." I said.
"That's good." Mitsu-niichan smiled.
"My daughter is actually very sensitive, isn't she? Running away because she couldn't hold her emotions." Tama-niichan said, moved to tears.
"I'm not your daughter, Tamaki-senpai." I said.
"Ah~ She's denying our bond, are you trying to be independent, my brave daughter!" he kept going on. "Kids grow up so fast, don't they, Oka-san?" he asked Kyo-niichan.
"Indeed, 'Oto-san'." Kyou-niichan answered. I saddened while listening to their conversation, Mitsu-niichan noticed and touched my hand. "What's wrong, Haru-chan?"
I smiled at him. "Just some unpleasant memories came up." I replied.
"I see." He said and took my hand in his. "Haruhi… you know that we will always be there for you, right?" he said. "No matter what happens, we will always find you." He added.
"Wha…?" I asked confused. Mitsu-niichan smiled mysteriously.
"Takashi?" Mitsu-niichan called his friend, ending our conversation and leaving me behind, utterly confused. "Let's go apologize to our customers for not being able to play with them." Taka-niichan nodded and followed him.
"Wait! Kaoru and I are also coming." Hika-niichan smiled arrogantly. "They must have been worried about me." He said.
"I was here, so they didn't complain." Kao-niichan replied. While teasing each other the twin followed Mitsu-niichan and Taka-niichan.
"Hikaru! Kaoru! Wait for me!" Tama-niichan yelled and followed the twin.
Kyo-nii and I were the only two left in the room, an awkward silence followed.
"Haruhi?" Kyo-niichan called me.
"Yes?"
"Will you tell me one day?" he asked.
"What?"
"The thing you can't tell now, will you tell me someday?" he repeated.
I hesitated for a moment. "Yes, someday, I'll tell you…"
Kyo-niichan smiled slightly, not the demon smile that I was used to but a gentle one.
"Let's go, Haruhi."
"Yes…" I answered. "Kyo-niichan." I added, whispering softly.