A/N: First I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Please make sure that you have fun, but please be safe tonight. We will see each other again in 2013. You are all awesome and I can't wait to see what the New Year brings us all. Thank you for all of the support you have given me in 2012. XD
Chapter 15 – Explanations
Chika wasn't sure if he should be hiding from his brother or not, right now he was in the study. How long does it take to talk to one girl? Yes, he spilled the beans, but he didn't mean to. The way she had been staring at his older brother, he knew that she cared for Hunny and he just assumed that they had taken that step in their relationship. He didn't know that she had no clue about his brother feelings. Now he was trying to wait patiently for Hunny to return to the house and pass judgment. It had been over an hour and still nothing. He didn't want to go out to the dojo; he wanted to give his brother space to calm down a little before they talked business.
The younger Haninozuka jumped when he heard a door open and close from the back of the house. Normally the sound of the back door closing would not carry throughout the house, but it would if it was slammed. This was not a good sign. He was convinced he was now a dead man. If only he would have kept his big mouth shut. It was too late now and his girlfriend of only a month would now have to find someone else to date. He stuck his head out the door and his jaw dropped at the sight that greeted him.
Haruhi and Hunny were walking hand in hand towards the room that Chika was located so that business could be talked between the two brothers. Hunny had ordered tea to be brought into the library next to the study for Haruhi so that she could wait in there for him to finish everything he needed to get done. They both saw Chika stick his head out and the look of surprise that flashed across his face. Hunny knew that his younger brother thought he was in trouble, but right now he couldn't hold Chika's mistake against him.
As the couple walked closer to the study Chika's looked became a little more relaxed. Hunny saw it and decided to mess with his brother just a little bit, "Yasuchika I am going to set Haruhi in the library and then I will be back to deal with you." He watched the size of his brother's eyes grow and he swallowed hard. Hunny leered back at him and his brother disappeared back into the study.
"You know that wasn't very nice," Haruhi said looking at the man walking next to her.
Hunny giggled, "I know Haru-Chan, but I couldn't help it. I am not going to kill him tonight. I guess his loose lips helped in the end."
Haruhi smiled, "Yah, I guess they did."
Hunny finished escorting her to the library and made sure she had everything she needed before leaving her alone. He walked into the study and saw his brother sitting on the couch looking into a cup of tea, "Trying to see what the leaves are going to tell you little brother?"
Chika jumped and yelled, "Mitsukuni I'm sorry! I didn't mean to spill your secret. It's just that when I saw her looking at you, I just assumed that you were together now. I didn't know!"
Hunny couldn't hold it in any longer. He started to laugh hard and loud. Chika was stunned into silence. "Chika-Chan it is alright. I think you actually helped us. We talked and we are together now. It would not have happened if it wasn't for your big mouth, but can you please refrain from spilling your guts about my business in the future?"
Chika breathed a sigh of relief. He was saved from death's door, "I can do that."
"Ok then, let's get this meeting started then. Haruhi and I have dinner plans with Takashi. Do you want to come?"
"No, I have dinner plans with my girlfriend tonight," Chika said simply. He didn't really want to spend the extra time with his brother if he didn't have to right now.
Hunny nodded and the meeting started. They talked about the dojos and the other family businesses. They covered everything they needed to and then when the meeting was over, Hunny walked over to the library to get Haruhi. He found her lying on the couch with an open book. As he walked up to her though, he saw that she was actually asleep. He looked at his watch, it was already almost six and they were supposed to meet Mori at the apartment by 6:40. He hated to wake her up, but he didn't have much of a choice. He started to shake her shoulder gently and said quietly, "Haru-Chan it is time to wake up. We need to leave soon in order to meet Takashi for dinner."
Haruhi slowly opened her eyes and looked into the soft eyes of Hunny. She then took in her surroundings and remembered that she was in the library at the Haninozuka estate. She returned her eyes to her new boyfriend and smiled, "Everything settled with your brother?"
Hunny chuckled, "Yes, and I was not too mean. I set the record straight and even thanked him for spilling my secrets tonight."
Haruhi giggled, "Good, you needed to do that."
"Come on Haru-Chan," Hunny said as he helped her to sit up, "We need to get moving so that we are not late for dinner."
Haruhi sat up and stretched, "Ok let's go." She took Hunny's hands and let him pull her to her feet. When she was steady she looked into his eyes and she was held captive. She couldn't break the connection and wasn't sure if she wanted to. She watched as his face got closer to her own and she knew that he was not the only one moving in. Their lips made contact briefly and that was all it took for sparks to fly. The contact was broken only after a few seconds and Haruhi looked into Hunny's eyes again and smiled. It was a good first kiss.
Hunny lifted his hand and brushed his fingers over her cheek. He wasn't expecting their first kiss to happen so soon, but it had and it was everything he thought it would be and so much more. It was a short chaste kiss that held a lot of promises for more. He couldn't wait for the more. He stared into her eyes and knew that this is where he wanted to be for the rest of his life: with her in his arms. He cleared his throat after another moment and spoke up, "I guess we should be going now or we will be late for dinner."
"I guess we should," she smiled at him and leaned in to give him another kiss, this one a little bit longer and more intense. When she pulled back she said, "Let's go." She felt him take her hand and together they walked out the door and into the limo.
As the limo neared the apartment, Hunny called Mori and told him that they were almost there. He was waiting for them when they got there and immediately got into the car with his cousin and friend. He looked upon the couple and noticed they were holding hands. Something had changed in their relationship and he could not be happier for them.
Hunny saw Mori study he and Haruhi and knew when the light bulb went off in the taller man's head. When he realized that he was still holding Haruhi's hand, he figured that was the clue that completely gave them away. He smiled a huge grin, "Takashi, Haru-Chan and I are together now."
Mori watched Haruhi give a small smile and blush at the announcement, but she didn't shy away from his cousin. He took this as a good sign. He returned their smiles and nodded at his cousin, "Good, I am happy for you both."
Haruhi's blush deepened, "Thank you Mori." She was happy he supported them. She knew that they had some challenges ahead since she had only been back in their lives for a week. Not all of the hosts may agree with the relationship, but she really felt that she needed to give this a chance. It just felt right.
He gave her a small nod in acknowledgement. Then he turned to his cousin, "Kyoya called. His dinner meeting fell through. He will meet us at the restaurant."
"Good, we can talk as a group then," Hunny said. Tonight they were going to discuss Haruhi's protection detail. Even if she fought the body guard, the private police force would be used regardless to make sure that Yasu did not come anywhere near her.
"Talk? What do we need to talk about Mitsukuni?" Haruhi asked.
Hunny looked at his cousin and could tell that Mori was telling him to go ahead and start telling her the bad news. Hunny turned back to Haruhi and looked her in the eye. He braced himself for her anger, "The police cannot keep their eyes on Yasu 24/7 when he gets out of jail. The restraining order is there, but unless you have time to call the police or the police catch him where he is not supposed to be, it will do you no good. I know I am teaching you self-defense, but he gets out in a week and you need more than that. I cannot be with you all of the time, so I talked to Kyoya to see what he thought. We are going to place some of the Ootori police around the apartment building and campus. We will make sure that they blend in and are not seen. If Yasu is spotted, they will call the police and make sure that he does not get close to you."
Haruhi was silent. She didn't like the fact that they discussed all of this behind her back, but she could understand why Hunny called Kyoya. She also didn't like the idea of having a security force trolling around her apartment and school campus. She was sure they would also be around her internship and work areas. That was not going to be fun, but on the other hand, she could not deny that he was right about the restraining order. Yasu would be able to get to her if she didn't have someone looking out for her. She just wasn't sure she wanted the attention brought to her. She was also wondering what this was going to cost her. She remembered her debt very well and Kyoya didn't typically do anything that didn't require payback or that didn't have some merit for him. She looked towards Hunny and knew instinctively that he was not telling her everything. "What else?" She ground out.
Hunny looked at his cousin for help. Mori looked back and then at the girl. He quietly said, "Bodyguard."
"Bodyguard?" Haruhi yelled.
"Haru-Chan calm down. It makes sense to have one. He will be watching you when no one else can and he will be added protection to make sure that no one gets close to you. A body guard can be with you everywhere you go and when I cannot be there," Hunny explained calmly.
Haruhi was bordering on irritated now. She felt like this was going to turn her world upside down and that is the last thing that she wanted. It felt like Yasu was still in control and he wasn't even out of jail yet, "So not only do you want me to have God only knows how many of the Ootori private police force, but you also want me to have a very conspicuous body guard following me everywhere?"
"It's for you safety," Mori said.
"Yes Haru-Chan, Takashi is right. This is for your safety. I don't trust that maniac and I want to make sure that you are safe. This will make sure that you are protected all of the time," Hunny said trying to reason with her.
Haruhi broke eye contact without saying anything and started to stare out the window. What was she supposed to say? It almost sounded like they had made the decision for her, but she knew that if she absolutely refused, they would not make her go through with their plan. The problem was that it would be beneficial and protect her like she wouldn't be otherwise. It just grated. She was never one for the riches or the security that went with her friends, but it seemed that now she didn't have much of a choice. How much was all of this going to cost her?
The trio pulled up to the restaurant and got out of the car. Haruhi had yet to speak to them about all of this. She was still trying to process it all and weigh all of the pros and cons that went along with their plan.
Hunny knew not to pressure her to talk or to take them up on their offer. That was not how she worked. She liked to think things through and work it out for herself. Plus after everything she had already been through, she didn't want to feel like she didn't have control. He held open the door to the building for her and followed her inside with Mori right behind him.
Mori didn't blame Haruhi for balking at the idea of a security team assigned to her. She wasn't used to something like that and it had been a while since she has had to deal with anything like that from their world. He did know that she was smart and would see that the benefits were too numerous to ignore and believed that she would accept their help. She just had to come to terms and figure it out for herself. No one could force her to do anything. She needed to still have the control and be able to live her life. She had to make the decision on her own.
They were shown to a back room where Kyoya was already seated. Hunny held Haruhi's chair out for her and helped her to push it in when she sat down. He sat next to her and Mori sat on his other side. He wondered as an afterthought if this was going to cause problems in their new relationship. He hoped not. She was his dream girl and he would fight for her.
"How are you doing Haruhi? Hello Mori, Hunny," Kyoya greeted them when they were all seated.
"I am ok Kyoya. How are you?" Haruhi returned politely.
Kyoya lifted an eye brow. He detected a hint of animosity in her voice, "I am well." He looked to the two older men for answers about what happened. As far as he knew they hadn't started to discuss security measures so he wondered if something else had happened with Tamaki or the twins.
"We already told her what we wanted Kyo-Chan," Hunny supplied after the waiter had left with their orders.
"I see. Well it is completely up to you Haruhi, but you would be wise to think about this thoroughly. I know you don't want to lose control of your life and that is not what we are proposing, we are just supplying extra safety measures to ensure your well-being," Kyoya said.
Haruhi gave him a hard look, "How much is this going to cost me?"
"Cost you?" Hunny asked.
"Yes, cost me. I remember my debt from high school very well. I also know that Kyoya usually requires payment or merit. So, how much?" Haruhi said looking directly at Kyoya.
"Haruhi I assure you that I am not seeking payment. Your safety is the merit. You are a friend and in need of our help. We can supply that help. We have the method and the means to make sure you are safe around the clock. Now that we have you back in our lives again and I would prefer not to cut our friendship short so soon. I do not trust Yasu, but unless he does something there is not much else I can do," Kyoya said blandly.
Haruhi studied Kyoya for a few minutes. It was rare that he laid things out on the table like that and looking at him she knew that he was telling the truth. She looked at the others seated at the table and bowed her head, "So what you are proposing is a security team covertly placed around my apartment and school. In addition, you want to have a body guard follow me around. Is that all of it?"
"Actually, the security team would also be placed around your internship and place of employment during the hours that you work. They will be on campus during normal school hours looking for Yasu. Since he doesn't know you schedule, my officers will be able to watch for him even when you are not there to make sure he isn't looking for you. They will be around your apartment around the clock to make sure you are safe and to make sure that Yasu does not get to your father. I will also station them around your father's place of employment for the same reason," Kyoya knew that playing the father card would reel her in faster, "Finally you would actually have three body guards assigned to you so that they work in shifts and you are protected 24 hours a day. We want to make sure you keep the control you have regained kept in your life. It is, however, your decision if you accept our help or not."
Haruhi had not considered her father in all of this. She would not put it past Yasu to do something to her father in order to get to her. She swallowed hard and thought about all of the ramifications. This was not only about her, but was also about her father. She turned her fearful gaze upon her friends. She could not find her voice before the waiter returned with their drinks.
Hunny saw Haruhi shaking and knew she just realized that her father could be in danger also. He moved his chair closer to her and put his arm around her waist, "It will be alright Haruhi. We just don't want anything to happen to you. We all love you." He kissed the top of her head.
Haruhi felt Hunny pull her towards him and she laid her head on his shoulder as he rubbed her back. When he was done speaking she nodded. She still couldn't manage more than a strangled whisper and said, "Ok, I will take the help. Thank you." She buried her face in Hunny's shoulder and let the tears that had gathered to fall. She was officially frightened not only for her life, but for her father's life as well.
Kyoya raised an eye brow at Hunny and Haruhi. It seems as if they have gotten even closer than before. He wondered if they had moved to the next step in their relationship, "Excellent. I will make the arrangements and have everything in place no later than Saturday. I want to be sure the men know the lay of the land and have everything staked out."
"Thank you Kyo-Chan," Hunny said quietly. He lifted Haruhi's face, "Are you alright?"
"I will be. I just didn't think of how this would all affect my father and now am even more unsettled than before," she said looking at Hunny. She straightened herself up into her chair, grabbed Hunny's hand, and said a quiet thank you to him before turning to the other two occupants in the room. She wiped her tears away and addressed everyone, "I don't want you to think that I don't appreciate the help or that I don't trust you. I probably trust you three more than anyone else right now. Thank you for thinking of my father and for everything you are doing for me."
Kyoya adjusted his glasses, "You are quite welcome. We will help you as much as we can."
Mori nodded agreeing with Kyoya, "We care."
"Yes we do. You are special to us Haru-Chan and we didn't like life without you. We will not lose you again," Hunny said squeezing her hand. He leaned in and whispered, "I can't lose you again." A few more tears fell from her eyes and Hunny wiped them away with his thumb.
"I don't want to lose you either," Haruhi said attempting to smile a little. She jumped a little when the waiter walked in with their food. She felt a little more pressure on her hand to reassure her that she was safe. She grinned a little bigger at her now boyfriend and leaned over to kiss his cheek. She may not like having a security detail, but she knew it was for the best and her friends would do what they could to protect her going forward. She released a large breath and forced herself to relax a little bit.
Kyoya watched the exchange with interest and thought, "Well it seems that they have acknowledged their feelings for each other. I was wondering how long it would take for Hunny to say something, but it appears that Haruhi has realized that she has feelings for Hunny as well. Interesting development indeed."
Mori knew that Kyoya was watching the couple and wondering what was going on. He figured the younger man probably had it figured out and was waiting on the verbal confirmation.
Hunny turned away from Haruhi and turned his attention to the others at the table. He saw Kyoya studying him. He smiled at the former vice president of the host club and nodded, "Haruhi and I are together now. Since she trusts you two, we are telling you the good news. Please do not pass it on to Tama-Chan or the twins for now."
"That will not be a problem Hunny. Congratulations you two," Kyoya smirked.
"Thank you Kyoya," Haruhi replied. Then a thought entered her mind. She looked over to Hunny, "Well I guess Tamaki might find out tomorrow since we are supposed to have lunch with him."
"I forgot about that," Hunny said looking back at her.
"Oh do we need to reschedule? I really don't feel comfortable going without you, or I guess one of you three," Haruhi said.
"I can go tomorrow. I just forgot about our lunch plans," Hunny explained.
"Ok good," Haruhi said as the knots in her stomach started to release themselves. She looked at Mori and Kyoya, "Do you two want to join us? You are more than welcome to come along."
"Court," Mori said by way of explanation on why he could not attend lunch.
Kyoya pushed his glasses up, "I actually have a lunch meeting tomorrow and honestly if I didn't, I would probably find a way not to go to lunch. He has a way of making an hour lunch turn into a few hours and I have to wind up taking the rest of the day off. I cannot and will not do that tomorrow."
Haruhi laughed, "So he hasn't changed. That sounds like something he would do." Everyone joined in her laughter and were soon digging into their meals with conversation turning to lighter topics including tomorrow's dinner plans with Satoshi.
Mori had heard about Haruhi's encounter with his little brother and found it amusing. He knew his brother had grown up since the last time she had seen him, but he figured she would still know who she was. What he found funnier was the fact that she wanted to set Beth up with him when she was already with his brother. In fact, his brother had already bought the ring and was planning on proposing at any moment. He had his eyes on someone else anyway and it was not his future sister-in-law. He laughed internally. It was good to have Haruhi back.
When the meal was complete, Kyoya left to go his way and the remaining three returned to Hunny and Mori's apartment. Haruhi was going to return to her home tonight, but she needed to get her things first. Hunny told Haruhi to stay in the car when the limo pulled up to the apartment and he ran inside with Mori so that he could grab her things. He was back in less than five minutes with her overnight bag.
Hunny walked Haruhi up to her apartment when they arrived at her complex. She invited him in for tea and although he really wanted to stay, he couldn't. He had some work to finish up tonight and gave her a kiss telling her he would see her tomorrow.
Haruhi made herself some tea and then went to bed and lay down. She released a dreamy sigh and then brought her hand up to her lips. She was happy. She turned over and went to sleep dreaming of pink bunnies and a man that loved all things cute.