In the last chapter, I mentioned the Procureur du Roi. He is a character from Alexander Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo, where he is more commonly called Villefort.
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Tamaki sprinted into the club room, a letter at hand. "Haruhi!" The brunette turned around at her table and faced him. "A letter just came from Dao-kohai addressed to you."
Haruhi took the letter from him and read:
Dearest Haruhi:
I'd like to thank you for returning my books to me yesterday. I very much appreciated your gesture.
Anywho, I'd like to apologize for my conduct with dealing with Katsumi.
I should not have been so brash or defensive. I'm just used to people sticking their nose up to us and have grown tired of it.
I am very loyal to my sister, as you may have guessed, so any appearance of maligning her kind of sets me off.
I'll be sure to fix that in the future ^^;
Please send my regards to the club, as I cannot come today. I have to attend to Yasuko's wake.
I have included my address if anybody in the club would like to attend. Be sure to call.
Sincerely, Keindrich Daokiju
1216 Michi Gyoza
Ouran, JPN
She looked back up at Tamaki. "If he was sorry for his outburst, why not apologize to Katsumi?"
He looked out the window at the clock tower. "Katsumi mentioned living with him before she herself left. Perhaps he already did apologize. I wouldn't know, as I wasn't handed anything else."
After a pause, he groaned. "I can imagine what indignity he must have felt being insulted like that. Though I respect her, it wounded me to hear my grandmother malign my mother before requesting I leave for Japan. I had to hold my tongue for her sake. However, Dao-kohai seems very justice-oriented; he grew up in a middle-class family much like yourself and earned his wealth by labor."
Kyoya opened his black ledger and flipped through the pages. "Keindrich was not born into the family, though. He was adopted by a widowed jeweler named Iwao Daokiju as a baby." Tamaki, the twins, and some of the guests gasped. "His youngest child Yasuko found him on her way home from day-care and told her father. They could not find an orphanage nearby and thus took the child in themselves.
"His biological parents are unknown, but judging by his attributes, one might say that he was of Irish descent, which would explain the foreign name had he had it prior to adoption. Oddly enough, the gender section of his file has not been filled on his paperwork so it is possible that he might only be assuming a masculine role.
"So does that mean that Kein-chan is an okama like Mr. Fujioka," Honey blurted through a mouthful of cake.
"Or maybe an onabe like Ha-" Hikaru started, but Kaoru covered his mouth. He was going to say 'like Haruhi' but nobody was actually supposed to know she was a girl. "Krrgtffmfs!" (Kaoru, get off my face!) He pried at Kaoru's hands, but he wouldn't let go.
"We can't be sure. He could just be an androgynous boy." Kyoya closed his book. "Until we find out for sure, let's just assume that.
"So we're going to attend the wake, right?" Haruhi asked.
"KRR! Krrllgg! LTGG!" (Kaoru! Kaoru, let go! Let go!)
Tamaki's head whipped around as he barked, "Dammit, Kaoru, quit suffocating your brother. It's over and done with." Kaoru gasped and removed his hand. Hikaru wheezed and coughed. Their guests laughed and shook their heads.
"What's a wake?" Honey asked.
"A dead person is taken home one last time," Mori answered.
"Yes, there was one held for my mother," Haruhi continued. "Dad and I prayed over her body for a night and said our last goodbyes before her funeral. Sometimes a family will have one and skip the other and go straight to burial or cremation."
"And cremation is..." Kaoru trailed off.
"That's when a person's body is put into a furnace to burn to ashes. Their remains are then kept in a vase or urn and put in a safe place. Sometimes, family members will keep the ashes in a vial or special necklace as a memento. A relative of mine requested cremation in his will because he couldn't give any of his organs to science anymore."
"Cancer?" guessed Hikaru. Haruhi nodded. "I'll go if Kaoru's in."
"Of course I'm going. She was my girlfriend; why wouldn't I?"
"I'll go too, guys. I want to pray for Yasuko," Honey said, not nearly so chipper as he was a second ago. Mori nodded, indicating his participation.
"I wish to attend and pray as well," Tamaki chimed. "It's only right that I am there to support Dao-kohai. He needs friends now."
"Of course I'm going." Everybody looked at Kyoya in surprise. "What? I don't have a reason to refuse. Besides, I wanted to pay my respects. Is that a problem with you?"
"N-no. Not at all," they all said.
The floor opened up to give way to a rising pedestal. From her spot in the center, a black-clad girl-Renge Houshakuji-leapt to the ground. Her voice was somewhat chipper, but doubtless quieter than usual. "I heard the news about Yasuko Daokiju. I'd like to attend as well. She almost always appreciated my quirky cosplays and sometimes played Doki Doki Memorial with me. Her laughter was almost as contagious as mine. It's only right I share my tears with her as well."
The door to the Black Magic Club opened and out came its president-Umehito Nekozawa-bearing a bouquet of lilies. "To pay my respects." He handed them to Tamaki. "Please bring these for me and tell the family that I offer my condolences for their lost daughter." He dashed back into his refuge and slammed the door.
"Hello there, Haru-" I blinked as I noticed that there were not one but eight silhouettes at my door. I could have sworn I only invited Haruhi to this wake. Instead, he brought the Host Club. This was going to be a long night for us all. But hey-it was great to know that they really cared about her.
Papa came out of the kitchen to greet our visitors. He looked much more surprised than I did, as he didn't know a single one of them. The Club felt this tension as well and stared at him. A few seconds of silence passed, then he fixed his eyes me. "Keindrich, I thought that we were only inviting one or two of your friends. Furthermore, I thought you were referring to Masuyo or Hiroki. Who are these people?"
I stammered before finding my words. "These are my friends from school. They are the Ouran Host Club. I, um, invited them here." They introduced themselves without any excess flourishes or hesitation. How drab...
Iwao nodded and tucked a black bang behind his ear. "Very well. My name is Iwao Daokiju. I am Keindrich and Yasuko's father. Please come in, children. The procession will be starting shortly." He returned to the kitchen.
The host club approached the casket and stared at the carving on the lid. It read: 'Arca Archa Columbae'-'box of doves'. "My father ordered it carved for her. As a kid, she sometimes held funerals for pigeons who fell off the electric lines onto the street. She thought she'd be saved from becoming a bird that way; it's said you came back in the next life as the last thing you killed."
Kyoya blanched. I'm guessing he killed a ladybug or something. I smiled at him. "It's alright; I'll most likely be coming back as a bumblebee, Kyoya."
He sighed. "You do realize what you're implying..." Yes, exactly what I said, dumbass.
I heard another rap on the door. I opened it and saw my pals. "Come in, guys." They took one step and immediately noticed the Host Club by the casket. The trio rushed up to them. "Uhm, guys, this is the Ouran Host Club. They were friends with my sister. Hosts, these are my friends Masuyo Idane and Hiroki Marubeni, and my cousin Sango Torii." They all introduced themselves and shook hands.
Papa peeked in. "Oh joy," he groaned, "they are here. It appears Yasuko was too friendly for her own good." We all chuckled a bit. Thank God for sardonic dads to break the ice.
SANGO
So these people were Kein-niisan's classmates? They were all so tall and handsome. They didn't seem like a "Host Club" though; I figured they'd be cheerful and funny. Right now, they were just whispering and observing Yasuko's coffin. Then again, this was a funeral wake; there's no real reason to look cheery with death in the home.
I never really knew Yasuko all that well. My father scarcely spoke of Uncle Iwao, nor did we ever visit him or his family. I met her on my fifth birthday when I was picking out a ring as a gift. That's when I met Kein-niisan as well.
She was always busy at the store when I visited, especially since I bought most of my jewelry from her. When we did meet up, she was usually quiet and half-mindedly listened to my stories as she worked. Keindrich said she was friendly toward most people, but I think the word he was looking for was 'forbearing'; I didn't feel that connected to her, or that she really paid me much attention.
She seemed to have a lot to do even on downtime. According to oniisan, she cooked supper, did the family's laundry, washed dishes and did the grocery shopping in addition to managing the store. She was apparently trying to look responsible enough to attend Ouran Academy. Unfortunately, now all those duties got heaved on his shoulders. I think all she needed was a day off; her fatigue might have played a part in her passing.
A black-haired boy approached me with a notebook at hand. He had rather dark eyes that faded into the dimness of the room. His smile seemed friendly enough, but his air was a smidge unnerving. I bet that's how Keindrich feels every day now that he goes to school with this guy. "Hello there," he said. "Sango Torii, was it? I take it you're a friend of Yasuko's."
I shook my head. "She's a cousin on my father's side. We didn't speak much, but I made sure to buy jewelry from her when I could." I lifted a section of hair up, revealing my ears. he glanced at them for a moment. "You see these earrings? I custom ordered them from the shop for my tenth birthday."
"I see. They are truly fine craftsmanship. Lapis lazuli if I am not mistaken." I was a bit impressed with him just then. I saw Keindrich perk up out of my peripherals; he himself had made these earrings.
Just then, I saw a really tall man approach us. I was enthralled by his stature and could not resist gawking. His eyes were really dark, but they were sharp. He had definite muscles to him-I could see them through his jacket. And that jaw had some real angle to it. He must have been a professional wrestler in a past life or something. He was so macho, so...handsome.
He must have noticed that I was staring because he soon stared right at me. "H-hi," I mumbled.
Kyoya looked up from his notebook. "Don't worry, Mori won't crush you or anything. He's rather docile." I smirked at him. You say it like he's an animal and not a dude. "Mori-sempaii, this is Keindrich and Yasuko's cousin, Sango Torii. Sango, this is a third-year member of ours, Takashi Morinozuka. Most people simply call him Mori."
He held out his hand to me. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." I took it and shook it as firmly as I could without ripping his shoulder out. He stared at me again. I swiped my hand away. I felt my chest quiver on the inside. He was indeed handsome, but really scary.
"Takashi, Kyo-chan" a little boy called, "Mr. Daokiju says that we should pay our respects now while the casket is still open." His blonde hair was so voluminous and had a lot of shine to it. His eyes were a nice brownish color. They reminded me of the bottom of a Hershey kiss with flecks of foil shining in the candlelight. He held a pink stuffed bunny close to his chest and for a moment it looked like it stuck its tongue out at me-as if it really had one. I'd have to call his look sort of...'whimsical'? No, it'd be 'charming'.
He turned to me and gave me a big grin. "I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation. I'm Mitsukuni Haninozuka, Takashi's cousin."
I stared at him again. A child like him in high school. Really now? He looked down at his bunny. "I get that reaction a lot from strangers. I used to be kinda embarrassed about looking like a little kid, but it's alright now." Oh, he was normal age but just had a baby face...and dwarfism, I suppose. That made much more sense.
I smiled at him and leaned in close. "Between you and me," I whispered, "Yasuko was only eighteen, but I noticed she was getting a few gray hairs and mild frown lines. She also used a cane to get to tall shelves."
"How can somebody look so old like that?"
I shrugged. "I'd have to say stress. I wouldn't be surprised to find a box of Nitrostat in their bathroom."
Keindrich snapped his head around and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, Papa isn't that old." Mitskuni and I looked at each other and attempted to suppress a laugh. Sure oniisan, we were talking about Uncle Iwao...