Chapter 7:

Country: Japan

Population: 127 Million

Infected: 29%

Date: Sunday • December 31 • 2016

Point of View: House Group

The room had not been silent since Mori had blurted that out.

Kaoru was uncomfortably tapping his foot.

Kyoya was frantically trying to contact someone.

Tamaki was pacing and muttering to himself about god knows what.

Honey was tugging on Mori's hand and begging for him to tell him what happened.

Finally, focus was back on Mori.

Tamaki spoke first.

"Why was she hurt, Mori?"

Mori shook his head, it was all he could do before he had to lie.

"I don't know. I wish that I did. All I saw was her passing out, and then Hikaru going over and asking me to help carry her. We both got shooed out when the nurse was talking to Haruhi."

Kaoru slammed his palms onto the couch. Having gritted his teeth until he inevitably exploded.

"What did I tell you?! This is what happens when you shut someone out like that! You're only finding out this piece of information after a year! We all know you would have known sooner if you hadn't been so cruel and listened to her! Even from the first day, you didn't let her and Hikari finish when they were telling you about what the nurse said! You were just focused on spinning your narrative!"

Tamaki glared at Kaoru.

"She wouldn't have told us even if we were talking. You know how she is."

"Yes, she would have if she trusted you! Which she doesn't!"

"How dare you?! How do you know how Haruhi feels?"

"Because Hikari and I feel the same! Why do you think I never told any of you that I'm gay? Why do you think Haruhi never told you that she was attracted to women?! Why do you think we all closed ourselves off from you? Especially after Kyoya flaunted how he used Haruhi when she begged him not to say anything!"

Kyoya flinched.

"You are all notorious for using people's trust against them! Haruhi was already having a tough time, but you all just ran with your assumptions and shunned her without any proof!"

Tamaki held his head.

"But then, why did she let us think she was with a guy—"

"Because she was with someone. Her girlfriend. Who, if you'd like to know, she had to break up with because all of you've had her on full surveillance since you first shunned her!"

Tamaki threw his hands up.

"Well how were we supposed to know she was being responsible and staying focused? If we'd known that she was with a girl at least, we wouldn't have demanded a test!"

Kaoru raised an eyebrow.

"But you would have chewed her out for it still, right? What was it you said first year? About it being unnatural and uncouth for two women to be in a relationship together?"

Tamaki was red in the face at the mention of it. Stammering desperately, but completely incoherently.

Kyoya, instead of typing, was now biting his nail. Some sense of alarm on his features.

Probably because of the prospect that he had raped Haruhi, and then made it public knowledge without letting her—the victim in the situation—have a say.

"Well—She has more important things to focus on than relationships, anyway!"

He was dodging the question.

Everyone could tell he was.

Finally, Kyoya spoke up.

"That's not up to you to decide. You're just her friend."

Nobody was sure if they should appreciate Kyoya's words.

Not necessarily the fact that they'd been spoken, but the fact that they'd come from him of all people.

"Yeah, and it's not up to Ranka, either."

"Yes it is! He's her father! He's the one who has made the sacrifices for her to become a lawyer! She doesn't get to just throw all of that effort away like she doesn't care! And she definitely doesn't get to act like we're doing something terrible to her by trying to steer her in the right direction!"

Kyoya swallowed, face displaying an uncharacteristic level of shame as he shut his laptop.

No word sounded from him. But it still felt as if he was having a monologue.

"Kyoya?"

No reply came.

At least, not until fifteen minutes of silence had passed—unbeknownst to Kyoya.

"I raped her, Tamaki. She was scared of what we would do if she said no. How does that not horrify you?"

It was only then that Kyoya recognized his surroundings. And recognized that Mori, Kaoru, and Honey had moved to another room—probably because they couldn't stand to be around the two anymore.

Kyoya didn't blame them.

Tamaki tried to swallow something back. Something that felt awful to even acknowledge.

"That wasn't—Kyoya, she said yes."

Kyoya's whole atmosphere darkened further.

"That means nothing if it was coerced, or forced out due to fear. Why—Why are you trying to make me feel better about it? You should be trying to reach Haruhi to comfort her!"

Tamaki tried to keep his voice down.

Well, actually, it was physically impossible for him to raise his voice at that point.

"You couldn't have known that. If anything, we should have recognized that she would try harder to lie. Since everything else makes that impossible."

Kyoya looked up at him, allowing Tamaki to see the red lining his eyes.

"You aren't thinking about her. That's what your problem is."

Kyoya got off of the couch, walking numbly out of the room.

"Go tell Ranka if you want. Maybe it'll put things into perspective if you hear your words from someone else."

Kyoya slipped through the door as it clicked shut. Leaving an echo.

And leaving Tamaki all alone.

Instinctively, he decided to take Kyoya up on his suggestion.

He called Ranka.