The drive home from Narita Airport was silent. Sitting in an enclosed space for 13 hours and 55 minutes took a toll on anyone. Chizuru was just glad to be off that plane. She looked at the view of the ocean. There was nothing like the of the sun sharply piercing the ocean. Light carefully reflected off the dark blue ocean hue.
She leaned her head against the window as she continued to look at the familiar landscape. "Ito-san, can we take the longer route home?"
"Of course, Chizuru-sama. Would you like 'that' route?"
"If possible." Chizuru looked at her chauffer's eyes through the rearview mirror. They had their usual telepathic communication.
'They're not in a hurry to meet me, right?'
'No, Chizuru-sama.'
Chizuru took a deep breath and rolled the window down and let the ocean breeze in. Ito-san has been Chizuru's designated driver ever since. He knew the routine well. After passing through the coastal road, he simply followed the course of the Marunochi train line. He passed by the Imperial Palace, then turn left to Tokyo Station. She looked at all the tourists, couple, and even prenuptial photo shoots all happening simultaneously. Later on, they would pass by the western entrance of Shinjuku park offering a glimpse of the imposing trees all lined up in a multiple rows without a single leaf in place. Once they passed Yoyogi Hachimangu Shrine, the gate to the Maihara residence would be found on the left.
It wasn't the type of residence that was flashy or imposing as the Suoh Main Mansion. If one wasn't purposely looking for the Maihara residence, there would be a high chance they could miss it. As they approached the gates, they followed the usual safety protocol. It was nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual security measures kept in place by their family. Ito-san flashed his identification card as well as the car pass. The guards inspect the vehicle for any irregularities.
Chizuru saw the guard speak into the radio and continued to inspect the car. "3-3 has arrived."
"Yuuto-san, you're on night duty today?" She leaned half of her body out the window and waved with both her hands.
"Welcome home, Chizuru-sama." The guard bowed deeply. "Just the day shift for now."
"Alright! Say 'hi' to your wife for me." Chizuru waved to the rest of the security staff as the car went through the gates. She could hear from the security intercom of the car. "0-1 is expecting 3-3 at the main mansion for tea." For safety purposes, whereabouts of the members of the Maihara Family were disseminated through code.
'So obaasama was waiting for me.' Chizuru sighed as she bit the bottom of her lip.
"Shall we go to the main mansion or would you like to freshen up first?" her chauffer and close confidant asked.
"You know how much obaasama loves waiting." Chizuru pursed her lips and sighed. She smiled when she heard a faint chuckle from Ito-san.
"Understood." He drove the car towards the direction of the main mansion instead.
Kyoya looked at the scene unfold in front of him. It was battlefield and there was bloodbath laid in front of him. Disco lights, more drinks, karaoke, and the Host Club was chaotic combination. He assumed that the dinner was enough to 'celebrate' the occasion. Tamaki thought that heading to a karaoke bar belt their hearts out and to sing in unison was a perfect way to end the night. They even invited Mei and Kasanoda to the festivities. In all honesty, he would rather have spent the night in peace and quiet. He was at the end of the hall yet he could still hear Tamaki's voice from where he was.
"Near, far, whereveeeeer you are"
"You missed them, didn't you?" Chizuru was already sitting comfortably while having a cup of coffee by the exit.
"I didn't notice you left the room." He placed his hands in his pocket. It was far too cold to stay outside but he didn't have the mental fortitude continue listening to Tamaki sing another Celine Dion song.
He saw the vending machine and mulled over the options available. He pressed the button for hot americano coffee and took out his wallet. Unfortunately the smallest bill he had was 10,000 yen. He searched his pockets for change. Slightly annoyed he couldn't even purchase a 200 yen drink since he didn't have any coins with him.
Chizuru took out her coin purse and placed in two hundred yen coins in the machine. "It's fine." She pat Kyoya's shoulder lightly to signal him to stop looking for coins.
"Thank you." Kyoya said with a short bow to express his gratitude.
They watched the machine dispense the coffee and sat beside each other in comfortable silence. They've grown so accustomed with each other that not every moment had to filled with meaningless conversation. Kyoya was relieved Chizuru wasn't the type to be uneasy with silence. He thought Chizuru was someone he could easily see through. To an extent, he was correct but she proved to be more fascinating than his initial impression.
First, she flows with chaos in as much as she does with peace. She doesn't try to fully control the situation, yet she doesn't let circumstance completely consume her.
Second, she didn't play games. Schemes, lies, and ploys were her weaknesses. Instead, she was naturally adept at understanding others. She carefully observed people around her and had this uncanny ability of supporting those around her. Raj and Andrew succinctly called her an 'empath'.
Third, she was terribly materialistic. He was used to seeing a certain level of frivolousness, but Chizuru was on a different level. She didn't treat bags, clothes, and shoes as something utilitarian. She didn't simply follow trends, but would go out of her way to purchase vintage pieces and rare items in the name of art and investment to justify her vices.
Fourth, her sincerity was her strength and her undoing.
"Nevermind I'll find someoooone like youuuuuuu"
They both winced at the sudden belting of Tamaki and Benio. At the center of Shinjuku, this sort of thing was acceptable. The place was teeming with young adults, tourists, and a few scammers here and there. It was crowded, noisy, and energetic. On a Friday night, it was expected to see a number of drunk office workers, students, and tourists roaming the area. From their field of vision, they could see a tourist already passed out on the sidewalk.
"You could just say you didn't like feel like doing karaoke." Chizuru leaned against the railing and broke the silence. She often wondered why Kyoya rarely protested with the whims of his friends. "This isn't exactly your type of place."
"It doesn't matter if this is the type of place I'd go to." He drank half his coffee to keep himself warm.
"Living to the reputation of okaasan, I see. As if the expectations that came with being an Ootori wasn't enough"
Chizuru celebrated when she saw a short laugh coming from her emotionally restrained companion. It took time for her to really find the type of jokes that made him laugh, but all she had to do was to just say something a little bit self-deprecating and cynical to humor him.
"It's the cliiiiiiiiiiiiiiimb!"
Both of them looked at the direction of the sudden. They knew they were celebrating the comeback of the two overseas students, but specifically playing every single cliché English song they knew was too much.
Kyoya drank the last of his coffee and crushed the cup with his hand. "Are you done with yours?" he held out his hand and Chizuru handed her empty cup so it can be properly disposed. This wasn't like America where trash would sometimes be left in certain areas or you can simply just throw it in whatever trash bin was available. The intricacy of the trash segregation and recycling policies in Japan was practically an artform.
He watched Chizuru wince again at the sound coming from the karaoke room. "I thought you liked this sort of thing?"
Chizuru couldn't even hide her displeasure. "I do, but the combination of Tamaki and Benibara's voice is just too much. Even for me."
Individually, Tamaki and Benibara had their own abilities in singing but their voices poorly harmonized and practically clashed. There were certain types of voices that should never sing together.
"You belong with meeeeee. Have you ever thought just may-beeeeeee you belong with meeeeee."
"Do you want another coffee?" Chizuru couldn't hide her growing displeasure and concern as she heard the screaming coming from inside. It made her question her taste in women for a brief moment.
"Yes please."
They both decided it was better to stay outside for the meantime, until Benibara and Tamaki's energy is fully depleted. They just continued their usual conversation by the bench outside beside the vending machine pass the time. It didn't take long until Kaoru, Honey, and Mori left the room for the same reason as well. Everyone was reaching their Tamaki and Benibara threshold.
"Nee, I'm getting tired already." Honey started to rub his eyes. He looked around the hall and saw no one else there. "I guess Kyo-chan and Chizu-chan left already."
"They must have been tired from the flight." Kaoru rationalized.
"How much longer until our time slot ends, Kao-chan?" Honey yawned.
"We still have…" Kaoru a looked at his watch. "54 minutes until we finish."
Honey smiled despite his sleepiness. "54 minutes? Tama-chan and Benio-chan hogged the mic again. For sure Tama-chan's going to complain that his throat hurts tomorrow."
It seemed like the party was shifting to the hallway since Mei and Kasanoda suddenly went out. They were muttering how they could barely hear themselves and it felt like their ears were already ringing because of the highly enthusiastic singing happening inside. The energy inside was overwhelming.
"I thought my fucking eardrums were going to burst." Mei closed her eyes as she tugged her ears. She blinked her eyes a few times to adjust to the sudden change in lights.
"You're okay, right?" Kasanoda looked at his girlfriend with concern.
"Bossa nova-chi, it's good that you guys are free. Since it was a last minute invitation and all." Kaoru was glad to see Bossanova and Mei. They were an unlikely couple. Both had very strong features, but somehow they looked good together. Their love story was one of the Hitachiin brothers' successful matchmaking stories. A testament to their skill in matchmaking.
"They're not stopping anytime soon, are they?" Mei rolled her eyes. It was amazing how Haruhi and Tamaki were literally opposites but somehow their relationship worked well.
"Not anytime soon." Kaoru commented. "Is Hikaru still asleep?"
Kasanoda nodded. "Knocked out completely. He drank half of the drinks earlier."
"Hey, skank you still owe me." Mei placed her arms over the calmer and more rational Hitachiin. They've developed a healthy insult slur ritual against each other to prove their competitive friendship.
"I'll let you know once we're letting in ganguro styled people into the mansion." Kaoru bantered. "How about I treat you to some vending machine coffee instead?"
"Deal."
They continued walking down the hall and saw that the vending machine close to the their room was broken. They went to the opposite side of the hall to see if there was another place to get drinks. All the singing and clapping along made them thirsty anyways.
"Hinako found models already, right?" Mei confirmed. "She told me we're going for a cute concept this time."
"Yeah, we're going to use Haruhi."
Mei raised a brow. "Really? Haruhi again? Remember the-" her trail of thought suddenly was lost. The karaoke room was dark so it was difficult to see people in general. She was briefly introduced to Hinako's friend, but it was too loud she could barely hear her name. Maihara something? Maihara Chisato? Chizuru? She wasn't too sure. At this moment though her name didn't matter. She's never seen someone so exceptional and put together. Everything in this woman's outfit was well-curated.
"Mei, are you okay?" Kasanoda was worried because she suddenly stopped talking. He followed the direction of her stare.
Ritsu Kasanoda tried to see what was bothering his girlfriend. It was just Ootori-senpai talking with the friend of Amakusa-senpai. He couldn't pinpoint what Mei was seeing, but there was something different between Ootori-senpai and this woman. There was definitely something in the air, but he couldn't understand.
Kaoru blinked a few times as he saw the couple staring into space. "Mei-chan, Bossa nova-chi. What are you guys staring at?"
Mei and Kasanoda pointed at the scene in front of them. This made Kaoru, Honey, and Mori all looked towards the same general direction. Kyoya sat down with his arms crossed as usual, but there was something different with how he conducted himself. He seemed just a bit more relaxed. They saw Chizuru come back with two bottles of coffee from the vending machine outside.
"What's wrong?" Kaoru stared at the scene. He knew the two became quite close so there was nothing out of the ordinary.
Chizuru sat down and Kyoya took both bottles from her hands. He opened one of the bottles and handed it back to Chizuru as they were talking. If this were a different person, Kaoru wouldn't even bat an eye, but this was Kyoya Ootori. The events unfolded naturally but seeing Kyoya-senpai of all people acting as felt out of place. Almost unnatural. Sure, it was just like him to even prepare a red carpet and feast for an event that brought merit, but it didn't feel the same. The Kyoya they knew wouldn't even bother opening doors for anyone if the situation didn't call for it.
Kasanoda cleared his throat. It dawned to him. It was the very same technique Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai used. A tried and tested way to decrease a person's intimidating features. "D-did Ootori-senpai find himself a 'lovely item'?"
Kaoru framed the two individuals between his hands an briefly covered Chizuru. Without her in the picture, it was the same intimidating Kyoya they knew. When he uncovered Chizuru, the scary factor was decreased. He shook his head. It couldn't be that. "No. Maybe it's just Milords voice messing with our vision."
It didn't take long for Kyoya and Chizuru to realize there were five frozen individuals staring at them. She waved cheerfully as she usually did as opposed to Kyoya's nonchalant attitude. "Did you guys want coffee too?"
Chizuru didn't wait for their answer and stood in front of the machine and placed all the remaining coins she had left. "What did you guys want?"
"Chizu-chan, I want the strawberry matcha latte. Did you want a cappuccino, Takashi?"
"Hnn."
"How about the rest of you? It looks like there's only americano left, would that be alright with you?"
Kaoru, Mei, and Kasanoda all expressed their approval. There wasn't much of a choice anyways. Anything hot was better than nothing since it the temperature was below 10 degrees. Chizuru handed them their drinks. She even offered for Mei to sit down beside Kyoya.
"No. I'm good. Thanks." Mei politely declined. She did want to sit, but the thought of sitting beside Kyoya sent chills down her spine. Ritsu may look scary, but he wouldn't harm a fly. Kyoya Ootori didn't have the same fearsome features, but he was scarier than Ritsu. She thought Kyoya was those kind of guys who looked innocent, but would burn cities to the ground if it would make things go their way.
Honey sat down beside Kyoya instead. "Kyo-chan, it seems like you and Chizu-chan are really good friends. You even opened a bottle for her."
Kaoru froze. Was Honey-senpai trying to get more information? He's always been sly with these things. He was possibly the only one who could get away with direct confrontation with the Shadow King.
"Ah, you saw that?" Kyoya showed no signs of discomfort.
"He's my bottle opener, jar opener, or anything that requires a twisting motion opener." Chizuru explained as she made a twisting motion with her hands. "I injured my wrist last week. So it's a bit difficult for me to open these things."
"It must be hard for you, Chizu-chan."
"No, not at all. Kyoya's been a great help." Chizuru smiled warmly.
"You're right! She really is Kyoya-senpai's 'lovely item'." Kaoru exclaimed. It flashed right in front of him. The more he stared at Kyoya and Chizuru the more it made sense. Lovely item was a go! That's why their chemistry felt different even during dinner. It was the first time he saw the dynamic and he couldn't believe such a combination could exist.
"Lovely item?" Mei was confused. "What in the world is that?" she whispered to Kaoru. She wasn't following the entire charade.
"Look at Mori-senpai." Kaoru explained as he gestured to the stoic man across them. "When seen alone, he looks mean and cold. If you see him with Honey-senpai-"
Mei froze. Now she saw what Ritsu and Kaoru meant. "Ootori-san alone is cold and intimidating, but with Maihara-san in the picture he looks mysterious and more like a quiet, reserved intellectual type."
Kyoya raised a brow. "What foolish ideas are you conjuring now?"
"Kyoya…have you been using me to look nicer? I thought our friendship was more than that." Chizuru her voice had a hint of disappointment. "Maybe that's why more girls approach you since we've been friends."
He pushed his glasses and rolled his eyes. "You're blowing things out of proportion."
Mei crossed her arms and looked at the 'lovely item'. "It makes sense that Ootori-san also has a sophisticated looking 'lovely item'." she suddenly voiced out as she continued to study Chizuru's ensemble. It was the entire package. Her demeanor, clothing, and even make-up just blended well with Kyoya's style. Having someone too cute as Kyoya's 'lovely item' would just make the combination forced.
"The skirt with that sweater makes it a sophisticated yet laid back look but—"
Those words were music to Chizuru's ears. If there was something that instantly made Chizuru friends with anyone, even the world's most highhanded dictator, it was someone who appreciated her fashion sense. She went closer to Mei and completed her sentence. "These lavender boots and brown trench coat just gives it that right amount of playful edge at the same time."
"Yeah! Exactly! Are those—"
"2015 Atelier Versace leather gogo boots." Chizuru gushed as she did a quick turn to show her boots. "The sweater is Armani."
Mei gasped. "I didn't know Armani made cropped sweaters. Is that a new edition?"
Chizuru looked around snickered. She went closer to Mei and whispered. "This sweater was an accident so no one else has this."
Kaoru looked closely at the sweater Chizuru was wearing. He recognized that grey cashmere sweater. "Kyoya-senpai, didn't you have a sweater just like that?"
"That's mine." Kyoya replied. He saw the look of confusion on the faces of their other companions. Like they were trying to picture him wearing a cropped sweater. "Well, it was." He added to correct his previous statement.
"Someone made a mistake with the dryer settings and ended up shrinking several items of clothing." Chizuru had a smug look on her face. She sat beside Kyoya and had a cheeky grin on her face. "They shouldn't cut off all the tags if they weren't sure what setting to use."
Kyoya pushed his glasses and ignored the mocking expression on Chizuru's face. He wanted to rationalize how irritating it was to keep the tags on his clothes. He hated the itchy or poking sensation when he'd wear clothes with tags. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he had to do the laundry himself. It was merely a one-time event. There was no merit for him to be defensive. He let her have the win for now, but he will have his retribution when the opportunity presents itself.
Haruhi ignored the snow as she ran out of the ballroom. The sound of the orchestra, multiple conversations happening simultaneously, and the overwhelming number of guests started to get to her. Her heart was pounding. She thought she must have had a better grasp of Tamaki's world by now. She thought that her experience in high school and college at Ouran was enough to prepare her for this. Suddenly, she felt this foreign weight on her shoulders. Was this the burden her friends carried all their lives? She thought she understood the weight of these expectations or that she wouldn't be bothered by it. The stares and looks a number of guests had during the engagement party was evident. She wasn't blind to their judgments. She can take being insulted, but questioning the mental soundness of her lineage?
'A daughter brought up by a single father who works as an okama? What has the world come to these days?'
'I heard her mother died early because of an illness. How unfortunate.'
'Maybe their son pitied her situation.'
Haruhi did everything in her power to stop herself from crying during the party. It was her engagement party. She didn't have to run and hide. She knew that her friends and classmates didn't think the same way. She knew that the people who were there to truly celebrate her engagement with Tamaki didn't see her in that light. She only knew like around forty people from the guest list since they were all classmates. Kyoya-senpai gave her an orientation about this the day before, but seeing it in real life was something else. It didn't mean that being given a heads up meant that the wounds would sting less.
"What are you doing out here?" Chizuru handed her a tissue which was ignored. She leaned closer to get a better view of Haruhi. She knew that look very well.
Uncertainty.
Doubt.
Fear.
The very same emotions that kept Chizuru company at night and sang her sleep. She sat down gently so as not to startle the Tanuki-like girl fretting by the gardens. "Penny for your thoughts?"
Chizuru carefully wiped off Haruhi's tears to stop her makeup from running. "We need to make sure no one knows you were crying. You can't let them know they got to you."
There was always something comforting about Chizuru's presence. Haruhi recalled the brief conversation they had when the Zuka Club 'brought' her to play the main heroine of their play. It was actually the words Chizuru told her that moved her to step in.
'I apologize. We have crossed a few boundaries.' Chizuru glanced at Haruhi. 'Benio has a strained relationship with her mother which is why she always does her best during these performances. If you're not comfortable with participating, no one will hold anything against you. I'll talk to Benio and we'll find another solution.'
Somehow Haruhi found herself opening up to Chizuru. She fidgeted with the hem of her dress. Feelings of jealousy, resentment, shame, and inadequacy filled her entire being. "How do you stand parties like this?" The air was so thick it felt suffocating.
"You'll get used to it." She reassured as she gently placed her hand on Haruhi's shoulder.
Haruhi wiped the last of her tears. She shouldn't let those comments get to her but she's never felt so defeated. "It's easy for you to say that, but we commoners live differently. I wish I could be like you guys. You all look so put together."
Chizuru snorted. She took a deep breath and stared briefly at the sky. "I understand how difficult it is to adjust with all these changes. I had a hard time adjusting to it as well."
"Wait." Haruhi caught the words 'hard time adjusting'. "Aren't you from a prominent family? Honey-senpai mentioned that your family was on the same standing as Tamaki and Kyoya-senpai's." She was sure she met Chizuru's parents and grandmother earlier since they were also listed as one priority guests to be acknowledged during the orientation Tamaki's grandmother gave her.
"I wasn't always part of the Maihara family." Chizuru had a smile on her face. She didn't feel too affected by it anymore. Hearing the same insult over the years lost it intended effect already. "My mother had me out of wedlock." She paused for a few seconds and gently squeezed Haruhi's shoulder. "It's not exactly a secret, but no one talks about these things. I can tell you about my family. It might temporarily take your mind off your troubles if you'd let me?"
Haruhi was silent. She'd usually ask these things bluntly, but she wasn't feeling like herself. "You're in the same situation as Tamaki?"
Chizuru laughed. She wished she had that story, but alas she had the shorter end of the stick. "I guess? It's a kind of the same...but different."
Given all sorts of family drama Haruhi has heard from the Hosts and their customers from their Host Club days, she was convinced that nothing more that can surprise her. She's heard it all. Neglected childhood, unworldly expectations, arranged marriages, and even mistresses. So, Chizuru started her story from the beginning. She mentioned how her maternal grandfather had a child out of wedlock. How that person was her mother. A commoner. She then explained how her mother was taken in by her grandfather. He had another daughter around the same age and they were raised as siblings.
"My mother and her half-sister grew up together. Then there was a time though when my grandfather's company was experiencing financial troubles." Chizuru pursed her lips together.
"So your grandfather proposed your mother to marry into to the Maihara clan?" Haruhi asked. That was the common solution for these rich people.
"That's half true." Chizuru had a sour smile. "Of course, they would expect the 'legitimate' heir and daughter to be offered as the bride. Given my mother's situation, that wasn't her."
"I'm confused. I thought the woman earlier was your mother?" Haruhi saw Chizuru's mother earlier. They didn't look exactly the same, but they looked similar. Chizuru resembled her father and grandmother more.
"My mother and father had a bit of an accident. One night stands can get really messy." She paused for a minute. She can only imagine how difficult it was to do such a feat during that time. "By the time my mother realized she was pregnant, she fled the country. It was also around the same time my father's marriage to my aunt was finalized."
Chizuru looked at Haruhi and noticed that her makeup needed some retouching. She took out her blush and mascara to make sure that Haruhi was presentable when they got back. "So I lived a normal 'commoner' life in California until I was eight. We lived a normal and happy life. Unfortunately, my mother died in a car crash."
"Your mother died?! I thought the woman inside was your mother?" Haruhi exclaimed. The information she knew and the one she's hearing didn't add up.
"Shhh…stop moving. You'll ruin your make up." Chizuru sighed. Haruhi really looked like a Tanuki with her eyeliner and mascara running. Chizuru took some more wipes from her bag and tried to salvage whatever she could.
"It didn't take long for the Maihara Clan to trace my roots when they heard the death of an estranged family member. However, they noticed the striking resemblance I had with my father. Suddenly, they were able to put things together and with the advent of science and genetic testing, they figured out I was my father's biological daughter."
"So wait. Let me get this straight." Haruhi didn't know how to describe her emotions. Shocked is an understatement at this point. "Your adoptive…No. Your legal mother is actually your mother's sister?"
"Correct. I was a convenient solution. My aunt had difficulty bearing children. To solve their problem for not having an heir, my father officially acknowledged me as his daughter."
"So your dad got your mom pregnant but he married your mom's half-sister?" Haruhi repeated. She blinked several times hoping to process the information. Was this a sitcom? Did these things actually happen in real life?
Chizuru nodded. Even if she didn't mean for Haruhi to be too stunned with her life story, she achieved her intended goal which was to distract her. Japanese socialites were underhanded and subtle with their words. Flattery came out of their mouths, but their eyes have already passed their judgement.
"When I came here I couldn't even differentiate a salad fork from a dessert fork. I spoke very little Japanese." Chizuru lightly recalled. She continued to fix Haruhi's hair and tucked the loose strands off her face. "I just woke up one day in a completely different environment with plenty of rules. I couldn't go out or speak to anyone out of turn. I had to know which leg and hand to put down first when bowing. How to drink tea properly. You know, all the works. Just like you, I had to learn from the start."
Haruhi was stunned. "Wow. I…I'm sorry. I thought-"
Chizuru waved her hand. Dismissing whatever thought her little Tanuki friend had. "It's okay. It's not like I have a poster on my back saying 'illegitimate daughter'. It helps that my mother and aunt look alike. No one really questions my legitimacy anymore. People made all sorts of rumors. Some even think I was conceived through a surrogate." Chizuru joked lightly. "This is why I understand the adjustments you'll face. Haruhi Fujioka and Haruhi Suoh are going to conflict with each other from time to time."
Chizuru pulled Haruhi up to a standing position. She straightened Haruhi's gown and dusted it off. "There are things only Haruhi Fujioka could do and the other half can only be done by Haruhi Suoh." She tried to fix Haruhi's dress again since she wasn't satisfied with the way the gown was draping her friend's frame. It's like the ungodly amount of tulle was eating her up. "When you accepted Tamaki's proposal, I'm sure you understood you didn't just marry him. You married the family and institution he represents."
""Accepting Tamaki must have been easy for you." She took Haruhi's hand into hers and squeezed it lightly.
Haruhi averted Chizuru's gaze. "It wasn't. I literally had a fever when I found out I had feelings for him."
Chizuru tried her best not to snicker, but the amusement was evident in her expression. She regained her composure quickly before continuing. "Well, in the end you did accept him as Tamaki. Now, you have to accept everything about Suoh, Tamaki. All the advantages, flaws, and burdens he will carry."
They walked back slowly to the ballroom. Haruhi felt much better after talking to the most subdued Zuka Club member she knew.
"I'm not sure what expectations the Suoh family has of you, but I'm sure Tamaki didn't marry you because of how well your table manners are or how well you waltz." She gestured for Haruhi to turn around so she can do a final inspection of her appearance. She felt satisfied with the result. It didn't look like Haruhi was having a breakdown of sorts. " I doubt he chose to marry you so you could become a picture of a 'high society wife'. Only you know the reason why Tamaki holds you very close to his heart."
By the time Chizuru finished her speech, they found themselves by the entrance. "Are you ready to go back inside?"
Haruhi nodded. She found clarity in Chizuru's words. "Kyoya-senpai was right. You're really a comforting person to talk to."
Thank you for taking the time to read all of this. I'm having too much fun with this concept. I've actually laid out the next few chapters and I'm pretty sure I'll be dropping all sorts of bombs soon. I like taking my time before doing any sort of reveal. Before we get to those events, let's enjoy these lighter moments for now.
Again, I don't own Ouran or any songs mentioned in this chapter/story. Any comments, suggestions, sharing of feelings will be greatly appreciated.