When Shizuka got up in the morning and went to the bathroom to take a shower, he didn't expect to get a phone call in the middle of it. And the ringtone wasn't familiar at all, because he hated phone calls and told anyone he had in his contacts to just text him. He hoped it was for a damn good reason as he turned the shower off and grabbed his towel, wrapping it around his waist as he rushed into his room.
He picked up his phone and looked at the picture, seeing Tamaki's stupid face on it. He sighed and grumbled to himself for a second before he answered. Before he could even get one syllable out, all he heard was:
"SHE'S GONE!"
Shizuka hissed and pulled the phone away from his ear.
"My beloved daughter has vanished off the face of the earth! She must've been kidnapped by a band of gypsies. I know it. Contact the police! We have to request an emergency deployment of the SDF!"
"Wait, slow down, you're not making any sense." Shizuka hears Hikaru from the group call say. He sounded tired, Tamaki must've woken him up. "Now what?"
...
"What do you mean Haruhi's gone?"
"Huh? So Haru-Chan is really missing?" Honey asks.
"And her family is bankrupt." Mori says.
"It's the only explanation!" Tamaki yells. "I've been trying to get through to her home phone and her father's work for the past several days and no one will answer!"
Shizuka closed his eyes, hand shaking as he grips onto his phone. There goes Tamaki once again, immediately jumping to conclusions. Didn't he learn anything from when they visited Haruhi's house?
Shizuka knew where Haruhi was, Kyoya told him. Well, Haruhi did, too, but he heard from his partner first. He did find it a bit strange, but he didn't question it.
"Shizuka! Shizuka are you here? Do you know what happened to my little girl!?" Tamaki cries.
He brings his phone closer to him.
"I know."
"..."
"HAS SHE BEEN KID-"
"Not to interrupt your delusion but... Haruhi is currently in Karuizawa." Kyoya said.
It was silent for a brief moment, and Shizuka thought Tamaki would finally calm down. But...
"Haruhi was turned out of her home, kidnapped by gypsies, and forced into servitude! In Karuizawa?"
Shizuka hung up.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
Now he was here, sitting in the passenger seat of Kyoya's car. Both of their bags were piled up in the trunk. Shizuka crossed his arms as a displeased expression crossed over his face.
Kyoya glanced at Shizuka, before looking back at the road. "Well, don't look too happy, Shizuka."
Shizuka rubbed his eyes, his shoulders slumping. "I-I just don't understand why we have to drop everything and rush off because Tamaki jumped to conclusions again. Haruhi-... is perfectly capable of taking care of herself."
He rolled down the window to Kyoya's black car and fanned himself. "A-And it's so hot."
Kyoya took one hand off the steering wheel to place it on Shizuka's thigh, giving a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be fine." he drawls out.
Shizuka let out a deep breath and placed his hand on Kyoya's hand, feeling a little better that Kyoya didn't pull it away.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
In true Host Club fashion, Tamaki and Hikaru, Kaoru, Mori, and Honey arrived in a helicopter.
And after that whole shenanigan, they all moved inside the pension Haruhi was working at. That was the whole reason why she was in Karuizawa. They were welcomed in by Misuzu.
"Oh my! What dashing men you are! These hunks must belong to Haruhi!"
Shizuka stepped a little closer to Kyoya.
"He's an old friend of Ranka's, they used to work together at the same shop years ago." Kyoya informs.
"Naturally you would know!" Tamaki retorts.
"Kill me." Haruhi mutters.
"I went into business for myself two years ago, and believe you me. Running this adorable little pension is like living a fairy tale~!" Misuzu says.
Honey holds up Usa-Chan. "So then, is Haru-Chan like your indentured servant?" he asked.
"She's more like an unpaid employee. This also happens to be Ranka's preferred method for keeping track of his daughter while he's busy working." Kyoya pushes up his glasses.
Tamaki slides up to Kyoya, agitated. "What the? How do you know all of this stuff?" he asks in a pouty voice.
"Kill me..."
Shizuka takes out a mini electric fan and flicks it on, having the small fans blow air into his face. Seriously, he did not ask to be here, he would much rather be spending his vacation back home. It was all so sudden too, he barely got permission from his father to go on this trip in the first place.
But, he guesses it couldn't possibly be all that bad. He's never been in Karuizawa before, so it would be nice to look around.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
And look around he did. Well, as much as he could without leaving the pension grounds. He walked around the outside, admiring how green the grass was and the beautiful vines that climbed up the walls. Obviously there were guests at the pension, and Shizuka seemed to have caught a lot of the girls eyes from their rooms.
Shizuka's fan stopped working all of a sudden and he frowned. He looked at it, then tried to flick the switch rapidly. Nothing, it had died on him. He grumbled quietly underneath his breath and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling at it back and forth to get some air that way.
He walked back over to where The Host Club was, and they were sitting down at two tables, everyone else at one, and Kyoya at the other alone. Shizuka pulled out a chair and sat next to him, tossing his dead fan on the table. That's when he noticed he was looking at the Ouran Academy handbook.
What's that for?
Kyoya smirks, holding it up a little higher. "According to the handbook, jobs are prohibited."
"Uh, I uh," Haruhi stutters, going still against the table. "Had no idea." she croaks out.
Me neither. I had a job last year and didn't get told anything!
"That 'job' was selling lemonade in your neighborhood." Kyoya said, putting the handbook away.
If I'm doing something and I get paid for it, I'm calling it a job.
"Shizuka-Senpai, come on, you really came along with them again?" Haruhi says, her shoulders slumping.
Shizuka puts his hands up in the air as if he was surrendering. "It wasn't by choice."
Haruhi's eyebrow twitched, and as Tamaki went on another tangent, she fell to the ground in defeat.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
After getting informed that there was only one spare room left in the pension, Tamaki, Honey, Mori, and Hikaru and Kaoru decided to participate in a refreshing contest. And whoever was the winner, would get the luxury of staying in the room. Or, that's what Shizuka heard, he feels like he was about to get a heat stroke.
But, for some reason, Kyoya just had a pack of extra miniature fans in his luggage. Shizuka didn't question it, just how he didn't really question a lot of things. He and Kyoya were still sat at the table while the rest of the group were assigned their jobs and trying to complete them.
Shizuka glances at Kyoya, watching him sip on his tea. He felt nauseous just seeing the steam coming from the cup.
How are you able to drink that?
"I find the warmth soothing."
Shizuka shook his head and looked away, spotting Haruhi looking at the two. She walks glee to them, going up the steps on the porch. "Kyoya-Senpai, Shizuka-Senpai, you two are keeping your distance from all this."
"Of course, winning means I'd end up staying here, which frankly, doesn't quite appeal to me. I'll just sit back and watch things unfold, then we'll head for the cottage."
"The cottage?" she said confusingly. "You mean... your family's?"
"That's right. We all have one in the area. Well, except Shizuka. Hence, why he's staying with me."
Shizuka rolled his eyes. Kyoya wasn't wrong, but he didn't have to say it like that.
"So, who's your favorite to win?" Kyoya asked Haruhi. "There must be someone you have in mind. Do you care to bet?"
"I wasn't asked but I think Hikaru and Kaoru." Shizuka mumbles, turning the fan on the highest level it can go. "Maybe Mori-Senpai."
"You might just be right." Kyoya said, turning his body to face Shizuka, putting his arms on the table and leaning forward to Shizuka a little more.
Haruhi watched them, tilting her head to the side with a curious expression. She didn't know what it was exactly, but there was something different between them that she caught on to.
Shizuka raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips turning slightly upward. "Yeah?"
Haruhi knew Kyoya liked Shizuka, Kyoya kind of told her. Well, not told her, but he certainly implied it and Haruhi knew what he meant.
Are they..?
...
She turned away. It wasn't any of her business. Though, it didn't mean she wasn't still curious. And she was starting to feel like a third wheel, that had to mean something.
Kyoya hummed. "Honey-Senpai's brand of cute doesn't quite fit Misuzu's notion of refreshing. So I'm afraid he's out. Tamaki comes a little closer to the ideal. Provided he keeps his mouth shut, but we both know the likely good of that. You first thought of Hikaru and Kaoru... but then again, you caught onto the fact that it seems we have a dark horse."
Which was Mori, who was chopping wood... even though they didn't have any actual need for it. He was catching the attention of many girls, and he soon got rewarded twenty more refresher points.
"But, if Honey-Senpai drops out, Mori-Senpai's gonna follow him."
"Mhm."
"... How are you going to help Tamaki?"
Kyoya smirked knowingly.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
The Hosts continued to do their jobs, and it was obvious Hikaru and Kaoru were putting the most effort in. They caught on that Kyoya was planning on helping out Tamaki, and they were determined not to loose.
Even though Shizuka found no pleasure in joining in on this refreshing game, he wasn't a jerk. He was helping around as well, mostly helping out inside the pension rather than out.
But, while he was inside, he could've sworn he saw someone he knew.
He was passing by with a tray of tea in his hands, when he just happened to glance down at a table, and saw a woman talking with another woman. They seemed to be having pleasant conversation. Shizuka passed them, but he almost tripped over on his feet, wobbling for a second before quickly regaining his balance.
He didn't look back at who it was, he just cursed at himself for getting distracted.
And as he gave someone their tea, he started to hear a piano playing. Sonata in D Major. Shizuka shook his head fondly and walked over to the kitchen, cracking his knuckles before he started to wash some dirty dishes.
Tamaki was playing the beautiful music, making guests murmur and whisper, going to see him while doing so. The place is quickly filled up by more and more people, and Misuzu is just in awe.
The music stopped suddenly, when there was a loud crash from the outside porch. It sounded like a flower vase filled with water being broken and glass shattering. Shizuka immediately turned the water off and rushed outside, skidding to a stop when he saw Kaoru and Haruhi on the floor. He looked up, seeing two girls apologizing from their second story room.
"Kaoru!"
Shizuka stepped to the side, letting Hikaru run past him to go to his brothers aid. Kaoru only had a scratch on his cheek, but the sight made Shizuka's heart clench. Same with Hikaru, he was awfully worried about Kaoru.
Hikaru places his head on Kaoru's shoulder, letting out a deep sigh.
"Hikaru?"
"Don't scare me like that." Hikaru murmurs.
Kaoru starts to talk softly. "Hey, I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?"
Hikaru looks up at his brother and smiles with him.
Misuzu starts to cry rivers. "Bravo! Bravo! 100 points for refreshing brotherly love! A perfect score! And the victory goes to the Hitachiin brothers!" Misuzu starts to spin on the roof, and no one knows how that happened, and no one asked.
Shizuka looked at the brothers, then at the broken glass. He clenched his fists, and walked away.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
Shizuka wiped the blood that started to run down Sora's arm. Sora hissed as the antiseptic stung, but remained still.
"You shouldn't have done that." Shizuka said quietly, reaching over on the counter to grab a banaid. "Throwing a plate at her like that."
"I did not 'throw a plate'." Sora rolled her eyes, hearing the wrapping to the banaid open. "I threw a part of it. Big difference."
Shizuka placed the banaid on Sora's arm, keeping his hand there for a moment before he pulled away. He stood up straight and leaned over the bathroom counter.
"It could've ended a lot worse."
Sora sighed, getting up as well, nudging Shizuka's shoulder with her own.
"I'm sorry. But I didn't want to just sit back and watch her feel like she's suddenly allowed to do that."
Shizuka groaned and propped up his elbows, burying his face in his hands.
"Just... don't scare me like that again."
"Okay." Sora murmured, resting her chin on her twin's shoulder. "Okay."
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
"Come on, I said I was sorry." Hikaru groaned, irritation audible in his words. "What do you want me to do? I didn't mean to kick you out of bed, it was an accident!"
The next day, everyone was back at the pension. Shizuka was sitting down with a menu in his hands, looking over it with Kyoya sitting across from him. Mori and Honey were with them as well, and had pushed another table together so that they were all technically sat in one.
Haruhi goes over to the table where Hikaru and Kaoru sat down at, immediately getting bombarded with their requests.
"Get us some breakfast, please, l'll have two pieces of baguette toast with clarified butter and garnet seal syrup."
"I'll take poached eggs with bacon and a bowl of whole grained cereal, the kind with those little pieces of dried fruit in it." Kaoru orders.
Well, at least Hikaru said please. Right?
Shizuka put his menu down and stared at them with an eyebrow raised. He didn't understand what half of those words meant, and he doesn't know if he wants to. He was already suppressing a gag at the mention of eggs.
"Uh, hold on! We don't even have that stuff on the menu." Haruhi says exasperatingly.
"How'd you sleep last night?" Kyoya asked, making Shizuka snap his head over back to him.
"Oh. I uh, slept fine." Shizuka murmured, his tired eyes scanning across the menu again.
"Is that so?"
"Mhm."
"Well, those dark circles are absolutely devastating."
Shizuka groaned and closed the menu, putting it down on the table.
Okay, you got me. I had a dream about Sora. That's all.
"'That's all'?" Kyoya questioned, a rare hint of worry in his voice. "What do you mean?"
I don't know if you could even call it a dream, it was just memories. So I woke up earlier than usual, and I started to think about my mom. Just stupid and old memories.
Kyoya's expression softened as he hummed.
The bell started to chime a couple of times as two boys entered. One was taller than the other, and he started to speak.
"Good morning." his deep voice calls out. "Arai produce."
Misuzu walks up to the two. "Good morning to you! Working boys, aye?" Misuzu looks them over. "Highschoolers?"
"Yes ma'am. I'm helping out at my dad's shop for the summer with my cousin, Dewa."
The shorter, Dewa gives Misuzu a smile, his hat moving down slightly.
Misuzu gets in his face. "HOW REFRESHING!" He turns to call Haruhi. "Haruhi~ would you put these in the refrigerator for me?"
Shizuka turns to look at the door with a bored look on his face, but his eyes immediately widen.
Dewa leans to the side to see who Misuzu called and his hat falls off. "Haruhi... Fujioka? Is that you?"
Haruhi gasps quietly at seeing him. She stares quietly at him for a second before finally being able to speak. "Hey... Arai..."
The taller one hummed in confusion, before looking at Haruhi, then to the others. He finally made eye contact with Shizuka, and he almost dropped the box he was carrying.
"Holy fu-Shizuka?"
Shizuka blinked at him, still very much in shock. He slowly stood up, his chair getting pushed out.
"Koji..."
.
.