"Haruhi~!" Tamaki cried out as he hugged Haruhi, his face snuggling up against her's. "You're so cute~!"
"Let go, senpai," Haruhi disgruntled.
She was wearing a coffee-colored blouse with white lace on the collar. She had on a light pink skirt over her black leggings and a pair of dark purple winter fur boots. She donned a hooded navy blue wool coat, leaving it unbuttoned. She had a brown shoulder-bag with a white bow hanging from her left shoulder. If it weren't for Serena and Nasha's urging, she would've just worn a pair of jeans.
"Haruhi, you're pretty dressed up today," Kaoru whistled. "Right, Hikaru?"
"Y-Yeah. You look pretty cute in those," Hikaru stammered. "What made you suddenly decided to dress up?"
"My dad forced me to," Haruhi sighed, lying.
"But Haru-chan's really cute!" Honey ran up to her and took her hand. "Let's hurry and go to the escape room!"
"O-Oh," Haruhi agreed as she was dragged along behind him.
Mori quickly followed with Kyoya after him. Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru looked on in jealousy at Honey who was tightly holding onto Haruhi's hand. Kyoya glanced back at them and sighed. If it was someone else, Kyoya would've been worked up about it, too, but seeing that it was Honey, he let it slide. In his eyes, he was nothing more than a child with good martial art skills.
"If you guys don't hurry up, we're leaving you behind," Kyoya said.
"Mitsukuni and Haruhi are already there," Mori pointed at the two who were already at the entrance.
"Fast!" the three yelled in surprise.
The five of them scurried to where the two were already, finding that they had already gotten the playing tickets. They were the first ones there since it was still early in the morning but this was good; it meant that it wouldn't be as crowded.
"Haruhi, you want to come w-" Hikaru was about to say but was soon interrupted by Tamaki.
"Haruhi, you should come with father! It'll be more fun!" Tamaki exclaimed.
"Shut up, Boss!" Hikaru kicked him to the side, a tick mark on his forehead. "I was speaking first! Don't interrupt me!"
"So what about it, Haruhi?" Kaoru offered. "Want to come with us two? It'll be more fun than being with Boss."
"Though I'm sure that's true, I'm not sure," Haruhi said; she had her doubts. "Besides, you two are probably going to bully me the whole time."
"No, we won't," Hikaru and Kaoru grinned at the same time. "Now let's go!"
Haruhi was dragged by the two without her consent and before she knew it, she ended up in the same room as them. Honey and Mori were in their own room while Tamaki and Kyoya were in another. The objective was to escape from the room but there was only one room to truly escape from. Once those people were freed, they had to go rescue their friends. After everyone was freed, they had to go find the secret of the place as well as the key and only by rescuing everyone, would they be able to escape. It was a pretty simple plan but if there was one thing she had to say, it was that the place was huge. From what she saw from the outside, it was three stories tall and it took up half a block.
"Are you guys even looking?" Haruhi asked.
"We are, we are," the two replied simultaneously.
Haruhi sighed. "I hope so. Ah. Found something."
"What did you find?" Hikaru came up to her.
Haruhi dusted the book and held it in her hands. She opened it and soon enough, she found a box within the book. She sighed, thinking what a waste it was to carve a rectangular hole in such a nice book.
"It's locked," Kaoru said, taking the box. "You need a code."
"Then let's continue looking," Hikaru exclaimed, rummaging around the cellar that they were in.
Haruhi looked at the two, surprised. "You two seem like you're enjoying it."
"Because we are," the two said.
"Out of all the Boss's ideas, this has to be the most interesting," Hikaru said.
"Moreover," Kaoru added. "Having a game where the purpose of it is to test your knowledge and wit is a first."
"I guess that's true," Haruhi murmured.
She remembered playing some knowledge games with her dad when she was little and as she reminisced about this, she smiled softly to herself. Just a few days ago, she had visited her father discreetly during his physical therapy and watching him desperately try to walk broke her heart. Just thinking about it made her want to cry again. At that time, it was Kyoya who comforted her and she thanked him for that.
"What are you thinking about, Haruhi?" Hikaru said softly, noticing the pained expression on her face.
She smiled sadly at him before putting up a front. "It's nothing. So, did you guys find anything?"
"Yeah," Kaoru picked up a paper slip. "Finally unlocked the closet."
"Oh, it says the code on it," Haruhi said as she began to enter the four-digit passcode onto the lock located on the box that they had found.
Hikaru watched her, still focused on the expression that she had just made. The look in her eyes was different from the usual look in them and he was fixed. He had never seen such a sorrowful look. He didn't know what to make of it.
"Hikaru?" Haruhi waved her hand in front of him.
"H-Huh?" he said, blinking, before putting up a smile. "Did you find the key?"
"Yeah, we did," Kaoru answered. "Hikaru, what's wrong? You've been blanking out for the past two minutes."
"Was just thinking about something," Hikaru grinned. "Don't worry about it, Kaoru. Haruhi."
He swung an arm around the two most important people in his life and smirked. Having them by his side was comforting and he wished that they could forever stay in this moment. Of course, Kaoru was going to continue being by his side for they were brothers but as for Haruhi, he really wished that she would stay with him. Not as a friend but something more than that.
"Let's go then," Haruhi smiled at him.
He smiled in reply. "Yeah!"
The three of them made their way around the escape rooms, checking in each cellar if there was anybody there. They neared the end of the hallway and just as they did, they heard a bubbly voice call out to them.
"Haru-chan! Hika-chan! Kao-chan! Over here!" Honey called out to them.
"Honey-senpai! So this is where you were?" Kaoru said, grabbing the handlebars of the cellar.
"So you three were in the room that had the keys?" Mori asked.
"Yeah," Hikaru said, fumbling with the numerous keys. "We'll get you out of there."
"Thanks," Mori smiled.
"We were getting so bored, being holed up in here," Honey whined. "Right, Takashi?"
He nodded his head in agreement like he always did. Haruhi smiled at the two and envied how close they were. Even though Mori wasn't the type to speak much, Honey always understood what he was thinking. She really envied that about them and when she saw her relationship with Kyoya...she didn't feel quite satisfied. She wanted to understand him more but there was always a wall up.
"Haru-chan, what's with that down face?" Honey peered at her.
She was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed that they were walking through another winding hallway. Honey was holding her hand and his voice had broken her thoughts. Haruhi wanted to say that it was nothing again but she just couldn't help but ask.
"Honey-senpai," she began.
"Yeah? What is it, Haru-chan?" the senior said with an innocent look.
"How do you...get close to someone?" she asked, her voice but a whisper. "You and Mori-senpai seem really close even though he doesn't talk much. Ah! I was just curious so if you don't want to answer, you don't have to!"
Honey smiled to himself, now beginning to understand what was happening.
"Haru-chan, do you want to get close to Kyo-chan?" Honey pulled her in and whispered in her ear.
Haruhi blushed a deep red and Honey chuckled amusingly to himself. If Hikaru had heard what he just said and saw the face that Haruhi was making, there was no doubt that hell would erupt throughout the Host Club. That was one thing that he didn't want to see happen.
"Do you?" he asked once more.
Haruhi looked at him and then looked down at her feet with a soft smile. "I do."
Honey smiled ecstatically at her response.
"Haru-chan, the relationship between me and Takashi was built on years of being together as well as trust. Becoming close to someone is no easy task," Honey said. "For you, a complete stranger just a month ago, wanting to become close to Kyo-chan would normally be an impossible task."
Haruhi gloomed at his words.
"But, it's not all that impossible," Honey cheered her up. "Haru-chan, look at your surroundings more. That wish of your's is surely possible and I know it. It's just that you don't yet realize it. Moreover, Haru-chan should be more true to herself and be more honest. Only when you're truly honest with yourself, will you be honest with others."
Be honest with myself...?
"Though, Kyo-chan should also heed to that advice, too," Honey chuckled nervously. "He's not the type to be honest either.
Haruhi looked down and stopped, seeing that the others had stopped, too. But her mind was clouded with different thoughts and different things. She looked up and came face to face with the person that she was thinking about. Those clear lucent eyes that looked at her directly...ah, she knew it now. She wanted to know him better. She wanted to be closer to him. She wanted to stay by his side, not as a friend but something more. Not only that, she knew what he wanted now, too.
"I found you," she smiled at him.
He smiled in reply. "You did, didn't you?"
The two smiled at one another, now knowing the answers in their hearts. Mori and Honey smiled at the two while Tamaki and Kaoru looked back and forth between them. Hikaru watched in dreadful shock as he came to an understanding. That expression that Haruhi wore was something he had never seen, nor did he ever see Kyoya's expression like that. Kyoya looked at her with a gentle smile and Hikaru stared at him.
So that's how it is, he laughed pitifully at himself.
He never stood a chance in the first place. To Haruhi, ever since the beginning, she had only been paying close attention to Kyoya and no one else. The same went with Kyoya, too. The only person he would truly bully was Haruhi and in his own way, he was showing that he found interest in her.
"Let's get out of here," Kyoya said. "You guys are hungry, right?"
"Yeah!" Honey exclaimed.
"You're hungry, too, right?" Haruhi smiled.
He smirked. "You're right."
Kyoya and Haruhi walked side by side as they exited the escape room, Kyoya already having found the mystery and story behind their whole scenario. Kaoru went to his brother's side and comforted him. They had all seen it and understood it; the only person that didn't was their dense King.
"Haruhi, I think we'll go home for today," Kaoru smiled.
"Huh? Why?" she questioned.
"Hikaru's feeling a little unwell so I'm bringing home for today. Don't worry, we'll make it up to you next time," he said.
Haruhi walked up to Hikaru and touched his forehead with her hand. Hikaru looked at her in surprise as a blush crawled up his face. She peered up at him with those large brown eyes of hers and each time, he fell in love with her all over again.
"You're right. His forehead does feel a bit hot," Haruhi furrowed her eyebrows. "If you weren't feeling well, you should've told us."
"I'm fine, Haruhi. Really!" Hikaru grinned. "All I need some rest and that's it."
Haruhi stared at him doubtfully before sighing. "Fine. Go home and have a good rest. Make sure you sleep well and don't go playing games," she lectured.
"Will do," he grinned and patted her on the head. "Thank you."
Haruhi gave a conflicted smile, smiling at how playful and obedient he was right now despite being unwell. Kyoya watched as the two Hitachiin twins entered their car and sped home. Whether or not Hikaru was truly feeling unwell was unbeknownst to him but one thing that he was sure of was that Haruhi and he were two of the reasons.
I guess they've caught up, he noted.
Haruhi and he had just figured out their feelings for one another and though they haven't confirmed it yet with one another, they felt that it was mutual. But being the kind of people that they were, they weren't ready to confess yet. Even so, they were pleased that they had found the answer that they were looking for.
The remaining five of them walked to a nearby restaurant and no doubt was Tamaki having the time of his life at a commoner's restaurant, much to Kyoya and Haruhi's annoyance. Mori and Honey also seemed to be enjoying themselves at the variety of dishes introduced to them. The sun was beginning to set and so Haruhi and Kyoya bid the others farewell, allowing them to return to their respective homes where their family awaited them. But for Haruhi and Kyoya, there was no family to say "welcome back". They held each other's hand and nested in each other's presence.
"Today was fun," Haruhi smiled, her eyes closed as she rested her head on the car seat's head.
"Ah. It was," he replied, a sweet smile on his face.
As long as they had each other, they were happy.
Nighttime~
Kyoya was in his room, sitting at the computer desk typing away at his laptop, while Haruhi was sitting at the desk, her head resting on the side of Kyoya's bed. Kyoya smiled at her dozing face and went to grab a light blanket to cover her.
"You'll catch a cold," he whispered.
She moved around a little and opened her eyes. "Kyo...ya-sen...pai?"
"You're awake?" he asked, leaving the blanket on her.
"Sorry, did I fall asleep?" Haruhi sat up and rubbed her eyes. "You even went out of your way to get a blanket, too."
"After indulging with Tamaki's interests, who wouldn't be tired," Kyoya let out a slight laugh.
Haruhi laughed. "That's true."
Their little chatter was interrupted by a resounding knock at the door. Kyoya stood up and Haruhi looked to the doorway, wondering who it could be. Kyoya opened the door, revealing one of the house's butlers.
"Kyoya-sama, I was asked to deliver this to you," he said, handing him a letter.
Kyoya took it and the butler excused himself. He closed the door and went back to Haruhi, who eyed him and the letter that was in his hands. She had herself wrapped in the blanket and Kyoya sat down next to her.
"What's the letter for?" she asked.
Kyoya turned it around and saw his family crest on the waxed seal. He furrowed his eyebrows and opened the envelope, taking out the letter inside it and scanning it quickly.
"It's an invitation," he said grimly. "To the celebration for my father's achievement at uniting the East Branch with the West."
"Your father?" Haruhi repeated, now a little hesitant.
"Yeah," Kyoya answered. "Though I'm not sure as to why he sent us this."
Just as he asked that Kyoya's phone, which sat on the computer desk, began vibrating. Kyoya stood up and head over to the table, flipping his cell phone open and answering it. The voice over the phone didn't surprise him one bit and if he had to say, he was expecting it.
"It's been a while, Kyoya," his father's voice sounded. "I trust that Haruhi's been enjoying living in that mansion."
"Yes, she is," Kyoya said, his voice grim.
"That's good," his father replied, a satisfied smile on his face. "By now, you should've received the invitation, correct?"
"Yes," he said. "This time, too, I'll be g-"
"This time, you're bringing Haruhi with you," Yoshio interrupted him before Kyoya could say any further. "She's a legitimate woman and mistress to the Ootori family and it'll be a perfect place to introduce her as your wife."
"Father!" Kyoya yelled into the phone.
"I've also sent out invitations to those friends of your's at the Host Club," Yoshio continued. "Kyoya, you know what will happen if you go against my orders."
Kyoya gulped and looked at Haruhi's clueless and worried expression. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, hating how at times like these, he was useless. Kyoya remained silent and waited for his father to continue.
"Oh, one more thing, Kyoya," Yoshio said. "I'll be taking Haruhi out to dinner tomorrow. There are a few things I want to talk to her about."
Kyoya widened his eyes and looked at Haruhi, a look of hesitation and slight fear in his eyes. Haruhi was growing anxious at seeing the startled expressions of Kyoya. But, at times like these, she knew it wasn't the time to be afraid. She reached her hand out to Kyoya and held it firmly.
"Haruhi?" he took the phone away from his ear.
She looked directly into his eyes, her eyes firm and confident. "Kyoya-senpai, I'm fine," she smiled, reassuring him.
"But-" he began.
Haruhi shook her head and placed another hand over his. "I'm not that weak to the point that I need you to protect me every time. I can do it."
Kyoya widened his eyes in shock and softened his eyes. He took the phone back up to his ear and spoke into it with an unwavering voice.
"I understand."
Yoshio smiled. "Then I'll be waiting for her at Aronia de Takazawa at seven. I'm awaiting her arrival."