A/N: So sorry, every time I try to upload documents, nothing happens, I had to erase a few things and start over, I can't really explain but this is the 3rd time I tried. It goes really fast because I don't want to prolong it anymore. It might take me years to update. And I think it's too dramatic but I don't know how to end it another way.
---
One year later:
"Why must I be there?" Kyouya asked the person on the other line as he checked his wristwatch.
11:57 AM.
"Shit. I'll be late" He stood up from his leather office chair and interrupted the speaker gushing almost wildly in the other line. "Tamaki, can we do this another time? As much as I want to hear more about your son's upcoming birthday party I'm running a little late for my lunch meeting." Kyouya grabbed his bag and walked out his office door.
Tamaki ignored what he said.
"But Kyouya! You have to be there! We're holding it at Ouran's third music room!"
"Exactly what is the purpose of telling me that?" He asked wryly as he pressed the elevator button going up. His secretary was almost sandwiched by the door. He swore.
"Kyouya Ohtori! What did you just say?!!"
"I wasn't talking to you!" He shouted at his phone, he turned to the girl beside him and raised his eyebrow.
"Daijobu ta." His secretary smiled awkwardly.
"Look, Tamaki, fine. I will go. But there better be no surprises or I'll walk out even if it's your son's birthday."
"Okaasan! What? Were you expecting me to tie you or lock you in a room?"
"I'll be there tomorrow night." He said with finality and closed his phone with a click.
The girl beside him handed Kyouya a folder. "Ohtori-sama, here are the documents you asked me to type…Sir, I hope you change your mind."
He ignored what she said and grabbed the documents to study them. "Pathetic."
---
The brunet opened the door to room and threw his briefcase on the bed. He walked towards the liquor cabinet and served himself with brandy.
His meeting did not go well and he was tired.
Carrying the drink, he sat down on the sofa and removed his tie. He stared as something glittered in his hand.
His wedding ring.
Kyouya rubbed his temples. "How long has it been?" he mentally asked himself. "Haruhi, how are you? Do you think about me too?"
Ever since they divorced almost a year ago, they haven't seen each other, not once. No news of any kind reached Kyouya's ear and he refused to sink so low as to send a private investigator or any of his contacts to check up on her.
The former Host Club members, it seemed, came to an understanding to never talk about her when they see each other. Not even Tamaki dared mention her name to him. Not that he'd mind, he was thirsty for any information they can give him.
Kyouya watched the ice melt from inside his glass. Everything was back to where it was, except that he and Haruhi never spoke to each other since then. On the other hand, he and Tamaki managed to repair their "falling out" and kept in touch with each other when they could.
He smirked. "Funny how life works out sometimes." He dragged himself to bed and fell asleep wearing his office clothes.
A habit he formed when Haruhi left him.
---
Haruhi placed the love letter down and rested her elbows on her bedroom desk. She gave a bitter smile. It took her one-year but she finally remembered how it ended up inside her coat. It was when she went inside Kyouya's room and looked through his black journal. She recalled that a piece of paper fell from inside the notebook and she pocketed it, thinking that she'd read it later. However, given what happened, she wasn't able to find time and it remained inside her coat until she used it again the day she left the Ohtori mansion.
"So you really did love me back then Kyouya." She sighed, "Mah. It's too late now." The brown-eyed girl said aloud as she opened the envelope Tamaki sent her.
An invitation.
"Are? I wonder why Tamaki would want to hold a birthday party in the 3rd music room when he owns several hotels?" She looked up as someone opened the door to her bedroom.
"Haruhi?" A girl entered and smiled at her.
"Nana-chan, come in." She invited. The girl was her secretary since she started working privately; Haruhi hired her because she was always cheerful and supportive. They've become friends over the past few months.
"Hai!" the girl answered as she opened the door and went inside her room.
"I thought you left hours ago,"
"Gomen, I had to finish the researched you assigned to me. I sort of fell asleep in the study room." Nana grinned sheepishly.
Haruhi studied the girl, the lavender eyes and red hair was a stand out. Nana was pale, striking and intelligent. The natural type had a feeling that she'd go perfect with either one of the twins.
"What am I thinking?" She shook her head and faced the girl; "Want to join me for dinner?"
"Love to!" Nana replied before eyeing the invitation in her hand, "Are you going to a party?" she asked, "Sugoi!! You have to wear that new pink dress I gave you for your birthday!!!"
"Nana-chan, it's a boy's birthday party. I don't think that dress is appropriate." She replied blandly.
"Ha-ru-hi!! It says formal attire! And even if your breasts are almost non-existent, the tube will look perfect on you!"
She eyed her chest. "Gee. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Are you going?"
"I don't know, he might be there." She said softly, almost to herself.
Her friend touched her hand, "I think it's about time you have a closure."
Haruhi gazed at the letter on her desk. "Yeah. Maybe."
---
Suoh residence:
Tamaki smiled at his wife. "Don't look at me like that!" he whined.
"Well, how do you expect me to react? You're matchmaking! What if someone gets hurt?" Éclair scolded her childish husband. "Really."
The blond leaned forward and pressed a kiss on his wife's nose. "Eclair is so cute when she's mad!"
His wife rolled her eyes, "How I can be cute when I'm 8 months pregnant and as fat as a hippo is beyond me."
"You're not hippo-like."
"Liar."
Tamaki turned serious, "I'm not really meddling, I just want for them to continue or end it formally. I can't take seeing Kyouya suffer so much everyday." He said while watching his son, who was sleeping on their bed.
"Does Kyouya know Kyo was named after him?"
"Yes." The former king grinned at his wife, "Of course he does. In case you haven't noticed, he showers his "God-child" with gifts to make up for the past five years."
"He's really changed hasn't he?" Éclair hugged her husband. "The Kyouya I knew was a cold, cold man."
"Is he softer now?"
"If I were any other person, I'd say he was colder than ever, but because I know him and I feel his pain, I think he's just lonely and being cold is the only way he can handle the hurt he feels inside."
"I want him to be happy. I want them to be happy."
"Tamaki, not all people can have happy endings."
"That doesn't mean that they shouldn't try."
---
Hitaachiin residence:
"Hikaru! Stop bothering me!" Kaoru whined at his twin, "I won't be able to finish this design for Éclair!"
"I don't understand you! We're already earning enough from our show! Why must you design clothes too?" Hikaru asked as he tried to take half-finished dress from Kaoru and his team of seamstress.
"Because!"
"What?"
"Tono asked me! And besides, I liked designing. It's calming." The said twin smiled at Hikaru, showing his calm nature.
The older brother hmpf. "You don't love me anymore."
Kaoru laughed. "Save it for the cameras." He remarked as he gave the dress to one of the many seamstress and dragged Hikaru outside the room. "Let's see what you're wearing tomorrow." He told his twin as they walked to their joint bedroom.
"The purple checkered vest."
"Anything but that!" Kaoru said, horrified.
"Kidding!" Hikaru watched his brother's serious face as Kaoru studied his wardrobe collection he sighed. "Do you want to stop being a talk show host and continue designing?" He asked him softly.
Golden-green eyes met him briefly before straying, "What makes you ask that?"
"I know you."
"I'm sorry."
"I don't mind. You look more at ease with designing clothes anyway." Hikaru smiled at his younger brother, "Besides, we can't always be together."
"Are you sure?" Kaoru asked, facing him.
"Hai." He nodded, pulling his brother close and hugging him. "I'm going to miss you though."
"Eh! It's not like were separating! We live in the same house!"
"Da-ka-ra! I have no more "uke!"
"Hikaru!"
"Do you think Tono's setting us all up?" Hikaru asked.
"Hmm… I'm not sure. If he is, it's quite obvious."
"Haruhi better be on her guard."
"Maybe we should call her."
"I think it's better of she just stay the way she is."
---
Haninozuka residence:
"Are we going Takashi?"
"Ah."
"Do you think they'll be there?"
Mori smiled at his cousin. "Hai."
"Sou ka. I guess it's about time they end it huh?"
"It's about time they begin it."
---
Party day:
Ohtori mansion;
Fuyumi sighed as she stared at the person in front of her in the limo. Kyouya looked bored out of his mind.
"Thanks for letting me share a car with you." She smiled at him, he didn't bother to face her, Kyouya kept looking outside the window of the limo.
"Hn."
"I heard from Akito."
"And?"
"Why? When you wanted it so bad?"
"I stopped wanting it since high school."
She smiled, "Well, what do you intend to do now? Dad's pissed and Akito won't succeed…"
"Leave it to Syuusuke." He answered, referring to their second brother.
"And you?"
Kyouya moved his head a little, "I'll start somewhere."
Fuyumi nodded, then stared at her brother's profile. The shadow king looked sick. "She might be there."
"…"
"Kyouya?"
"I heard you the first time."
"But why do you prefer to suffer when you obviously love her? Can't you just go after her and apolo—"
"Please." Her youngest brother interrupted, "It's been a year. Let it rest."
"Why are you so stubborn?!" She shouted at him, grabbing Kyouya's face to force him to face her. "She might be waiting for you to pursue her! You don't know if s—"
"She doesn't love me." The shadow king said softly, almost painfully. "She wanted the divorce, I won't force her in my company."
Fuyumi gasped, "That's not true, of course she loves you! She wouldn't have married you if she didn't."
The brunet rubbed his temple. Might as well admit everything now. "I blackmailed her into marrying me."
His sister stared shocked at him, then shook her head. "I get it now, maybe you don't deserve her at all."
Kyouya closed his eyes.
---
3rd music room:
"Ha-ru-hi! My beautiful Haruhi! You look beautiful! My daughter grew up into a wonderful woman!" Tamaki announced insanely.
Haruhi rolled her eyes.
"HARUHI!! You're here!!!" The twins approached her then gasped.
"You look beautiful!" Hikaru praised, eyeing her pink tube gown with a full skirt.
Kaoru touched her curls and draped them at her elegant bare shoulders. "You'd look stunning if you do your hair like that." He said the smiled at her, "Whoever dressed you is a wonderful designer. You look blooming."
Haruhi smiled at him, "My secretary." She teased.
Kaoru turned red while his twin whistled. "Nana-chan?"
Tamaki perked, raised his eyebrow. "Should I know?"
"There's nothing to kn—"
"Haru-chan! Tama-chan!" Huni called, Mori was walking behind him.
"Domo."
"OOhh. Now all we need is Kyouya and we'll be complete!" Hikaru announced tactlessly before coming into his senses and covering his mouth with his hand. "Gomen." He said feebly.
Everybody fell silent.
"How is he?" Haruhi asked them silently, suddenly losing life.
"He's fine. In fact, he's wonderful." Tamaki answered her. Unaware that his comment made Haruhi feel even worse.
"Well, not that wonderful." Kaoru tried to salvage everybody's mood.
"He misses you." Mori spoke, shocking everyone but Huni.
"Hai. I'm sure Kyou-chan misses you so much."
The natural type gave a smile, "I'm fine, don't worry about it." She took a glass of champagne from the passing waiter. "Just… Excuse me for a minute okay?"
---
"Oji-san!" Kyo ran toward the shadow king and lunged his little body at him, Kyouya smiled.
"Happy birthday." He handed the kid a package. "Hai. You're a big boy now."
"Arigatou." The blond kid thanked him formally before checking his gift.
Éclair smiled at him, before placing a kiss on the newly shaved cheek. "Thought you'd never show up, he was waiting for you since 5 this afternoon!" She eyed the package her son was currently trying to open, "That's not an insurance plan or anything like that right? We've received enough of that; his grandmother sent us a pension plan. My son is only 6!"
Kyouya gave a little laugh. "It's a birth certificate and other documents."
"Birth certificate? It's not another child I hope?"
"A Labrador."
Éclair laughed, "Figures. Yes, he'd love that, he has been asking his father to give him a pet, only, Tamaki said he's still too young."
"Well, your husband can't say no to it now, it's already tied in your backyard. It has it's own cage and grooming materials, it's still a puppy so Kyo will be responsible for his growth."
"Well, he didn't take after Tamaki…"
"Then the dog will survive."
"Are you alright? You look pale, when was the last time you ate?" Éclair asked, she noticed him eyeing the room.
The shadow king nodded, "I need fresh air."
---
Haruhi bumped into someone on her way out to the gardens, "Sumimasen." She apologized.
"Haruhi?" A familiar voice asked.
She raised her head, "Otoosan!" She exclaimed upon recognizing Kyouya's father. "Gomen nasai, I wasn't looking." She apologized.
"Iie, it's fine. How are you?"
"I'm alright" She smiled at him. "Is Otoosan alright?"
"I could be better, Kyouya has resigned as president to our company. I've been looking for replacement."
Her heart started beating faster, "He…resigned? But why? Because he's not married anymore?!"
"What are you talking about?" the patriarch of the Ohtori company asked her. "Marriage has nothing to do with it."
"But, but I thought he can't be president if he's not married?"
"Of course he can be, anyone capable can be president, and you don't need to be… Sou ka." He answered softly, as everything clicked. He smiled, "No, he didn't need to be married to become president, but he must have really love you to go through all that trouble just to have you." Kyouya's father touched her hand, "I hope you'd be able to settle you differences someday."
---
Haruhi walked the garden maze of Ouran; it's been so long since she was last here. She sat on the bench of the gazebo. "Kyouya, just how much did you love me?" She agonized, staring at her lap. "I wish we could start over."
She heard footsteps, "Hello?"
A figure appeared. "Haruhi?" That familiar voice spoke.
The natural type stilled. "Kyouya?"
"Gomen, I'll just go back to the party." He turned around and walked away.
She grabbed his hand. "Stay." She whispered, grateful that the place was a little dark. He looked worn out. Defeated. She rubbed her thumb on his palm, as if trying to comfort him.
This wasn't the Kyouya she knew.
"I don't think that this is a good idea." He answered stiffly, letting her hand go.
"I know, but just stay." She patted the place next to her.
Kyouya sat down.
They both stared at the rose bush in front of them.
"How are you?" They asked at the same time.
"I'm fine." Each answered.
Haruhi giggled. Kyouya raised his eyebrow.
"Gomen."
"Haruhi…."
"How's presidency?" Haruhi asked.
"11 years." Kyouya said.
She looked at him, a little confused. "What?"
"That's how long I loved you."
Haruhi looked at his profile. Kyouya looked thinner, but somehow, he seemed less confident than he used to be. She waited for him to continue.
"11 years ago, I sat on this same bench and wrote you a love letter." He gave a little laugh, "I was never able to give it. That was how much I love you. I couldn't even muster up the courage to send it to you. I spent days writing it, I couldn't even come up with the right words. Much more, the guts to tell you I love you face to face. I was a stupid man. Tamaki was braver than I was. " He scoffed at himself.
"That's because he's an idiot. You know what they say, ignorance is bliss." Haruhi joked, trying to lighten up the situation.
Kyouya continued.
"I didn't need a wife. I didn't even need the position. I couldn't care less about how I'd end up, I just wanted you. I wanted you so damn much that I was willing to lie and cheat my way through your heart."
Haruhi felt something wet fall down on her cheek. She wiped it with her hand.
He handed her his handkerchief, "I seem to make you cry often. I'm sorry. For everything."
"Why go through all that Kyouya? Why use me like that?" She sobbed quietly; giving in to the two years worth of pain she suffered.
"I don't know." He looked at his lap, "All I know was that I love you. I didn't think of it as using you. I though that maybe, some part of you might learn to love me if you become my wife. I couldn't think of another way to force you into marriage. I tried asking nicely at first but you declined, so I used your father's supposed debt."
Haruhi gave a sigh, gripped the handkerchief. "I never knew you financed my schooling, I thought I was just really lucky that someone out there is financing my scholarship. I have to thank you for that."
Kyouya grimaced. "You would have gotten a scholarship anyway, even without me."
"Still, thank you. I'm a lawyer because of you."
"You shouldn't be thanking me. I caused you more pain than imaginable."
"Yes. You did." Haruhi answered him honestly. The shadow king closed his eyes. "God, why did it have to be this painful."?
"There were moments, when I think that maybe you love me even a little. But somehow,…Haruhi. I want to apologize for forcing myself on you. I know it's a little too late and you probably won't forgive me but I am sorry. I agonized over it for so long." He whispered, covering his face with his hands.
She heard his voice crack. Kyouya was fighting his tears. Haruhi stared at the stars above the sky; she let out a deep breath. "I wanted to name her Kokoro."
"What?" He asked, confused.
"Our daughter."
"Daughter?"
She smiled sadly, "We had a daughter, I asked my doctor. I wanted to name her Kokoro. Maybe because I wanted her to be born out of love, or at the very least, something which resembles love."
"It's a nice name." He said softly. The pain was bittersweet. "Sou ka, we almost had a baby. A daughter."
"Isn't it?"
"Maybe someday you'll have a daughter you can name Kokoro."
She stared at him, "Will I?" her eyes, hurt.
"Please." He begged, "I don't know what to say."
"That's a first. You usually have an answer for anything."
"Not anymore."
"I don't hate you." She faced him, "I don't hate you so don't worry yourself over it. I might have wanted to hurt you or kill you at one point but I never hated you. I know I've said it so many times but only to be spiteful. No matter how much I say it then, I never meant it." She closed her eyes, letting her tears flow, "I tried, but I could never learn to hate you. I always get over my anger for you easily."
"I almost killed you!"
"That was because I was stupid enough to run out in the rain! I knew from the start my pregnancy was dangerous!"
"I wasn't doing anything with Mika. She came to my room." He explained quietly. "I told her to go but she insisted on staying, when you caught us, I was trying to make her see reason."
"Where is she now?"
"In Paris. Managing their company there."
Silence.
Haruhi stood up and offered her hand to him. "Walk me back to the 3rd music room."
The brunet took her hand and stood up, he walked beside her.
"Loved."
"What?" Kyouya asked.
"Earlier. You said loved. Not love."
He sighed, "I'm not good with feelings."
"I see."
"Look, Haruhi, I want to explain.."
"Please," she pleaded, "I don't want to hear anymore. Let's move on okay?"
He fell silent, feeling his heart break at that sentence. It was so like Haruhi to say it as it is. "Hai." He agreed.
They reached the door to the ballroom. "It was nice seeing you again. You look even more beautiful than you were a year ago. Your new life suits you."
She gave a half smile, "Yes. It does."
"I guess, I'll go now." He said, his heart throbbed painfully. "Stop it Kyouya, it was your own fault. Deal with it."
She burrowed her brows, "You're not staying?"
Kyouya shook his head. "No. I have a headache."
Haruhi reached out to touch his tired looking face. Her thumb traced the lone tear running down his cheek. Kyouya closed his eyes, trying to stop himself from enveloping her in his embrace.
"I have to go." He said as clearly as he could. His voice cracked.
She eyed him, "You look horrible. Have you been eating properly?"
"I live in a condo now. I have no cook so I usually eat out when I have time." He removed her hand from his face.
He looked at her desperately, "May I kiss you goodbye?" he asked, feeling his entire body boil from embarrassment. "Haruhi, I want you so much. Please, just once. I just want to feel what it's like to be with you one more time."
The girl looked at him strangely then raised her chin and closed her eyes.
He touched her cheek, and then dropped a chaste kiss on her lips. Just two lips touching, he let go immediately.
She opened her eyes and studied him, she bit her lips.
Kyouya wanted to ravage her.
"Haruhi, I…I hope we can see each other again some time." He swallowed his pride.
"Oh, hai." She opened her purse and took out a calling card. "Here."
Shocked as he was that she'd just hand him her calling card that easily, he took it. Is that how "nothing" he was to her now? She didn't even care if he wanted to see her, wasn't she afraid that he'd do what he did to her before? It was as if, he was just one of those people she encounters everyday. Almost impersonal.
"Arigatou."
"Kyouya-senpai?"
"Hai?" The brunet asked, wondering about her usage of his name.
She smiled, "I'll forgive you if you take me out to dinner tomorrow night." She told him randomly.
He dropped the card. "What?!"
"I'll even let you take me home if you bring me flowers."
Kyouya felt himself go red at what the love of his life said. "Wh—wh--what are you saying?"
Haruhi brought her lips closer to his ear; the shadow king froze in fear. Yes. Fear; fear that she might be playing with him.
"In fact, I'll even marry you again if you just tell me what I want to hear." She whispered naughtily.
"I love you." Kyouya automatically replied.
She smirked. "You must really want me that bad."
He stared at her. Blushed.
She opened the door to the 3rd music room before she faced him again. "Do you want children? The doctor says I can still have as many as I want. But you have to teach me how to make them…I've only tried once; it was nice, but uncomfortable. You were too big." She told him bluntly.
"HARUHI!"
"I'll wait for your call then, oyasumi nasai, senpai." She said and shut the door to his face.
The brunet stared stupidly at the closed door. "What just happened?" Then he straightened and bent down to retrieve the calling card. It contained her contact number and address.
He felt is heartbeat faster; his senses were working overtime to tell him something. Suddenly, he felt waves of fresh tears falling down his cheek. Tears, which let go of all his secret pain and bitterness, tears which he trapped for so long. He wiped it with his hand.
It felt wonderful.
Kyouya laughed out loud, then gave that all too familiar smirk which no other person but the shadow king can do.
"Interesting." He said to nobody in particular as he walked to the parking area. Starting tomorrow he was going to send her a dozen lily's everyday. Maybe even chocolates. Hell, he'd present her his bloodstained heart on a platter and beg on his hands and knees if it meant getting her back.
The cool type adjusted his glasses, which glinted evilly in the moonlight. There were merits to being a genius.
"Haruhi, you love me too don't you?"
He never felt better in his life.
---
A/N: I originally ended it sadly, with Haruhi moving on and Kyouya..well,,, repenting, but somehow, it feels wrong. I felt so sorry for Kyouya that I couldn't fight this need to change it. So I did. It took so long because I have never been so busy in my life. (I swear, I can't even remember when was the last time I cut my hair!) And I had a hard time writing this, but I had to finish it somehow.
Anyway, people, thank you so much for everything, the comment/reviews, suggestions, plots, ideas and just about everything! Most of you have been nice enough to wait patiently I actually felt guilty. I didn't realize how tiring it would be to have such a popular story with people constantly demanding for updates and hating you if the fic didn't go the way they wanted it to go. But anyway, I'm over that now, time to get back to normal writing. I sincerely think that I can't handle another fic like this. But it was nice while it lasted.
Again, thanks for everything and thanks for reading. As usual, I tend to delete my stories when I feel the need to (I am governed by the weird attitude of doing what I feel the need to do) so they might disappear from your favorites someday. (Emphasis on someday.)
I got 4 votes from people asking me to write an M-rated chapter. I don't know about that, it makes me feel weird. I keep feeling as if they're out of character. I just can't imagine Kyouya and Haruhi doing…that (in detail). But we'll see.. (Maybe if I get 100 votes! Haha. I like making it hard so that it never happens! Just kidding! We'll see.)
If you didn't like the ending, I'm sorry, but feel free to tell me how you wanted it to end. I don't really mind people's own version, it's just that, I can't please everyone so I have to go with my way.
In any case, I'm sleeping now. I can't see straight. Thanks again!