Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran or any characters.

I remember the vow so clearly now, the vow that changed my life forever.

It was on the eve of Haruhi and Tamaki's wedding, the rest of us were sitting around a table in the hotel bar reminiscing. There was Kyoya with his fiancée, Alianore. Next to them sat Hunny and Reiko. It still surprises me that they're married. Mori's at the end of the table, next to his American girlfriend. On my right was Mei, while on my left was Hikaru, drinking a Black Russian.

Hikaru was being antisocial, because of the wedding. Sure, he's always said he was fine with Haruhi's choice, and that was true, for a time, but the closer we got to them tying the knot, the more unstable he became.

I think he always believed that they would never last, that it was only a phase, but he was wrong. They did last.

Eventually the party broke up, everyone wandered off. I slipped Mei's arm through mine and started to lead her to the elevator, but I was stopped by Hikaru's hand on my arm.

His eyes had a wild look in them, "Please….stay."

I couldn't refuse my brother, so I kissed Mei goodnight and rejoined my brother in the bar.

He was in bad shape, his eyes were bloodshot and his hands were shaking, but everytime I tried to take his drink he got angry. Eventually I couldn't handle seeing him that way, so I ordered a drink for myself.

Three hours later we were so drunk we could barely remember our names.

The bar was empty by then, just us and our empty glasses. The song on the radio changed to something slow and romantic and Hikaru lost it.

He began sobbing harshly into his arms, completely lost in his own pain.

I tried to comfort him, but it was difficult, I'd moved past Haruhi almost a decade earlier and was quite in love with Mei by then.

When the tears slowed he looked up at me and whispered, "Kaoru, please, promise to never leave me alone, I can't bear to lose you also."

I didn't want to do it, but he was so upset and he's my brother, so I promised.

He held me to that vow.

I had to watch Mei marry another, just like Hikaru watched Haruhi.

I began to hate him then.

My hate began to grow until it consumed me.

I hate him for what he did to me.

He doesn't care, he's glad that I'm miserable, it just makes him feel better.

I hate him.

I hate him for that vow.

How I hate that vow.

That's all I know now: hate, pure, unbridled, brotherly hate.

Author's Note: So, this is also from musicroom#3, I didn't win first place this time tho, but the one that won was much better than this. The theme is vow/promise and it had to be exactly 450 words. I hope you enjoy! And if you want more Hitachiin then go look at the story Fairy Tale Princes in nicluvly's profile. We actually wrote it together, but she got to post this one. She's listed under my fave author's if you want to go look.

Enjoy! Read! Review!