Chasing Cars

AN: Told you this chapter’d be longer. :] Enjoy.
The story is titled 'Chasing Cars' because my influence for this story was the song 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol. Somehow, it seemed to fit the couple. If you haven't heard it, listen to it. You'll see what I mean. ^^ also, in this story, Ouran is more of a boarding school. I don't know for sure if every day they go home or if they spend the night in their own rooms at the academy and go home on the weekends, so I just made it like a regular boarding school where they go home on the weekends. please don't criticize me for this.

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Haruhi opened her eyes. At first there seemed to be no difference between underneath her eyelids and the room, but gradually her eyes adjusted and she took in many unfamiliar things - a bed next to her, an opened closet, closed curtains…

“Ah, you’re awake.”

She sat up, startled. The light flicked on and Hikaru stood up against the wall, wearing only pants and a towel around his neck. “Ah, good morning, Hikaru.”
“Hey,” He glanced at the window, “The storm’s still going on. There’s been a lot less thunder and lightning, though.”

Even from that distance. Hikaru could see her stiffen at the mention of thunder. He immediately felt guilty at mentioning it to her, but he brushed the feeling off quickly. “Are…are you gonna be wanting lunch?”

She blinked in surprise. “Wanting…lunch?”

Hikaru laughed. “It’s almost noon. You slept a while, there. I took a shower while you slept.” He pointed to the towel and winked.

Haruhi suddenly gasped. “Hikaru!” She yelled, “Kyouya-sempai told me yesterday that the doors can’t be opened from the inside or the outside once they’re locked!”

Hikaru kept his face expressionless. “Yeah, I know.”

“So…we’re here for two weeks?”

“I guess so.”

“Don’t they come and check each room before locking up?”

Hikaru smiled. “No, are you kidding? Who do you think Our lord takes his personality after? Tamaki-sempai’s father is just like him - impatient, arrogant, obnoxious, over-looks small details…”

“You kind of just described yourself there, too, Hikaru-kun.”

“Uh…”

“…Nevermind. Anyway, lunch! What will we eat for lunch?” Haruhi stood up with some difficulty and smiled at him.

Hikaru put a hand to his mouth and looked at her. “Well,” he muttered, “we could raid the kitchen.” Haruhi froze. “Isn’t that against the rules?”

Hikaru laughed. “Isn’t staying here during vacation against the rules, too? And what about your little part-time job a while back, huh?” Haruhi blushed and scowled at him. “Hey, you’re breaking the rules by staying here with me!”

Hikaru went over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. He grabbed a light blue long-sleeved shirt and pulled it over his head. “What about you?” He asked, pointing to her clothing. “It’s a little cold for a nightie, Haa-kun.”

Haruhi looked down and blushed again. “Ah…I have some extra clothes in my dresser, I think.” Hikaru grinned. “And, if you don’t, we can always put you in the cosplay outfits we have in the music room!”

“…Don’t push it.”

So, ten minutes later, Hikaru stood outside of Haruhi’s room while she changed. He looked down at his socks. The door suddenly creaked open and he jumped in surprise. Haruhi stepped out. “Is it that bad?” She asked.

Hikaru looked her up and down - she was wearing a long sleeved light blue shirt and a yellow zip-up hoodie. She wore skinny jeans and her socks. “H-Haruhi!” He exclaimed, “Haruhi wears women’s clothing!!”

She hit him on the back of the head. “Hey, you’ve seen me in this stuff before!”

“Hey, hey, Haruhi!” She turned and saw him sitting on the top step of the stairs. She walked over and sat down next to him. “Hm?” She asked.

“I brought my headphones with me, in case you get scared, alright?” He pointed to his headphones, which were wrapped around his neck.

Haruhi blushed. “…Okay.”

He stood up and held his hand out. “What?” She blinked.

Hikaru blushed and extended his hand more. “What is it?” She asked again.

Finally, he grabbed her hand impatiently. “Stupid girl! When a guy offers you his hand, you take it and let him take you someplace!” He helped her up, grabbed her hand again, and they started walking.

She blinked again. “Oh, I didn’t know.”

He turned his head and smiled, still walking. “Idiot!” He laughed.

“Ah, it’s raining pretty hard.” Haruhi commented as they made their way kitchen. Hikaru glanced out the window. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Am I boring you, Hikaru-kun?”

He stopped and turned back towards her, his face pink. “No, it’s not you. You’re just no fun as a toy without Kaoru.”

“Ah, did Kaoru not stay?” Hikaru shook his head. “No, he went to Ireland with our family.”

Haruhi frowned. “Sorry,” she said, “I’ll try and be more fun since he’s not around.” Hikaru laughed and grabbed her hand again.

Suddenly, the lightning flashed again and the thunder rumbled, but Hikaru squeezed her hand and swung her in close to his chest. “Don’t look at it, Hikaru. Don’t listen to it either.” He felt her stiffen as the thunder rumbled beneath them.

When it stopped, he let her go, blushing, and released her hand.

“Do you not want to hold my hand anymore?”

Hikaru looked back at her. “Do you want me to hold your hand?”

“No, it just surprised me, I guess.”

Hikaru turned forward and slowed down so that they were walking side-by-side.

Finally, they opened the door to the kitchen. “Tadaah!” Hikaru yelled triumphantly as he opened the door. “I told you we’d make it!”

Haruhi frowned. “I never said we wouldn’t make it.”

Ignoring her comment, he ushered her inside. “You know how to cook, right?” He asked. Haruhi nodded.

“Okay, I’ll have some ramen…oh, and some sushi…hmm…and takoyaki, please!” Hikaru pointed to the refrigerator.

Haruhi frowned again. “What, you’re making me cook? Why can’t you cook it? The directions are simple enough.”

Hikaru crossed his arms. “I don’t understand all the directions, and so I need you to-”

Haruhi thrust a bag into his face. “You mean you can’t add water to your ramen noodles and wrap a piece of seaweed around some pre-packaged fish? And do you not know how to put takoyaki in the microwave and reheat it for a minute and thirty seconds?”

Hikaru blushed and stuck his bottom lip out. “Well, jeez, if you’re going to be like that, I guess I will make it myself.”

Haruhi blushed and smiled.

They ate lunch in the cafeteria. “Hikaru, don’t you get sick from eating that much?” Haruhi asked after Hikaru had gone back to the kitchen for his third bowl of ramen. “Eh?” He cried, “Haruhi, are you so poor you never ate three portions of a meal before?!”

Haruhi groaned. “I’m not that poor…”

Hikaru’s eyes widened. “Haruhi!” He yelled, “I bet you’ve never been in an indoor swimming pool before, either!” Hikaru grabbed her by her shoulders. “You’re being awful critical of my money situation right now…” She breathed.

Hikaru shook her. “Are you listening? There’s an indoor pool in the fourth wing. It’s supposed to be for the swim team only, so that they can practice on rainy days like this, but whatever.”

Haruhi frowned. “Isn’t it too cold to swim?”

Hikaru rubbed his temples. “Haruhi-chan, Haruhi-chan…” He muttered, “Have you never heard of a jacuzzi?”

She blinked. “Jacuzzi? You mean the one with the bubbles?”

Hikaru smiled and flashed her a thumbs-up. “Good job, Haruhi!!”

“You’re acting like I don’t know what one is.”

“I thought you didn’t.”

So they made their way back to Hikaru’s room. The thunder and lightning had only troubled them again while they were eating. “Here, Haruhi!” Hikaru called as he looked inside the closet for a while. “You can wear this!” He came out and showed her.

It was the manikin adorned with the frilly two-piece suit he and Kaoru had tried getting her to wear numerous times. “No.” She said shortly.

Hikaru frowned. “Haruhi. Do you want this to be the worst two weeks of my life? The last you can do as a thank you for comforting you last night is wear a silly bathing suit. Come onnnn!”

She sighed. She knew she would regret this later, but he did have a point. “Fine,” she growled, “I’ll wear it.” Hikaru grinned broadly. “There’s a matching jacket that you can wear in the pool, too!” He grabbed this and handed it to her, then ushered her into the bathroom. “I’ll get changed in here, so don’t come out until I tell you it’s okay, alright Haa-chan?” He called through the door.

Haruhi sighed and took off her clothes. A full-length mirror was hung on the back of the door, but she refrained from looking at her naked self in it. She slipped into the bathing suit and pulled the jacket on. She turned towards the mirror and looked at herself.

She had a nice figure, despite the fact she had no boobs. But she was slim, she noticed, and her face wasn’t altogether displeasing either. She scrutinized her face for quite some time, focusing on how her lips looked when she made this face, or how her eyes got bigger for a second when she blinked. She turned around and noted that her hair was getting longer, and more girlish-looking. She ran her fingers through her hair and opened the door.

“KYAAAAAH!!! HARUHI!!”

She jumped in surprise. “What, Hikaru?!”

“You look so adorable!” Hikaru was smiling at her with all his front teeth showing. She looked at him, too. His eyes were a very pretty green, she noticed, and his hair was a beautiful color. He had a nice, well-toned chest, she noted. She shook her head and looked up at him, her face flushed.

“Hey, Haruhi!” Hikaru said, “for a second there, it looked like you were checking me out.” She punched him lightly in the face.

He laughed and grabbed her hand. “Kidding! Now, you don’t know where it is, right? Good! Then I’ll have to lead you there! But there are ghosts haunting this building! Ghosts who go after cute girls in swimming suits who are walking alone.”

“You’re a damn liar, Hikaru!”

“I’m just trying to protect you…”

“Let’s just get towels and go!”

Hikaru grabbed a yellow striped towel and handed it to her. She wrapped it around her waist and tied it so that it hung down like a skirt. Hikaru chose to just wrap his around his neck.

“Won’t it be weird swimming in the rain?” Haruhi inclined her head towards Hikaru and flashed him a look from the corner of her eyes.

Hikaru shrugged. “Hmm, maybe. I mean, probably!”

Haruhi turned back and continued walking.

“Haruhi, are you not talking to me anymore?”

Haruhi turned towards him again. “What? No.”

Hikaru smiled and ruffled his hair. “Oh, good. I thought you were mad at me..”

“I am mad at you.”

“Eh?!”

“Do we turn left here, or right?”

“Wait, tell me why you’re mad!!”

“I’ll assume right.”

“No, no, it’s left!!”

“Okay then.”

She turned left abruptly and didn’t look back. Hikaru struggled to keep up with her. Damn…he thought, for such short legs, she walks fast!

Haruhi stopped walking and stiffened. Hikaru bumped into her. “Oh, sorry, Har…” He waved his hand in front of her face. “Hey, hey! Haruhi, you there?”

She turned back towards him. “I…I saw the lightning again.” Hikaru smiled warmly and ruffled her hair. “Jeez, that’s all? Don’t worry, it can’t get us in here…” The thunder rumbled just then, and she clutched his shirt and pressed herself against his chest. Hikaru held her shoulder and waited until her body relaxed a little. “Don’t scare me like that, okay?” She nodded and took his hand, which caught him by surprise.

“Hikaru…” Haruhi started, gazing at him from the corner of her eye, “you really do have no common sense when you’re not with Kaoru, you know.”

“What makes you say that?”

Haruhi placed her finger on her lips in thought. “Well, when I got scared just then, you didn’t know it was the thunder and lightning.”

Hikaru shrugged. “Well, I thought maybe it had been one of those ghosts…”

Haruhi looked up at him. “And just then, you thought it was a ghost. Really, Hikaru-kun.”

He flushed and scratched his head. “Yeah, well…”

She smiled at him. “But, since we’re so opposite, the next two weeks should be interesting!” Hikaru blushed and looked down. “I guess.”

“Ah, is this it?” They were outside a wide glass door. Haruhi pressed her fingertips to the glass and looked inside. “Yea, there’s the pool,” she said, “and the jaccuzi!”

Hikaru pushed the door open and ushered her in. “Just lounge around for a bit while I go in that little room back there and turn on the hot tub, okay?” Haruhi nodded.

She walked idly around the pool tables and chairs at first, then took her towel off and set it on one of the tables near the pool. She jumped slightly at the sound of a motor. Bubbles started to form in the hot tub, but where was Hikaru?

“Sorry, sorry!” She turned and saw him running towards him.

He set his towel down next to hers on the table. “Is it warm yet?” He asked, stretching his arms up over his head. Haruhi shook her head. “Not yet,” She sat on the edge of the pool and dipped her feet in. The motion caused the once perfect, smooth surface of the pool to crease and ripple. Hikaru sat down next to her, but didn’t put his feet in.

“Hikaru, you’re not being like the last time.”

Hikaru turned toward her. “What?”

Haruhi looked down at her feet idly kicking underneath the water. “When we went on the date last time, you were so impatient and angry with me. You’re not now.”

Hikaru scratched his head. “Hmmm….” He smiled. “Maybe it’s because I’ve grown up since then?”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Oh look, it’s bubbling a lot now. Maybe it’s hot? I’ll go check.” Hikaru stood up and dipped his foot into the Jacuzzi. “Ouch!” He cried out. Haruhi looked up abruptly. Hikaru slid his body into the hot tub. “Ah, it’s warm. Come in, Haruhi.”

She stood up and kicked her feet in the air a little to dry them off. “Coming!” She walked over to the edge of the Jacuzzi and slipped one foot in. “It is hot,” She murmured. She put another foot in, than slid in until the water was waist-high. She pulled the jacket of and flung it across the room. “If it’s this hot, I don’t need this.”

Hikaru, red-faced, avoided looking at Haruhi’s bare shoulders and neck as she lowered her whole body into the water. “Ah, it feels really good!” She sighed, “This was a good idea, Hikaru-kun.”

Hikaru smiled. “Yea, I know. Why don’t you come over here?” He patted the spot next to him. Haruhi cupped her hand in the water and flung it at him. “No way,” Hikaru shrugged and leaned back.

“You look like your back is on the bubble jet.” Haruhi commented. Hikaru opened his eyes. “Bubble jet? Oh, you mean…” He leaned forward a looked behind him. Laughing, he said, “I guess I am, haha! How’d you know?”

Haruhi lowered her face slightly in the water, than raised it again. “You looked so content.”

“So that automatically means I’m sitting on a bubble jet.”

“No. There’s just nothing else to be content about.”

“You’ve got weird logic, Haruhi-kun. Did you even take the fact that you’re here into consideration?”

Haruhi tipped her head to one side. “No, that doesn’t seem a very content idea to me. I think I’m boring, actually.”

Hikaru laughed. “Then why’d our host club get so crazy after you joined?”

Haruhi shrugged.

It was quiet in the room for quite some time, the only sound being the Jacuzzi motor grinding away and the bubbles.

“Hey, Haruhi.”

Haruhi looked up. “Hnn?”

“Do you remember…” He scratched his red hair. “…Do you remember when Kaoru and I faked that fight?”

Haruhi blinked and nodded. “Yeah. Why?”

“Well, even though we were faking it…” He paused and looked at her worriedly.

“Go on.” Haruhi motioned to him.

“Even…even though we were faking it, you unknowingly stepped into our world.”

“Your world?”

“Yeah, we’ve mentioned it to you before. It used to be just ‘us’ or ‘we.’ We were only concerned with each other. No one else struck us as interesting.” He gazed over at her. “…And then you came along.”

Haruhi said nothing, just held his gaze and waited for him to continue.

Hikaru sighed and slowly continued. “You were, at first, a threat to us. You were a threat to entering our perfect world of just us. But you knew us really well, Haruhi. You could easily tell which one was Kaoru and which one I was. We weren’t displeased, but we were shaken.”

“Are you still uncomfortable?”

Hikaru smiled and shook his head. “Of course not.”

“Then why’d you tell me?”

“It seemed appropriate for you to know that you’ve been a crucial part in us growing up.”

“Kaoru still seems more grown up than you.”

“That’s not the point I’m trying to make here!!”

“Okay.”

Hikaru sighed and reached over and ruffled her hair. “Your hands are wet,” She complained. Hikaru laughed.

“You know,” She continued, wringing her hair dry with her hands, “I take back my comment earlier. You two have done a lot of maturing since I’ve known you.” Hikaru grinned.

“Of course, you both choose to never show it.” She stated abruptly.

Hikaru laughed again. “I can’t argue with you there.”

Haruhi closed her eyes and leaned back. “This is really comfortable.” Hikaru leaned back and sighed contently. “Yeah, it is.” He agreed.

Haruhi stretched her legs out and her foot brushed his ankle under the water. They both sat up at the sudden contact and blushed. “S-sorry…” She murmured.

“No, no, it’s fine.” Hikaru muttered back, turning away. A deep ripple of excitement spread through his body at the feel of her foot touching his. He denied this feeling inside his head.

Haruhi coughed and looked out the window. “Is…is it just me, or are there more clouds?” Her attempt and switching the topic to the weather worked.

Hikaru turned his head and gazed out the window. “Hey, you’re right. There are a lot more.” Haruhi tensed up, but he smiled at her. “Will you be sleeping with me on the ground again tonight, then?”

She blushed and scowled at him. “Only because I’m scared.” She said angrily.

Hikaru smiled. “So you are going to.”

Haruhi glared at him, and he blushed.

He stood up, water dripping from his hands and swimming trunks. He stood beside the edge of the pool and put his hands together. Haruhi jumped up. “Hikaru!” She cried, “Isn’t doing that bad for your heart?!”

Hikaru only turned toward her and gave her a wicked grin, then jumped in. She sighed. He was so dumb!! She looked over at him to see he had surfaced. “Jeez, it’s cold!” He shivered. “Haruhi will you go in the back room and turn on the pool heater please?”

She stood up and shook herself. “Okay!” She called. Every step she took left a small puddle. Hikaru watched her leave and realized he had left his cell phone in the room too. “And could you also bring my cell phone out here and put it on the table?” He called. “Okay!” She hollered back.

“Hmm, how do you do this?” She scratched her head and let her eyes scan the complicated looking machinery. “Ah!” She found three small dials - one said Jacuzzi, one said pool and the other had no label. She turned the dial labeled pool and turned it to 87 degrees. She eyed his cell phone from the corner of her eye and grabbed that too. She left the small room and set the phone down on the table.

“Is it warm yet?” She asked. Hikaru kicked his feet around a little. “It’s getting there, I think.” He looked up at her. “Come in!”

She blushed and turned away. “No way,” She crossed her arms. “Never!”

Hikaru splashed her a little. “Come on…” He teased.

Haruhi turned towards him and walked around to the three foot part of the pool. She hesitatingly walked into the pool on the steps. Hikaru waved to her from the eight foot section. “Heeeey, Haruhiiiii!!” He yelled, “Come over here!”

She blushed and dived under to get her hair wet. She surfaced and tossed her head back and shook the water from it. “Nope.” She yelled.

Hikaru swam over to her. “Why not?” He asked. She only blushed again and looked away. Hikaru’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me…” His jaw dropped. “You can’t swim!” Haruhi’s face flushed bright red and she turned around.

“No wonder you never went in the water before!” He exclaimed. “Haruhi, can you really not swim? I’ll teach you, if you want!” She glared at him. “Sorry, sorry.”
Hikaru smiled. Her chin barely lay above the surface of the water.

“So I can’t swim!” She yelled, “So what? It’s not like it’s important!” Hikaru made a face. “But I never made fun of you, Haa-chan.”

She stood up and angrily stomped out of the pool. “I don’t want to swim anymore!” Hikaru swam beside her as she walked around the perimeter of the pool back to the hot tub. “Aw, Haruhi,” he whined, “please?”

She faced him and blushed. “You don’t have to be ashamed that you can’t swim when someone can teach you.” Hikaru stated simply. Her face crunched up and she sighed. She had no choice but to give in.

“Fine,” She groaned. Hikaru grinned and held his arms out. “Jump in!” He yelled. She blushed and hesitatingly pencil-dove into the water. She was under the water, and she was a little scared. She didn’t know how to swim, but she felt his strong arms wrap around her and she felt reassured. He pulled her back up and grinned broadly. “Ta-dah!” He exclaimed. “You did it!”

He still held onto her, because they were still in the deep end. “Am I too heavy for you?” She asked. He was kicking his legs awfully hard…

He looked down. “No, of course not!” He leaned over a little. “Climb on my back.”

“What?”

“Climb on!”

She looked hesitant, but she clambered onto his bare back. “Okay, we’re going to do a whole lap around the pool, okay?” He told her. She nodded and gripped her arms around his chest hard. He backed up against the wall and kicked off with his feet. He set off at a good speed, and she cried out. He executed his turns perfectly, she noted, and she often looked back to see how he kicked with his feet. Looking forward, she watched his hands scoop in an upward arc and hit the water again with a small splash.

He finished the lap off at the three foot end of the pool, and she jumped off. His breath was coming in small, short gasps. He placed both his hands on his knees and looked up at her. “Tadah!” He said shortly between breaths. Haruhi smiled.

“Do you want to try now?”

“A whole lap?!”

“I’ll hold your stomach.”

She thought about this. “Aren’t you tired?” She asked. Hikaru stood up and laughed. “I’m okay now!”

So she lay down flat on the surface of the pool and he kept a hand resting under her stomach. “I’ll guide you, okay?” Haruhi nodded. She was sure she wouldn’t be able to do this, but she decided she’d give it at least a try.

She tried her best to imitate him by backing her feet up against the wall of the pool and kicking off, but her head dunked under the water and her arms flapped uselessly above the surface. Hikaru couldn’t help but laugh, but he held her head up all the same. “Dork!” He giggled. She blushed, but did not altogether look displeased.

He kept both of his hands busy now - one hand holding her up by her stomach and one holding up her head. With both of his hands useless, he had to walk instead of swim beside her. She tried again, and this time she started off okay. She kicked her feet wildly and scooped her arms in huge arcs, and Hikaru lost his hold on her stomach and head, and she flipped over. “Sorry!” He yelled. Haruhi surfaced and shook the water from her hair. “It’s okay!” She laughed.

Hikaru put a hand on his chin. “Obviously, this isn’t working.” He muttered. “Ah, I know!” He jumped out of the pool and dragged her by her feet to the edge of the pool. “Okay!” He explained, “Don’t move your feet, and practice your arm motions.” Haruhi looked back and nodded.

Her hand went up and swung back down on the surface of the water hard. Her second hand did the same. Hikaru grabbed her hand with one of his own and stopped her. “Not like that,” He said softly. He swung her arm in a graceful arc, barely making a splash on the water. “Try that.”

She blushed. She didn’t swing her arms down forcefully, but instead tried her hardest to imitate his actions. Her right arm went up and swung back down on the water slowly, then as soon as her hand went under the surface, her left swung upward and imitated the right. She did this for about two minutes before Hikaru stopped her. “Good, good!” He smiled. Haruhi beamed.

He let go of her feet. “Now,” He said, “I’ll hold your arms and we’ll practice your kicking.” She turned around in the water so she was facing him, then extended her arms and let him grab them. “Now, let’s see your kick.”

She kicked wildly, causing a great splash. “Woah, woah!” Hikaru stopped her. He laughed. “You’re doing it wrong again!” She looked up at him, half of her face beneath the water, but he could see she was blushing. “Oh, jeez…” He rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand. “It’s like this; don’t kick your feet up out of the water so much, if at all. Kick under the water, and if any part of your foot comes out of the water, let it be a little bit of your heel.” She looked back at her feet. Was she really doing it that wrong?

He held her arms again. “Now try again.”

She kicked lightly under the water, and Hikaru stopped her instantly. “Nope, not like that!”

“What am I doing wrong?” She complained. The water now was reasonably warm. Hikaru held one finger up, still grasping her wrists. “Don’t kick so lightly, or you’ll end up not going anywhere. You’ll sink if you do it like that!” She blew air out of her cheeks and tried again.

“Faster, not so light! Kick a little harder…no, don’t splash so much! That’s it…yes…yea, you got it!” Haruhi stopped kicking to see Hikaru grinning at her. “Really, I did it?!” He nodded, and she smiled proudly.

“Now, though, you have to swim like that!” Hikaru ordered. Haruhi groaned. “In the deep end?” He shook his head. “Nope, here.”

Hikaru stepped into the pool and stood beside her. “Okay, go up against the wall. It’ll help if you push off against it.” She walked over to the opposite wall and placed her feet against the flat, smooth surface of the tiles. She pushed off and kept her arms swinging in wide, slow arcs. Her feet barely left the water as she kicked. “Go up for breaths, remember!” Hikaru called to her.

She had strayed off into the five foot water, and she went up for breath just as a bolt of lightning lit up the room and thunder rumbled. She froze, and let her body sink to the bottom of the pool. “Haruhi!” Hikaru cried, pushing off the wall and shooting through the water like a bullet. Her eyes were transfixed in horror. Bubbles floated up to the surface from her open mouth. He scooped her up and carried her to the surface. “Jeez,” he panted, “don’t stop swimming when you’re not used to it yet!” He carried her out of the water and stood her up, wrapping his towel around her.

“S-sorry,” She said, her voice small and shaky. Hikaru just smiled at her and wrapped her towel around himself.

They went into the small back room and Hikaru turned all the dials to off, then they left the room. Haruhi ran back in though, to grab his cell phone. “Thanks!” He said, grabbing his phone from her hands. “No problem,” Haruhi smiled.

They stopped outside of Hikaru’s room. “Hey, do you need to go get your clothes?” He asked. Haruhi nodded and ran down the hallway, her towel-skirt flying after her. Hikaru watched her for a moment, then opened his door and got dressed quickly, before she walked in on him.

She still wasn’t back yet when his cell phone rang. He flicked it open. “Hello?”

“Hey, brother!” It was Kaoru.

Hikaru’s heart skipped a beat. Kaoru! “Hey!” He cried, “Hey, how are you?”

Kaoru laughed. “It’s been not even a day and you’re getting so worked up. I’m fine. How are you? What’d you and Haruhi do?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Actually, yes.”

“Well, we ate and swam.”

“She swam?!”

“Mhm.”

“In a bathing suit?!”

“Yep!”

“You lucky bastard…”

“I love you too, Kaoru.”

Kaoru paused for a moment. “So, hey, I gotta go now. We’re getting on the plane. But, Hikaru…”

“Yeah?” Hikaru noted something in Kaoru’s voice that made him worry.

“Don’t screw this opportunity up.”

“Opportunity? What…” But Kaoru had already hung up, so Hikaru was answered by a monotonous beep.

He turned his phone off and set it on the bedside table. “Opportunity?” He muttered to himself, “What opportunity?”

“Ah, sorry it took so long Hikaru-kun!”

Hikaru turned towards the door to see Haruhi coming in clutching a green duffel bag. She was dressed in her pajamas, sweat pants and a baggy t-shirt. A few bobby pins held back her bangs. “Can I put my bag down here?”

Hikaru nodded. “Guess what? Kaoru just called me!”

Haruhi brightened. “Really? That’s great! What’d he say?”

“He couldn’t talk much because they were about to get on the plane. He mainly wanted to know about how we were. Then he said something about an opport-” He stopped there and blushed. Somehow, telling Haruhi this last bit seemed something better left unsaid. He didn’t know why, he just knew that something was holding him back from saying it.

“An oppurt? What’s that”

“It’s nothing.” Hikaru laughed.

Haruhi smoothed out the blankets set on the carpet. “Hey, maybe we should go into the music room and watch the news.”

Hikaru nodded. He knew why - she wanted to know the weather. He led the way, and she trotted after him. Like a puppy, he thought.

They turned on the TV when they got there, and Hikaru took the remote and switched it to the news. “Hm,” he said, “they’re not doing the weather yet.” Haruhi took the remote from him and pressed in another channel number. “Let’s check the weather channel then.” She said.

They watched for a while. Hikaru could see her tense up at the mention that more storms would be rolling around and staying for a while. She turned towards him and inched closer.

She turned off the TV and sighed. “I knew those clouds we saw meant no good,” She groaned. “Now I have to go through more…”

Hikaru placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay. At least you’re not alone.” He smiled at her and she felt immensely grateful inside.

“Hey, I’m hungry.” She commented as her stomach made a deep rumble, almost like the thunder.

“Me too!” Hikaru cried. “Want to go get dinner?”

Haruhi smiled. “Sure!”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

They had eaten dinner and were now sitting on the blanket that was their bed. Hikaru glanced over at her. “Want dessert?” He asked. Haruhi cocked her head quizzically at him.

He stood up and dug around in the closet for a few seconds, moving clothes out of the way. “Hey, isn’t that a mini-fridge?!” She exclaimed. Hikaru grinned. “Sure is.”

“But aren’t those against the rules?”

“Hey, don’t you go preaching to me about breaking rules again, missy.”

Hikaru opened the fridge and tossed her a small box. “Open that real quick, okay?” She looked down at the box. “Mochi?” She cried out. Hikaru nodded. “You like it? Isn’t it too sweet for you?” She glowered at him. “It’s not too sweet for me…”

Hikaru laughed and threw two more slightly smaller rectangular boxes to her. “You have Pocky too?” She looked up. Hikaru scratched his red hair. “Don’t tell me you don’t like Pocky…” He sighed. Haruhi smiled. “No, I like it!”

So they ate some of Hikaru’s secret stash of Pocky and Mochi. Haruhi turned toward the window and stood up. She pulled back the closed curtain and looked outside. “Hey, it started raining again.” She turned back toward Hikaru.

“I didn’t know it ever stopped.” He said.

Haruhi nodded. “I didn’t realize it either.” She closed the curtain and sat back down on the blanket.

Hikaru gazed at her. “You tired?” He asked. Haruhi yawned and nodded. It wasn’t that late - only 10:00, but he’d go to bed now anyway. “Okay. Then get in the blanket.” She nodded and crawled in, pulling the blanket up to her chin. “Is it really okay for me to sleep here?” He asked. She looked away for a second, than nodded.

He couldn’t deny the fact that he was happy it was just them in the academy. He felt that the other members of the host club, excluding Kaoru, of course, were bothersome, especially Tamaki-sempai. He might be their lord, but he got really angry and hot inside whenever he got close to Haruhi.

He looked over by her to see she was already asleep, her eyes closed and her mouth hanging open a bit. Kaoru’s words echoed inside his head: Don’t screw this opportunity up. He still didn’t know what it meant, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with Haruhi.

He lay down and placed a hand on hers, and her eyes fluttered open. “Hikaru?” She yawned. He reached up and switched the light off. “Yeah?” He whispered back to her. She closed her eyes again. “Nothing.” She breathed, snuggling comfortably in the blanket.

He lay like that for some time, his eyes open. When he heard her breathing become slow and calm, he turned towards her faced and rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand. “Night, Haruhi.” He whispered.

She smiled.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kaoru felt guilty again. He really didn’t like lying to Hikaru. He never got on the plane - in fact, he never went to the airport. It just wouldn’t have been fun without Hikaru, so his parents agreed that he could stay at the house.

He had his window open. It was cloudy, but it wasn’t raining. He closed his eyes and breathed in the air. He stood up and closed the window, then crossed the room to his bed.

It would be awkward sleeping without Hikaru, but he’d have to get used to that. His heart hurt - he wanted for Hikaru to fall in love with Haruhi, but at the same time some part of him was pushing him back. The other part of him wanted Hikaru all to himself.

He knew this was selfish, but he couldn’t help it. He and Hikaru had been together their whole life, never apart. Now she had entered their life, and he knew he cherished her like nothing else. She looked at her differently then he did everyone else, including Kaoru. Yes, his heart hurt badly - but he would have to learn to live with it.

TBC;


Was this chapter good? I tried real hard at it, making it long and good and stuff. Eek, I hope it’s good!! Thank you for reading!! *bow*

I’ll try and update as soon as I can!!