Ouran High School Host Club Fan Fiction ❯ Rubbing The Lamp ❯ Ch 16 Tamaki stands by his friends ( Chapter 23 )

Disclaimer: Ouran Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori. I make no profit off this story. If Bisco Hatori-san wishes, I will remove this from the web upon her personal request.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 16

This story was written in response to the Makin' Lemonade Challenge for Weeks 97-98: Two-way mirror. What does someone do when they don't know someone is watching? And how does it make the watcher react?

 

And also: Weeks 107-108: You're my best friend. Dangit - is that a good thing or a bad thing?

 

 

 

 

 

The half-French, half-Japanese prince of Ouran High School's Host Club was officially at his wits end.

 

It was spring - the season for love to blossom. But for once, that was not the top priority on his mind.

 

Exams were to start next week. Next week as in two days from now. He should really be studying. After all, he was going to be a third year next year - it was time to get a bit more serious about his education. He did want to ensure his acceptance into a good college - it could help with his grandmother's acceptance of him.

 

But exams were the last thing on his mind.

 

A week had passed since Haruhi had overheard them all talking about canceling their stupid agreement. When it happened, they had all shared in the guilt. But they had each independently come to the decision that the agreement was wrong, that Haruhi meant too much to them. They realized that their plan would never work - not if they wanted Haruhi to truly love them in return. And so they'd each come to the Third Floor Music Room to cancel the agreement and see if there was some way to make it up to Haruhi.

 

Except Kyoya. Kyoya had wigged out.

 

In the entire time they'd known each other, Tamaki had only seen Kyoya lose his cool once, when he'd started yelling at him, very early in their friendship. But that was nothing compared to this.

 

Because never before had Kyoya looked so lost and afraid.

 

At the time, he was so startled, he hadn't reacted. He hadn't realized that his best friend had been hurting that badly until he witnessed the outburst. Even if he had, he probably wouldn't have known how to comfort him. And then, with Haruhi so disappointed in them all, so hurt, he couldn't even reassure himself.

 

But now, now he wanted to beat himself up for failing his friend so horrendously.

 

On Monday, when Kyoya didn't show for classes, his worry only grew. The look on his friend's face kept playing over in his mind. In between classes, he called the Ootori household, and then his dad's office to assure himself that Kyoya was okay. But either no one knew or no one was telling him anything. After school, he ran down to his dad's office to ask him about it in person. There, his father had told him what his friend had done.

 

He hadn't wasted any time. On Sunday, Kyoya placed calls and arranged to take all the exams a week early, so that he wouldn't have to be at school for the last two weeks of the school year. After hearing the excuse that he would have the chance to work closely with his father - a chance that could potentially help him to be named heir, Superintendent Suoh had agreed readily, thinking, `If only it was that easy for *my* son…'

 

Arriving at school several hours early on Monday morning, Kyoya had gone immediately to the principal's office, and taken all his exams back to back.

 

Exams that were normally spaced out over the course of a week.

 

When Tamaki called the Ootori household again after leaving his dad's office, one of the maids confidentially told him that the young master had arrived home from school at about 2 pm and then barricaded himself in his suite. The maid confided that she was worried. He appeared to be not feeling well. And while Kyoya was usually quiet and stoic, he had no problem making demands of the staff - more so when he was ill. However, since he returned from school on Saturday evening, she said, he'd been politely refusing anyone's attention or help. Just asking - ASKING - for bulk quantities of espresso, and thanking the staff every time they brought it, greeting them at the door and taking the tray, then closing it without letting anyone in. It just wasn't right.

 

Tamaki had immediately gone to his club mates. When one of their own was in trouble, they never failed to come through.

 

Except this time, no one seemed to care but him.

 

He understood that they were still a little angry with the Shadow Lord. He'd used each of them - their insecurities and interest in Haruhi - to try to get closer to her himself. They were all guilty of that, though, just Kyoya was the only one who wouldn't give up and accept Haruhi as a friend. Still, they seemed to believe the fact that he wouldn't give it up meant that he just didn't care about anyone but himself.

 

What they didn't seem to understand was how much all of this had been hurting the Shadow Lord in the process.

 

Kyoya never - NEVER - continued with an action that seemed destined to fail. He always remained objective and while he would never retreat from a problem, should a chosen method fail, he would simply change angles of attack. He analyzed everything from every direction, every possibility, and he always figured out how to get things done. He always succeeded.

 

For him to be blindly pushing forward with a failing plan, trying to get the rest of them to go along without using manipulation - trying to bully them… Well, that wasn't Kyoya at all!

 

He wasn't thinking. And for him to be not thinking, for him to be just reacting, well, that was… It just was NOT Kyoya! It was more like the actions of a cornered animal. The snarling expression on his face as he faced them all, just before Haruhi stepped out among them - he was exactly like a cornered, injured animal.

 

They all refused to see it though. It was easier to blame him and think of him as thoughtless and selfish. Tamaki had tried to enlist their help so that he could find out what was wrong with Kyoya - he even went so far as to say that it didn't matter whether Kyoya was in the wrong, if they didn't help their clubmate when he needed them, then they were proving themselves even more selfish than however selfish they imagined Kyoya to be.

 

Haruhi had glared at him and stated icily, “Should Kyoya ever *deign* to come ask for help, then - and only then - will I consider it. If he doesn't care about me, why should I care about him?” And then she'd turned her back on him and announced she was leaving, going home to do some studying.

 

Startled by the venom in her voice, no one moved to contradict her. The others shrugged and packed up for the day as well.

 

So Tamaki went over to see his friend on his own. But Kyoya refused to unlock his door, refused to even answer him.

 

He kept trying. He called every day, left long-winded messages. He'd told Kyoya about how Haruhi had forgiven them and wasn't that wonderful! She was friends with them all again and they were ready to start club activities. She'd even agreed to stay in the club next year. He neglected to mention that she had said that if Kyoya returned without promising to never try to manipulate her again - in writing - that she would drop out of the club forever.

 

As the week went on, Tamaki became more and more worried. This was the longest Kyoya had gone without talking to him.

 

On Friday, Prince Tamaki had begged his clubmates to help. They were family. He didn't want his family broken apart. How could the club - their family - survive without its “mother”?

 

Haruhi had coldly stated, “I grew up without a mother, and I turned out fine.”

 

Then, on Saturday, Tamaki had gotten a call from Fuyumi. She was as worried about her brother as Tamaki was and she begged him to come over and help. He immediately left school, skipping his last class, and had his driver take him to the Ootori mansion, where Fuyumi met him at the door. She paced nervously and wrung her hands.

 

“Tamaki! Thank god you're here. You must go talk to Kyoya.”

 

“I tried!” he exclaimed. “He won't let me in to talk to him. He won't respond when I call through the door. He won't answer his phone. I have no idea what he's thinking or how he's doing.”

 

“I just don't know. Tamaki, did you have a fight? Did something happen? He's never been like this before. He won't leave his room and he looks so… Tamaki, I'm... I'm scared.”

 

Sighing, he said, “I'll try again.”

 

They walked to his room and Tamaki knocked. “Kyoya. Mon ami! I am here to visit you.”

 

No response. He and Fuyumi exchanged glances.

 

His tone turned more serious. “Kyoya, please open the door and talk to me.” Grimacing, “Please, my friend. Just talk to me. You know I'm here for you. Everyone is worried about you.”

 

No response.

 

Pleading now, “Please, Kyoya. You know you're my best friend in the entire world. Please. Just let me in.”

 

No response.

 

He turned to Fuyumi. “Are you even sure he's still in there? He could have snuck out or something.”

 

She shook her head and then gestured for him to follow as she led him down through a small door and down a side corridor that Tamaki had never noticed before and into a small room with a wall of monitors - most of them turned off. A security guard sat idly in front of them, taking notes. Three of the monitors displayed different angles of Kyoya's suite.

 

In one of them, Kyoya could be seen sitting at his desk, writing feverishly in his notebook. But just when he got about two-thirds through the page, he shook his head, ripped it out, wadded it into a ball and threw it onto a growing pile in the corner.

 

After about fifteen minutes, he stopped and just stared off into space. His eyes looked vacant and empty. He remained in that partially catatonic state the rest of the time they watched. Tamaki noted the dark circles under his eyes and how gaunt he'd become.

 

“Tamaki, what is wrong with my baby brother?” Fuyumi was near tears.

 

Standing taller and prouder than she'd ever seen him, Tamaki said, “Do you have a key to his room?” She nodded at the security guard and he tossed his key ring to the Frenchman.

 

With a purpose, he strode back to the room. He turned the key in the lock and as the tumblers clicked open, he announced firmly, “Kyoya, I'm coming in.”

 

He closed the door behind him, leaving Fuyumi out in the hall.

 

“My friend, my friend,” he called as he sat down across from his best friend.

 

Kyoya's eyes didn't really focus on him as he said, “Tamaki, why are you wasting your time?”

 

“Because you're my best friend,” his soft smile was genuine and sincere.

 

Kyoya shook his head.

 

“Kyoya, please. I know you're upset about Haruhi, but if you just apologize-”

 

He shook his head. “No. Tamaki. It's over. She's… you all should just move on.”

 

“Kyoya.”

 

“It doesn't matter, Tamaki. I can't do anything. You know, you can't get ahead when you care about people. I'm the third son. I don't matter anyway. To be named heir, I should… I need to… It doesn't matter.” He shook his head. Then he grabbed Tamaki's sleeve, his eyes wide and hopeful, emphasizing the dark circles there. “Tamaki! Could you… Could you get me some - some pills that let you sleep without dreaming? They won't let me take any pills to help me sleep. I need...” he drifted off and then quickly poured some espresso from the pot, drinking it quickly.

 

Tamaki noticed there were piles of used espresso cups on every flat surface in the room. How many trays of espresso had his staff brought him today? Why hadn't anyone removed the ones still in here?

 

“Well… maybe you should stop drinking so much caffeine… You know, you should let the servants in to clean up…” Idly, Tamaki, picked up one of the crumpled sheets of paper and tucked it into his pocket.

 

Kyoya's head shook furiously. “No. No. That… That doesn't matter. I just need to sleep without dreams. Or stay awake. Yes. I guess staying awake will have to do...” Finally, he looked up at Tamaki and met his eyes. “Thank you for coming, Tamaki, but really, I'm just… I just need to figure it out.” He tried to smile, but it looked like a grimace. And then, he turned to space out again, becoming motionless, his eyes fixed as if on some distant problem in desperate need of solution.

 

His mouth slack, Tamaki backed out of the room. It was like Kyoya was broken, truly broken inside.

 

Once outside of the room, Fuyumi came down the hall and threw herself into his embrace. “I saw from the monitoring room. Oh, Tamaki! What's wrong with my baby brother?”

 

Tamaki shook his head and patted her on the back. “We'll figure it out, Fuyumi. I promise. Neither one of us will give up on him. Just…” He pulled back from her and stuck his hands in his pockets. “Just keep monitoring him. Make sure he doesn't do something stupid.” Feeling a scrap of paper, he pulled it out, uncrumpled it and allowed his eyes to scan what was written there.

 

Eyes wide, he whispered, “Keep an eye on him. I… I'm going to bring back up.”

 

All of a sudden, it had become clear. They both loved Haruhi. But Kyoya was his best friend. He wouldn't let him down.

 

Secondary Disclaimer: All characters in this story are at least 18 years of age. While that might seem unlikely - as three of the characters are only sophomores in high school, I figure it this way: if Bisco Hatori-san can ignore the students graduating for two years in a row and keep everyone in the same grade, I can then apply that logic to their ages. Therefore, Haruhi, Kaoru and Hikaru are just 18. Kyoya and Tamaki are about to turn 19. Mori is about to turn 20, and Huni already is 20. (Therefore, according to Japanese figuring, Huni is the only adult. :P )