Disclaimer… I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or its characters, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying them and using the in my stories. Maybe one day the world will somehow lose its mind and the rights will be turned over to me, but until then… there is fanfiction.

A/N: To my readers that have been with me a while… this has been a long time coming. I haven't written a Kyoya/Haruhi story in a while. Yes, Drink A Beer made mention of their relationship, but that was not a true Kyoya/Haruhi story. I have a lot of ideas for this pairing, but for some reason never got them on paper, that changes today. I hope all my readers, newer and those that have been with me long term enjoy the new story. I really don't know what all will happen, so we will see together. I had a dream and the beginning of it is from that, everything else we'll see when it happens. Enjoy!

Chapter 1 – Omiai

Kyoya sat there across the table and stared at the woman sitting on the other side. Her father was sitting next to her, some big wig at a drug manufacturer in England that his father wanted to do business with. Of course a marriage between the two families would set the contract in stone and make the deal firmer than any handshake ever could, however, as he sat there listening to the father and daughter drone on and on, Kyoya couldn't stop his mind from wandering. This girl's eyes were too dull and not the right shade of brown. The brown should have golden flecks hidden in their depths and in the right light, maybe show a flicker of green and topaz. The hair was wrong as well. Although a decent shade of brown, it wasn't quite right. It was too long, too straight, and too plain. It should have had some bounce to it, cut in a pixie do and never go beyond a short bob for when she was determined to grow it out. Even though straight, it shouldn't just hang there flat as if it were dead. Where was the body, the gentle wave that came out when it was humid or damp? Where were the varying shades of brown that combined together to give it that unique shining individual quality?

The day before, Kyoya had been called to his father's study and sat down. He was told that he would be going to an omiai and told that he would follow through with it; and then Yoshio Ootori informed his son that he had done Kyoya a favor by selecting someone that looked like Haruhi. Now as the youngest son sat there sipping his tea, he had to wonder why his father thought this cheap imitation could come close to replacing someone like Haruhi? How did Yoshio even begin to believe this girl looked like Haruhi? It just wasn't possible. This girl had nowhere near the class the female host did. The girl sitting across from him was supposed to be a peer and an elite? She looked more like a cow grazing in a field; eating with her mouth open and talking with food in her pie hole. Haruhi may not be from the same social class, but at least she had manners, etiquette, and decorum; this girl was nothing more than an imposter.

Almost at his limit, he could not bring himself to enjoy the food placed before him. Each time Kyoya went to nibble something, the girl would speak or chew or do something, and his stomach would turn. Did he dare subject himself to a lifetime of this? That would be a life sentence. If he felt sick just sitting in her presence, how did he plan to marry this… this… this pretender? He dare say, his father asked too much of him this time. So many times he wanted his father's recognition, to move forward, to become the heir, and in the past he was willing to do almost anything to attain that dream, but he didn't think he could do it this. This was impossible. At the mere thought of "till death do us part", he was ready to grab his katana and stab himself. A bit melodramatic… yes. Too over the top? Probably. However, he was sure if any of the others saw the swine placed before him, they would think the same thing!

Supposedly this girl was known for her beauty in the aristocratic circles of England. Kyoya wanted to know if they were blind. The hair was limp and dull, the eyes were too big for her face, the skin was too tanned, her waist too thin, and her bosom too endowed. Maybe some would find her pretty, but he just found her sallow and lacking. How much longer did he have to endure?

Covertly checking his watch, the Shadow King of Ouran started to count down until he could politely leave. Per his estimates and good manners instilled in him at a young age and reinforced during his days inn the Host Club, he only needed to remain there for another thirty minutes. A half an hour until sweet freedom claimed his life once again. His father may say he had to go through with this farce, but Kyoya would not do it, could not do it! He would have a better chance at becoming he King of England than to spend a lifetime with this girl.

While all of these thoughts were running through Kyoya's head inwardly, as expected of an Ootori and the "cool host", outwardly his smile was polite and he seemed to be listening to everything his guests said. They would never suspect that his internal feelings did not match his outward appearance. They wouldn't know, but Haruhi would. Haruhi always knew him best. She could always read him when no one else, except maybe Tamaki, could. Haruhi… Haruhi… she was the one that should be sitting on the other side of the table with her father, Ranka; not this ill-mannered poser. His heart, his pride, his longing, his joy, and his dreams all resided with Haruhi… and they always would. So why was he sitting there with these poor substitutes instead of with Haruhi? He was stupid.

Time after time, the hosts tried to push her together with Tamaki, and time after time they failed. Tamaki loved her, but she didn't love him. Eventually, everyone realized that and she and Tamaki became great friends; better than they had been before. It was his second year in university and Haruhi's first that the hosts had found a new target and pushed Kyoya and Haruhi together. This time their plan had worked. That was almost three years ago. Six months ago, he had broken up with her because she was going to finish her Bachelor's study in the United States at Stanford University. Haruhi had been set to reject the notion of leaving everyone, but Kyoya had urged Haruhi to accept and she eventually did under his insistence and pressure. However when the time came to say goodbye, he didn't feel it was right to hold onto her and severed their ties. He said that he didn't want to hold her back from experiencing everything she could. In the past six months, he has only heard from her once. The others have talked to her, but not him. She doesn't call him anymore, and he can't blame her. According to her, he broke her heart; and according to his own heart he had broken more than just hers.

No other title could be bestowed upon him other than idiot. No longer the Shadow King, Kyoya was now dubbed the Idiot King by his friends behind his back. They thought he didn't know, but he always knows. He always finds out, and he had to agree with them, but alas it was too late. From what he heard from the twins, Haruhi was enjoying her college life and might have met someone new. The details were sketchy at best, but the fact is, he had forced this upon both of them, and now it was him who had to pay the price; however, this was too much to bear! His father had accepted him and Haruhi, even if she wasn't ideal in Yoshio's eyes, she was good enough; and Kyoya threw it all away. If he was not going to marry Haruhi, then his father would arrange a marriage, and thus he sat at his omiai meeting the girl his father had chosen for him.

As he sat there, he pondered what Haruhi was doing at that very moment. Did she still think of him? Did she miss him? Did she want him back? And this thought made him pause, panic rushing through him. Did he want her back? Yes! Did he still love her? Yes! Did he have a chance to make it up to her? Probably not, but couldn't he at least try before he was shackled to the cow across from him forever? He had to do something because Kyoya Ootori was not about to live in hell for the remainder of his (and he was sure about the length if he married this stranger) short life.

At the exact moment thirty minutes had passed, Kyoya turned on his best host smile and said, "I do apologize, but I must take care of some other business. I enjoyed our meeting today and cannot wait to see you again. Thank you for honoring me with your presence." Farewells exchanged, he got up and walked out of the private room they were occupying and strode out of the restaurant with a new determination. Pulling out his phone the moment he stepped into his car, he instructed his bodyguard, "Tachibana, I'm going to California. Do not inform my father just yet. We will fly commercial."

"Very good sir," the bodyguard smiled and noticed the other two guards grinning as well. Under his breath he mumbled, "It's about time."

Close enough to hear Tachibana, Hotta, who was driving the car, gave a small nod in agreement. It indeed was about time their employer realized his mistake and tried to fix it.

A/N2: For those that do not know (though you probably guessed from the chapter) an omiai is a marriage meeting where a couple will meet to see if a marriage can be worked out or where the two people in an arranged marriage will meet for the first time. Basically a match making meeting.