Miss Karuizawa
:: by Shirayuki Otoko ::
:: Chapter 19 :: Ode To A Confession
"Eh?"
Haruhi gulps. She slowly turns around to face the caller. Standing just opposite her, with a smile that seems so unfamiliar.
"Haruhi." The voice starts. Haruhi's heart is pounding furiously. She would like to think of this moment as a dream. Unfortunately the time has come for her to face her inner feelings. For that person.
"Kyo...Kyouya-senpai?" Haruhi has managed to croak his name. Kyouya smiles. Haruhi realizes that the smile is not one of his trademark hidden agendas. This smile seems so genuine. Haruhi moves forward to close up the gap between them.
"Haruhi. Omedeto." Kyouya reaches for Haruhi's hands. Haruhi blushes slightly. That small blush turns into a bigger one when Kyouya proceeds to kiss both of her hands. Their eyes fix onto each other for a while. Haruhi remembers that she's got plenty to say to Kyouya, but for some reason she is feeling the jitters.
"Kyouya-senpai..." Haruhi mumbles.
"Yes, Haruhi?" Kyouya squeezes one of her arms.
"Uh...hmm..." Haruhi's heart is pounding wildly. The words just can't escape from her mouth.
"It's okay if you...can't say it." Kyouya's expression visibly saddens.
"Uh...it's not that. Just that..." Haruhi stammers.
"What's wrong?" Kyouya asks anxiously.
"I would love to...go out with you, Kyouya-senpai. But it's just that I can foresee a few problems ahead..." Haruhi mumbles.
"Problems?" Kyouya raises an eyebrow.
"Like...our family backgrounds..." Haruhi reasons.
Kyouya shakes his head. He places one hand on Haruhi's face. "No worries about that. In fact, that should be the last thing to worry about..."
Haruhi nods. "So desu ne..."
Kyouya asks. "Haruhi, the most important thing right now is...do you love me?"
Haruhi looks at Kyouya. She realizes that Kyouya's eyes have a gentleness to them. In fact, they are so gentle that Haruhi almost thought they belonged to someone else.
"Do you?" Kyouya repeats the question.
Haruhi breaks into a smile. She nods slightly.
"Haruhi." Kyouya sighs. "That's not the answer I want."
"Huh?" Haruhi is puzzled.
"I want to hear you say those words. Don't use your head to answer." Kyouya counters.
"I..." Haruhi begins.
Buzz...buzz...buzz...
"Damn." Haruhi curses. "Gomen ne, Kyouya-senpai. Be back in a jiffy." Haruhi apologizes as she finds a private spot to answer her call.
-
"Moshi moshi?" Haruhi greets.
"Ah, Kotoko-chan! It's Rangiku!" The cheery voice at the other end exclaims happily. Haruhi smiles.
"Hey Rangiku-san! What's up?" Haruhi responds with equal cheer.
"Kotoko-chan, do you know about the Ootori Empire?" Rangiku asks.
"Eh?" Haruhi perks up at the mention of Ootori Empire. "What about it?"
"Oh...you see..."
-
Kyouya waits for Haruhi patiently by the fruit trees. The night breeze is getting more chilly, but Kyouya seems unaffected by it. His anticipation is drawing bigger. Will Haruhi say those words to him? He finds his heart beating faster with each passing second. He rubs his hands together for a little warmth as he continues to wait for Haruhi.
"Senpai." A familiar voice trails from behind.
Kyouya turns around and smiles. "Ah...Haruhi."
All of a sudden, Haruhi steps forward and gives a tight slap across Kyouya's face.
Kyouya gasps in shock. "Ha...Haruhi?"
"You despicable bastard!" Haruhi screams.
"Wh...what have I done?" Kyouya is shocked.
"Who do you think you are, Kyouya-senpai?! Who am I to you?! Why are you treating me like some retard? Truth is, I don't need your fucking sympathy!" Haruhi hollers. Her face is now stained with tears.
"Ha...Haruhi? I don't understand!" Kyouya explains.
"And to think I'd to listen to this information through a third party!" Haruhi shakes her head sadly.
"Huh? What information?" Kyouya is dumbfounded.
"Your Ootori Empire is the main sponsor behind this pageant?! Why didn't you tell me that?! Then I wouldn't even have thought about participating! God! I feel like a fool right now..." Haruhi sobs.
Kyouya's eyes widen in horror. "How...how did you...?"
"Stop treating people like idiots, Kyouya-senpai! I'm not an idiot! And to think you played mastermind behind the pageant's results?! Hey, the last thing I want in my whole life is to get involved in such a scandalous act!" Haruhi yells.
"Haruhi! Please...please hear me out!" Kyouya reaches for Haruhi's hands. Haruhi pulls away from him.
"Don't touch me!" Haruhi screams.
"I admit I didn't tell you any of this beforehand...but how was I supposed to know that you would be part of the pageant from the beginning? Thing is, the idea simply didn't connect with ypur character! When I knew you would be participating, I was panicky. I decided to follow you to Karuizawa. Throughout the time spent with you, I realized that I'd fallen deeply in love with you. The more I couldn't bring myself to uncover the fact of my involvement with this pageant. And when you confronted me for the reason of my presence, I had to purposely divert the truth away from you. Instead I stated the fact that you had broken the school rules..."
Haruhi cries. She pounds both her fists against the ground in anger.
"But then I realized you were so looking forward to the pageant, I had to do something about it. During the auditions, I arranged with the board to put you in for the entire competition regardless of the results. But thing is, you were looking really beautiful the whole time. You had displayed something new. Something that captivated all of us! And that was when I discovered I couldn't lose you...I wanted you so badly!"
Haruhi chokes. "Now that I've known the truth, do you think I still want to stick with you?!"
"Please...hear me out!" Kyouya pleads. "I understand that love can't be forced, and I know all of us are in love with you...but yet I'm still willing to risk it! The more I told myself to respect your decision, the more I couldn't do it. To be brutally honest, all of us simply can't lose! The more we try to respect your decision, the more we end up fighting for you..."
Haruhi shakes her head. "That's enough..."
"And when you confessed your love to that somebody during the Final Question, I was dumbfounded. I was jealous for some odd reason. I tried to keep calm but I couldn't. I so badly wanted to know who you'd chosen! Then I decided to intervene. Originally you would have been the champion, but I told the board to place you as first runner-up. Because if you were Miss Karuizawa, you would have to dedicate more time and focus on the regional competition. I couldn't bear to have you away from me for so long...so...please, Haruhi, I didn't mean to hurt or insult you in any way. I'm simply ahead of the rest. I mean, anyone of us would kill just to be with you!"
Haruhi stays rooted onto the ground. She's no longer crying. She refuses to look at Kyouya.
"Haruhi...?" Kyouya asks worriedly.
"You are a horrid guy, Kyouya-senpai..."
Kyouya lowers his head in shame.
Haruhi pulls herself up from the ground. Her eyes have turned swollen from all that crying. Kyouya steals a glance at Haruhi.
With a deep sigh, Haruhi proceeds back to the pension, leaving Kyouya all by himself.
-
The next morning, Kyouya wakes up with a throbbing headache. The previous night had been a killer. With difficulty, Kyouya gets out of bed and slowly walks out of his room.
"Ah...Kyouya-kun! How are you feeling?" Misuzu asks with concern as he spots Kyouya coming down the stairs.
"I am fine...uh, where is Haruhi?" Kyouya has no mood for other things except Haruhi.
Misuzu sighs deeply. He fishes out an envelope with the words 'To Kyouya-senpai' and hands it over to Kyouya.
"Eh?" Kyouya is surprised. Misuzu simply shakes his head.
"Ganbatte ne, Kyouya-kun..." Misuzu says.
Kyouya quickly opens up the envelope. Inside is a note written by Haruhi.
-
Kyouya-senpai:
I remember the days we shared in Karuizawa,
less those words you confessed to me yesterday.
Overnight I had given a lot of thought,
vented my unhappiness on the pillow...
Expecting my heart to feel better,
yet it still hurt as I laid on my bed.
Only then I realized,
understanding the situation is harder than I imagined.
Haruhi.
-
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Kyouya is stunned by the extremely brief note Haruhi had written. He calls for Misuzu who is setting up breakfast for both of them.
"Where is Haruhi?"
"She left Karuizawa already." Misuzu says matter-of-factly.
"What?! But why..." Kyouya is shocked.
"I think you know why, Kyouya-kun." Misuzu pats Kyouya on the back.
Kyouya sighs. "I'm doomed...I've fucked this up terribly..."
Misuzu smiles. "I'm sure time will heal all wounds, Kyouya-kun..."
Kyouya shakes his head sadly. "Haruhi hates me now for what I did. I don't think she'd forgive me."
Misuzu starts to laugh. Kyouya stares at him puzzledly.
"Misuzu-san?" Kyouya asks.
"Kyouya-kun, did you read the note properly...?" Misuzu tries to control his laughter.
"Eh? The note? Yeah I read it already..." Kyouya doesn't understand what Misuzu meant.
Misuzu smiles encouragingly. "Kyouya-kun..."
"Hai?"
"Read between the lines..."
"Eh?"
-
Kyouya dives into the limousine like a madman. Trying hard to gasp for breath, Kyouya instructs the chauffeur to drive off to the train station.
"Quickly! I need to get there as soon as possible!" Kyouya says.
"Hai, bocchama!"
As the vehicle speeds down the roads of Karuizawa, Kyouya silently prays that Haruhi is still somewhere at the train station. He leans against the car seat, trying his best not to fidget about.
"Can you go any faster?" Kyouya snaps impatiently.
The chauffeur nods. "Hai!"
-
"Haruhi!" Kyouya calls out to the girl who is just about to board the express train back to Tokyo.
Haruhi turns around with a blank look. "Senpai...why are you here?"
Kyouya runs forward to Haruhi, half gasping for air. "Haruhi..."
Haruhi's expression softens slightly. "Daijobu...?"
Kyouya smiles weakly. As he regains his composure, Kyouya fixes his gaze on Haruhi.
"If you are okay, then I guess it's farewell..." Haruhi proceeds to the platform, but is held back by Kyouya.
"Haruhi! You still care about me, don't you?" Kyouya asks anxiously.
"Nothing of that sort." Haruhi counters coldly.
"Haruhi...I've read between the lines." Kyouya smiles.
Haruhi turns to face Kyouya. Kyouya's face is terribly worn out. Haruhi can't help but caress Kyouya on his cheeks.
"Senpai..." Haruhi begins.
"Let me speak first..." Kyouya fishes out the note from his pocket. Haruhi looks at the already-crumpled piece of writing and lets out a soft chuckle.
Kyouya smiles. "I know you still care about me...Haruhi."
Haruhi nods slightly. As she tilts her head up, Haruhi's eyes start to well up.
"Senpai..." Haruhi tears.
"Oh don't cry, Haruhi. It's all my fault. Gomen ne..." Kyouya pulls Haruhi into an embrace. Both of them stand in the middle of the station for a while. Kyouya caresses Haruhi's soft brown hair affectionately. Haruhi sobs quietly onto Kyouya's chest.
After what seems like forever, they break the embrace and look at each other.
"Haruhi..." Kyouya says. "Can I ask you the final question?"
Haruhi smiles and nods. "Dozo."
Kyouya takes in a deep breath. He looks at Haruhi affectionately and pops the question.
Haruhi laughs heartily. Without a word, Haruhi points to the crumpled note inside Kyouya's pocket.
"Didn't I make myself clear before?" Kyouya retorts in mock anger. "I want to hear the answer from your mouth, Haruhi!"
But Haruhi has already made a move towards the platform. She turns around and winks at Kyouya.
Kyouya has no choice but to drag his feet along before the next train comes.
As both of them stand side by side near the platform, Kyouya steals a glance at Haruhi. Haruhi simply smiles and points towards the direction where Kyouya's side pocket is.
Somehow, Kyouya seems to have finally realized something behind that motion. He turns back to Haruhi and reciprocates with an understanding smile. As the express train pulls over by the platform, Kyouya and Haruhi hold each other's hands tightly.
For the next few hours, their hands have never left each other's grip.
THE END
-
Author's Note
Hey minna! Finally Haruhi has ended up with somebody! The last part is full of dramatic turns. I must admit that the concluding chapter is the hardest to write. Hopefully it goes well with you readers! The romance portion of this story is prolly the most unromantic. Heh. Anyway, thanks to my readers who have read till this far. Hope you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Will be working on a new story soon. Hopefully my next story would attract the same readers and new readers as well. Till then!
P.S. By the way, for those who might wanna know. The 'hidden message' behind Haruhi's note to Kyouya:
Kyouya-senpai:
I remember the days we shared in Karuizawa,
less those words you confessed to me yesterday.
Overnight I had given a lot of thought,
vented my unhappiness on the pillow...
Expecting my heart to feel better,
yet it still hurt as I laid on my bed.
Only then I realized,
understanding the situation is harder than I imagined.
Haruhi.
And so, the 'hidden message' from Haruhi is: Kyouya-senpai, I love you. Haruhi.
Once again, domo arigato gozaimasu!