"Oh…my head." Haruhi pushed her fingers against her temple. The ever vivacious Tamaki had just called to make sure she was healthy and that the other students were treating her well. It was almost comical how much Tamaki seemed to want to protect her. Almost comical. Although it was much less annoying than it used to be.

She had graduated Ouran academy with a full-ride scholarship to some fancy school where all the rich kids (including all the other club members) went to study to become business moguls and the like. Haruhi saw no point in it. She had opted for a university close to home, far less prestigious, and less likely to make her want to stab her brain out with a dull pencil. All in all, her choice had been the right one. None of the other club members saw it that way though. She had become very close with each and every member of the host club in her time at Ouran, but she knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate in school surrounded by 'the guys'. They really were too much fun and, though she would never admit out loud, Tamaki made her nervous. It hadn't always been that way. In the old days she saw him just like the others; as a close friend. Though, his extra attention to her and his commitment to her safety had soon begun to blur the way she saw him. She figured it was just that he saw her as one of his "children". Her feelings, though, began molding, changing into something new. It may have gotten on her nerves at times, but Tamaki really did want to protect her and see her happy. Sure the other club members did too but his attention was extra focused. Haruhi also began to appreciate the way he seemed to block out all other girls when he was talking with her. Never turning to ogle some other girl with more curves or spacing out. It also helped that he was really handsome. That last part hadn't fully clicked until Tamaki had come back from his first year of college to see her, but it had clicked just the same. In fact, soon after his return is where it all really started. Tamaki had left school a week earlier than the others and insisted on them hanging out so that they could catch up. Haruhi hadn't realized how much she'd missed the energetic blonde. It was like she couldn't spend enough time with him. More often than not, just the two of them hung out rather than with the whole host group. They ended up spending so much time together that they even reached the best friend level. It was all kind of new to Haruhi. Sure she'd had friends before, close friends too, but never a best friend. And, even though he made her a little nervous, she really did love having someone she could rely on with anything. He would listen to her when she needed and talk her though hard times and thunder storms. In return she would humor him and be a true friend. Honest, unbiased, and always there for him.

Haruhi was now in the middle of her first year at college and was, for the most part, really enjoying herself. She was still keeping in touch with the other guys and doing extremely well in college. It was so different from high school. Especially the rich high school she had attended. But that's why she liked it so much.

Haruhi took a regretful glance at her watch and sighed.

"Doesn't look like I'm going to be able to get any studying done." Haruhi's final midterm was later that following day, then the Christmas break. In a few more days, the guys were all coming back to visit their families so she would get to see them too. The problem was it was late and she was tired. She would finish studying and getting ready tomorrow. With that decided, Haruhi clicked off her bedside lamp and snuggled deeper under her comforter.

A/N: I can, even now, feel this fanfic blossoming into something MUCH longer than I had anticipated. Maybe I can squish it down a little. sigh Guess I'm going to have to put the other fanfics I was planning on starting on hold for a while so that I can work on this one and finish "It Is You I Have Loved." In fact I'll probably go on hiatus for a few months after this story and "It Is You I Have Loved" are finished. I have to work on my books and take a break.

Before I get any further into this fanfic, I just want to say that it was sparked by the song '24' by Jem and it's based on events in my life. Also, the, I guess you would call it the climax of the story, is somewhat "dark". It's nothing extremely intense but it's still pretty intense. So, if you're sensitive to that particular subject matter (and you'll know when the time comes what the subject matter is exactly) then you might not want to read it.