Chapter 11

Haruhi pressed her face to the window, staring at the beautiful architecture. Tamaki watched her silently, grinning when her mouth formed an admiring O as they passed the Eiffel Tower.

They soon arrived at the Houshakuji mansion, where Renge was staying for the next week and had welcomed Tamaki and Haruhi to stay with her. Her father would be in Barbados on business during her stay, and she looked forward to having her friends to keep her company in his stead. Renge received her visitors in the sunroom while their things were carried in by house staff. With a delighted squeal, she threw her arms around Haruhi.

"I haven't seen you since the wedding!" she chattered enthusiastically. "How have you been?"

"Fine," Haruhi answered as she sat beside Tamaki on a curvy-armed sofa. Renge really was a fan of Rococo-era furniture; there was floral print and gold-leaf everywhere Haruhi turned.

"Have you chosen a date yet?" Renge asked. "You only have four months until the baby is born."

Haruhi sighed, "No. We can't seem to agree on whether to have a big wedding or not. I, personally, would like to skip the pomp and have a small, intimate ceremony."

Renge couldn't wrap her head around not wanting to get a big, fancy dress and play princess for a day. There was a reason, she supposed, that Haruhi had made a convincing boy, but the stubborn commoner didn't even want to girl it up for her own wedding? Renge shrugged it off as a poor person thing.

"We have chosen a name, though!" Tamaki was bursting with the need to announce his unborn daughter's name to anyone who would listen. It wasn't that they were keeping it a secret; Haruhi just didn't see any conversation where it was necessary information. Tamaki disagreed. "Anne-Sophie Kotoko Suou," he announced with great flourish.

"Suou Kotoko," Haruhi abridged.

"Your mothers' names, right?" Renge recalled. "That's really sweet. You know, Kyouya and I are trying for a boy. Wouldn't it be spectacular is your daughter and my son got married someday?"

Haruhi's mind filled with images of her little Kotoko marrying a mini shadow king as he cackled evilly, and she hummed in thought. 'Spectacular' might not have been the word she would use. Tamaki, on the other hand, seemed to love this idea. It was scary how alike he and Renge were sometimes.

After half an hour in which the three conversed over tea, Renge had to leave to meet with a client. After all, Renge was in France to take care of business while her father was away. She invited them to get comfortable and make use of any diversion they found in the mansion, then she was hurrying out the door and into the back of her waiting car.

Haruhi and Tamaki were given a brief tour by the head butler before they were taken to their room, which was, unsurprisingly, decorated just as extravagantly as the rest of the house. Haruhi chose to forgo the uncomfortable looking sofa and instead sprawled out on the king size bed. It was amazing how exhausting flying was, considering it was basically twelve hours of sitting in a chair, doing nothing. She was soon joined by Tamaki, who lay on his side, resting a hand on her belly.

And they dozed.

Hikaru leaned against the wall of the narrow hallway, drumming his fingers impatiently. In the studio on the other side of the soundproof wall at his back, his on-and-off girlfriend (who he wasn't completely sure whether he was currently on or off with) and her family were recording their new single. Hikaru didn't much want to see Izumi at the moment, but after running down the list of everyone close to him, Hikaru had come to the conclusion that the only person who would understand his current dilemma was Minori.

Not that he really thought she'd get it, but he had a feeling everyone else in his life would side with Kaoru. How could any of them really understand what it was to lose a twin to a relationship? Minori would be able to sympathize with that much, at least—especially given that she would be losing her twin to the very same relationship.

Hikaru sighed, scrutinizing the wall across from him dully. It was tiled with framed album covers that had been signed by the bands and singers featured on those albums. Some were musicians he could recall, some he'd never heard of. Korota's record label was often considered a stepping stone; half the acts that went into that studio went on to bigger and better things, the other half faded into obscurity very quickly. After Korota's next album, their contract would be up, and if it did well, Korota would get signed with an even bigger corporation.

The heavy door to his right finally opened, and out walked the four Shigemiwa siblings, saying goodbye to the producer inside on their way out. Hikaru was ignored by Komugi and Sumire, before Izumi paused in front of him.

"Where's Kaoru?" she asked, looking around.

"Probably still in New York," he snapped. "We're not attached, you know."

She glared at him but stomped away, sensing that this probably wasn't the best time to get into an argument with the touchy Hitachiin. Izumi was replaced in front of him by Minori, who rested her hands on his shoulders and stretched up to peck him on the lips.

I guess we're still dating, he thought wryly. "Are you free today?" he asked.

"Free as a bird," she grinned. "Have you eaten? I'm starving."

He shrugged, and followed her outside, where they went to a café across the street from the studio. Once seated, he began to tell her his story.

"So then he just springs it on me, and acts like I'm the jerk for thinking it's a little sudden."

"I always thought I'd be the first one to get married," Minori murmured wistfully.

Hikaru grumbled, "Can we please focus on me for a second?"

"What exactly are you mad about?"

"If he gets married, he's going to want to live with her and start a family, and—"

"And where would that leave you?" she guessed.

He nodded. "Kaoru and I have been together since before we were born, and all of the sudden, he just wants to run off and get married! Sure, they've been dating for two years, but what about the twenty years before that when I was the one who was there for him?" Hikaru ran a hand through his hair in agitation, "Please tell me you know where I'm coming from."

Minori tried to put herself in her boyfriend's shoes. She and Izumi weren't nearly as close as Hikaru and Kaoru, but she supposed it would be hard not having her around anymore. And what about the band? With the Hitachiin brothers moving back to Japan in a few weeks now that they'd finished school, would Izumi go with them and fly back to America for every event, or would she retire? Minori couldn't see that sitting well with Izumi; she loved being a musician more than any of her siblings.

"I understand, but you might not even have to worry about it," Minori concluded. "You're assuming she'll say yes."

"Why the hell wouldn't she?" demanded Hikaru, outraged at the implication that Kaoru somehow wasn't good enough for Izumi.

Minori shrugged, "If she has to choose between Kaoru and her music, well… There's a reason she's never been in a serious relationship before." She sighed, "It's actually a little troubling. To save her pride, she'd probably break up with him if he proposed."

"That's just stupid! She'd be hurting both of them for no good reason. They clearly both love each other." Sure, Izumi often made bad decisions when it came to her emotions, but that scenario was especially pigheaded—even for her!

Minori winked, "So you're saying they should get married?"

Hikaru frowned. He didn't know if Minori was smart enough to trick him intentionally, but he certainly felt set up. "It would make Kaoru happy," he admitted, absently watching his coffee swirl as he stirred it.

"There you have it. I personally would put myself before Izumi…"

He scoffed, "You would, wouldn't you."

"But I know you'll always worry about what Kaoru wants before yourself. And he'd do the same for you."

"You think he's considering dropping the proposal idea?"

Minori nodded, "If it made you upset enough to get on a plane and fly to LA, he is definitely considering dropping it."

He cursed under his breath and stood. "Sorry to run off, but I have to get back to New York," he told her, then as an afterthought, he added, "And don't tell Izumi about any of this. Kaoru would be pretty miffed if we spoiled the surprise."

In an attempt to get the women to be closer friends (after all, with Amelia engaged to Mori, they'd be family soon), Hunny and Mori had encouraged Natsumi and Amelia to spend the afternoon at Roppongi Hills, despite the fact that neither of them was generally interested in shopping, nor were they very good conversationalists. To say the trip was awkward would have been an understatement.

And so they went from store to store, both bored, but, believing the other had instigated the trip, too polite to voice their boredom. It wasn't until they'd been wandering around the shopping center for over an hour that Natsumi made a desperate attempt at conversation.

"Thank you for inviting me out with you," she said. When all Amelia did was give her an odd look, Natsumi regretted trying to be gracious.

Finally, Amelia raised a meticulously-shaped eyebrow, "You didn't invite me?"

Now it was Natsumi's turn to look perplexed. "Mitsukuni said that you wanted me to come here with you."

"That's what Takashi told me," the blonde muttered. "They must be trying to make us friendlier."

"Do they think we don't like each other?" Natsumi asked. "We do like each other, don't we?"

Amelia shrugged, "I certainly don't have a problem with you."

Natsumi ignored that Amelia had basically said she was indifferent to her. Dwelling on it would only cause problems, and Natsumi knew it wasn't personal. Amelia was just a little distant; she kept people at arm's length.

"Well, if you don't want to be here, and I don't want to be here, maybe we can use this time to find a mutual interest and do something that we'd both enjoy," Natsumi suggested. When the blonde nodded, Natsumi looked skyward, searching her brain for her hobbies, "I like art. Museums and things like that…"

"Modern art? Perhaps somewhere with sculptures?" Amelia tried hopefully, earning a bright look from Natsumi.

"I know just the place!"

Finding common ground, the women were much more comfortable with one another. They went the few blocks over to the National Art Center, where they spent the remainder of the day admiring the paintings and sculptures and other pieces there.

"You'd think they'd know us better than to send us shopping," Natsumi sighed as they sat to rest, their feet tired from touring the huge museum. And Amelia was wearing five-inch heels, Natsumi noted, wondering if the English woman was a masochist.

"They are men," Amelia pointed out. "We can't expect too much from them." The barb was light-hearted, but said so dryly that Natsumi couldn't resist giggling.

"Right." The silence that followed was companionable, which was a nice change from the awkwardness of earlier in the day. After a few minutes, Natsumi asked, "Do you want to go to the ballet next weekend?"

Amelia looked startled, but the expression was overtaken by a smile a second later, and she nodded. Though it was irritating that the cousins had taken it upon themselves to interfere, perhaps it was for the best. Amelia and Natsumi probably would have never known how much they had in common, otherwise.

"We can even bring the men along," Amelia suggested, hiding a merciless grin. After all, they still needed to be punished for meddling.

"You may be wondering why we gathered you here."

Komugi and Sumire exchanged looks before turning back to the Hitachiin brothers on the other side of the table. "This is sounding a little like a super villain recruitment," the eldest Shigemiwa sibling pointed out.

"I am recruiting you for something, yes," Kaoru divulged. "And it will be dastardly."

"Does it have anything to do with the fact that you asked Minori to distract Izumi for an hour?"

Kaoru nodded, getting down to business. "I need your help with something very important," he told them, pulling out a folded piece of paper. "I've written down everything that I'd like to say, and I'd be in your debt if you'd help me turn this into a song."

Komugi took it and read it over, grinning to himself. "I can see why you didn't take this favor to Izumi."

"So you'll help?"

"It'll take some work, especially to keep it a secret from Izumi," Komugi admitted. "But I think we can handle it."

Haruhi didn't have ambitions of travel and adventure. She'd never had any desire to sit on a plane for hours on end, only to arrive somewhere where she didn't speak the language, all the while being unable to get any work done. But as Tamaki carted her around Paris, showing her all the beautiful city had to offer, she began to see the appeal.

Haruhi also enjoyed seeing Tamaki in his natural habitat, where he shined brightest. She'd noticed he'd been stressed lately—though she hadn't asked why, not being the sort to pry—and it was good to see him happy and relaxed. Paris had the added benefit of giving him the opportunity to speak French, which Haruhi always enjoyed hearing him do. It was romantic, and beautiful, and exotic, and sexy…

She flushed and looked away from him, glad that he was too busy speaking to their waiter to notice her sudden discomfort. It's the hormones, she thought sternly. Just the hormones. But deep down she knew her excuse was only half of it. Haruhi loved Tamaki, she had no problem with admitting it, and they weren't strangers to sex with one another, the baby growing in her belly was proof enough of that.

But there was something about so unabashedly daydreaming about him that made her feel like a pervert, or at the very least, a silly little girl. And Haruhi hated feeling silly, especially when the cause was Tamaki. She was a grown woman! She was going to be a lawyer, for goodness' sake! Lawyers did not act like lovesick teenagers.

"Haruhi?"

"What?" she snapped, realizing her unintentionally harsh tone when he tilted his head in confusion. "I'm sorry," Haruhi apologized, "I was just lost in thought."

"I could tell," Tamaki smiled patiently. "What were you thinking about?"

You. "Finals."

He chuckled, playfully scolding her. "Haruhi, we're on vacation! Now is not the time to be thinking about school." And there it was, that flash of something behind his eyes that told Haruhi that he was thinking about whatever was bothering him again.

"Sem—" she bit off the honorific. "Tamaki, I didn't want to intrude, but I can tell there's something on your mind."

"Well, I've been thinking," he admitted. "What if we… eloped?"

"Here?"

"No. French marriage laws are too strict, but what if we went back to Japan a day early and got married before anyone even knew we were home?"

Haruhi frowned. "Run away together… home? Why?"

"It'd be quick, and no one could object to it."

"Object? Why would anyone object?" Haruhi argued, trying to keep her voice low enough not to cause a scene. She could already feel angry tears prickling her eyes, and cursed her rampant hormones for the second time in as many minutes. "I thought you wanted a big, fancy wedding."

"I do, but—"

"But with someone who wouldn't embarrass you in front of all of your rich acquaintances?"

He reached across the table and grabbed her hand, "Haruhi, listen to me. I love you, and only you. You could never embarrass me, and I'd wait a thousand years to marry you before I'd even look at another woman—heiress or not. I want a big ceremony so all of our friends can be there and be as happy as we are, but I don't want to risk anyone trying to keep us apart."

"Your grandmother," Haruhi realized, feeling guilty that she'd let her emotions cause her to act so irrationally. "She doesn't know that we're engaged?"

"She doesn't even know you're pregnant. But you're starting to show, even in those loose clothes you wear. We're not going to be able to keep it a secret much longer."

"Okay."

"Oh… kay?" Tamaki blinked, puzzled by her sudden change in attitude. "Okay what?"

"Let's do it. Let's get married." Haruhi took a deep breath, as if her words startled even her, but she went on. "We can do something with our friends and family afterward, but let's make it legal."

"You mean it?" He grabbed her hand, holding it on the table between them. "Are you completely sure, Haruhi? I don't want you to do this just because I want you to do it," Tamaki rambled. "I want you to do it because it's what you want to do."

Haruhi grinned at him, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sure," she told him. "Marry me."

"What are we doing here?"

Hikaru gave Izumi a look, "I said I wanted to talk."

The woman rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I remember that. But why are we here?" They were in the lobby of a small theater that had closed when a multiplex had opened up, and now the theater could be rented out for private screenings or weekend performances by various drama troupes.

"Because it's interesting to look at, and private," Hikaru lied. It should have been Minori's job to do this, damn it! "Let's go into the auditorium and—"

"Does this have anything to do with that fight you had with Kaoru?"

Hikaru blanched, "You know about that?"

"Minori told me that's why you came to see her in California."

What a blabbermouth, Hikaru thought. "How much did she tell you?"

"She told me that the fight was about me." Izumi hurried on with her thoughts before Hikaru could get a word in. "I just want you to know that I would never come between you two on purpose," she said. "And I'm glad we have this opportunity to talk, because I'd like the chance to try to be friends with you. I know how much it upsets Kaoru when we fight."

"So do I," Hikaru muttered bitterly. "He always takes your side and tells me not to antagonize you." Izumi blinked at him, then she started laughing, making Hikaru wonder if she was crazy.

"No way!" she chortled. "He says the same thing to me about you!"

Hikaru had to grin at that. Maybe Izumi wasn't there to take his place, after all—it seemed that Kaoru had separate but equal places for them in his heart.

"So…" she put her hand out, "friends?"

Hikaru shook the offered hand and nodded, "We'll give it a try." Then, instead of letting go of her, he began to drag her to the swinging double doors, behind which was the seating in front of the stage.

Inside, on the stage, was Korota's usual band set up, minus Izumi and her guitar, and plus Kaoru in front of a microphone. Despite how much she wanted to stand and stare in wonder and confusion at the sight before her, Hikaru dragged her up the middle aisle and forced her into one of the chairs in the front row, taking the seat beside her.

"What's going on?"

Hikaru elbowed her, "Just be quiet and listen."

Kaoru cleared his throat nervously. "Um, hi," he said. "I had something important to say, so I asked the people closest to you to help me say it. Here it goes…"

On cue, Komugi strummed his fingers over his electric guitar's strings, and a hum filled the theater. He started playing the opening notes, and he was soon joined by Minori with her bass and Sumire on the drums. Kaoru looked nervous, and was a little shaky with the first line of lyrics, but once he got his musical footing, the song shaped out nicely.

Izumi listened intently, and wouldn't have been able to look away if there'd been a fire in the projection room. It was so unexpected and sweet and altogether perfect. If she'd been thinking, she might have tried to fight down the smile that was currently nearly splitting her cheeks. She'd just have to endure the embarrassment of Minori and Hikaru teasing her about it later.

The song ended and Kaoru pulled an engagement ring out of his pocket, climbing down from the stage and kneeling in front of Izumi, who was suddenly very concerned with smoothing down her hair.

"I'm… I mean…" she stammered. "You… Uh…"

Hikaru nudged her again, "The word you're looking for is, 'Yes.'"

"Yes!" Izumi threw herself at Kaoru, hugging him. "Yes! Yes!"

Kaoru laughed, and after fumbling around with the ring and her fingers, it was finally on. He knew this was only the first step; there'd be venues and dresses and caterers and invitations and all manner of other headaches soon to come, but Kaoru resolved to deal with those as they came. Later, when Izumi wasn't kissing him like he'd just given her the moon.

Tamaki looked down at his phone, brows knitted in deep thought. That's how Haruhi found him when she came out of the bathroom, toweling her wet hair.

"Sem—Tamaki? Is something wrong?"

The blond started and found her eyes. "Not wrong, really," he said. "Kyouya just send me a text. It's an address."

"Whose address?"

Violet orbs flicked back to the message on the phone screen. "My mother's."