Disclaimer: I own nothing. I just like to play.

A/N: I know, it's been literal years since I updated this story, so I have no excuse. (It's been ten years... TEN YEARS.) I found it on my old HD, and the muse sort of just bit at me again. I will continue it through to the end, and I hope you'll join me for the ride.

Ouran High School Host Club is still one of my favorite mangas of all time. The ending was nothing short of perfect. I started writing this before the manga ended. We all knew Tamaki/Haruhi was endgame way before the end. Back then, we all liked pairing Haruhi with everyone, and Kyoya/Haruhi was personally my favorite, so that's where this fic came about. So please, don't come at me.

I'm also giving thought to changing the title, since I don't think that the current title fits well anymore.

*NOTE TO ANYONE WHO INTENDS TO FOLLOW THIS STORY TO THE END*

I will not continue to post updates to this fic here. This is the last chapter I will post here. I have moved all my fics to AO3. All future updates will be posted there. You can find me under failufail. It may take a few days to move this whole fic over, so please be patient. I appreciate all of you that stuck with me!

Devoid

Chapter 7

One Year Later

Haruhi sat in her usual seat in her favorite cafe a couple blocks from the dormitories, sipping a cup of coffee and reviewing her notes from class. This place had become her favorite place to study during the course of the year—her favorite table being the one situated in the back-most corner, away from the bustle of people out front, and quiet enough for her to focus on what she was working on. Besides, the coffee wasn't bad either.

Her first year in law school was quite demanding, to say the least. The professors at Harvard were challenging, and it didn't help that her English language skills weren't quite where they needed to be at first. She was thankful for the three weeks she spent on campus before the semester began to brush up on those skills. Though her start was rocky, she made it through with nothing but flying colors. The Dean was impressed enough with her to give her a paid internship for the following summer, working for a prestigious law firm.

The money helped a lot. Though her scholarship paid for school and her room and board, everything else had to be paid on her own dime—books, supplies, a laptop, and everyday living expenses. The job she had kept while in Japan gave her a small financial cushion when she made it to America, and the only reason she was able to have that was because of the Ootori family and their generosity after her father passed.

She hadn't been back to Japan since she left the summer before. She didn't think she would go back until she was done with school.

The morning she left was almost a distant memory to her now, but the ache never left her heart.

Haruhi laid her hand on the smooth marble of her father's memorial and closed her eyes. With everything that happened, she wished he was here with her now. She was never one to ask her dad for advice, but it didn't mean that she didn't need him around. His presence was all she needed, and this was the closest she was going to get.

"Dad… I just want to tell you that I'm still following my dream. In a couple hours, I'll be on my way to America. Harvard Law, can you believe it? I'll make you and mom proud.

This is the last time I'll be here… for a while. When I come back, I'll really be a lawyer. It's weird, to think that. I guess maybe… your little girl is all grown up."

She let out a sigh.

"Don't worry dad, the Ootori's took good care of me. And Kyoya… he looked after me too."

Flashes of the night before ran through her mind, and it made her smile. His touches were gentle, his kisses were sweet, and the affection that reflected in his eyes was undeniable. He treated her with such care before they both drifted off into a deep sleep, holding each other close.

She didn't realize it then, but during the course of that summer, Kyoya had lifted her out of her depression just by being there. The friendship that blossomed between them was a happy byproduct of that, and she was thankful for it.

And then they crossed that line last night.

Haruhi couldn't help but wonder if they messed that up for good.

She didn't want to stick around for the answer. She had made up her mind on Harvard long before last night, and it was going to stay that way. Kyoya and her… the two of them, in each other's arms… that would have to stay a happy memory. It would be better that way.

They pretended for one night. No expectations. No consequences. That was it.

Her thoughts lingered on the beautiful raven-haired boy with the stoic eyes, and a smile meant only for her.

She would keep that memory in her heart.

"I'll miss you," were the final words she said as her hand slipped away from the stone.

Sometimes she'd think of what she left behind, when she had a moment of downtime. It was probably for the best, she'd say to herself to make the feelings go away. Her life was here now, in America, where she always wanted to be; her dreams finally turning into reality. If she ended up here indefinitely, then that was how things would stay.

And she really did enjoy her time in Boston. It was a lovely city—clean, historical, and most of all, she felt comfortable here. Her English only got better in the year she spent here. She was now able to carry on conversations well enough both socially and professionally. Although she did miss speaking in her native tongue every once in a while.

It was totally by chance that she noticed the familiar tuft of blond hair and a flash of violet eyes enter the front of the cafe. She knew she was staring, but didn't care. It had been years since she had seen Tamaki Suoh.

He had returned to France after graduation and decided to continue his University studies there. At first they spoke often—a call every day, that turned into a call a week, a month… until it slowly dissipated to a letter or email updating her on his life every now and then.

That was how she told him that her father had passed, upon Kyoya's behest. She wasn't surprised that she immediately got a call from Tamaki after he read about it. He offered to come visit in that same phone call, but mysteriously got quiet after she told him her living situation. They returned to email communication again after that.

As if he could feel her stare boring into him, Tamaki turned around to meet her eyes. Being found out, Haruhi smiled and gave a small wave. Tamaki returned her smile with his much more brilliant one and quickly made his way over to her.

She stood up immediately, and let him lift her in a long-overdue embrace.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed, squeezing the life out of her. "It's been so long!"

"I… I can't breathe." It was true. He was kind of hindering her breath. He released her then, setting her back on the ground. "What are you doing here?" she asked, smiling up at the boy who gave her her first real kiss.

"I had some business affairs to tend to," he told her.

Haruhi was very much aware of how much Tamaki had taken over the Suoh Corporation. With their dealings in private education around the world, Tamaki had been traveling often in the years he had been given more and more control.

"When I was set to come to Boston, I hoped to bump into you, but I knew that chances were slim," he explained. "I'm glad I did. You look as radiant as ever." His band came up to brush along the ends of her hair, which had now grown to her shoulders.

She blushed a little at the touch. How he could still do that to her after all these years was not a surprise to her. That was the Tamaki she knew, and the Tamaki she had loved long ago.

"So tell me, how has your first year away from home treated you?"

They settled themselves at the table, and struck up an easy conversation, like they'd seen each other every day since the end of high school. It wasn't long before Tamaki brought up the previous year.

"You should have told me. I would have been there," he said, their conversation taking a more somber tone. "I visited him, you know. After."

"That means a lot," she replied, a grateful smile tugging at her lips. She let out a sigh before she continued with, "There was just so much, too much, to do. I didn't think that—I know I was wrong about this now—it would have been something worth troubling all of you about. You all went on with your lives, and I did too."

Tamaki frowned. Haruhi hated seeing him frown.

"I know, I know. I regretted it after…" It was a while since she thought of him, and it made her smile turn just a bit happier. "Kyoya. He knocked some sense into me."

It looked like Tamaki understood. The expression on his face looked almost serene then.

"He told me."

Haruhi raised an eyebrow. How much did he tell Tamaki exactly, she wondered.

"About last summer. I was worried about you, of course. I'm just glad that since I couldn't be there with you, he was," Tamaki explained. "I didn't expect him to tell me that he visited you often."

"He did," Haruhi replied, letting go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "It was nice, having him around. Did you know his father was still trying to coerce him to take me as his wife?"

That made Tamaki laugh. "It's not so unbelievable, Haruhi. Any man would be lucky to have you."

Again, he made her blush. It wasn't so long ago that she thought she'd become Tamaki's wife. It just didn't pan out that way. Eventually they discovered that they were two very different people, with very different futures ahead of them.

"So how long are you in Boston for, Tamaki?"

"For the next week. I have some business to tend to at MIT," he answered. "Maybe you'd like to come to dinner with me tomorrow night?"

To be continued...