Hey guys, I have found another moment in the schedule from hell to write this for you. I was worried that this happened a little fast but when I read over it again, it makes perfect sense for them (Haruhi and Tamaki have become voices in my head while I write and they instantly approve or disapprove of the events I write and they thought that this was the perfect time for what happens). Haruhi's mother's death will be coming up in the next chapter and she will get a glimpse into the home life of one Tamaki Suoh. I hope you guys like the chapter as much as I do.

On a side note, I am thinking of creating a one-shot on the side about Hikaru and Kaoru's experience with Tamaki and Kai, should I do it? Would you guys like to see that? Please let me know because I don't want to write it if you guys wouldn't enjoy it.

Anyway, ENJOY!

She was right.

Tamaki had managed to worm his way into her heart without her even realizing it. What was she going to do? She couldn't afford to lose sight of why she came to Ouran Academy, why she cannot be distracted by everything that has happened in the last few days. She had a mission and she would see it through. Just thinking about how attached she has become to Tamaki worried her.

His words didn't shock her though. Tamaki was always humble and his thought that he didn't deserve the praise he received was somewhat baffling to her. He was beautiful, the most beautiful boy she had ever seen, smart, and one of the nicest people she has ever met. Of course the school worshipped him.

She merely smiled to hide the gears turning in her mind. "Have you tried to stop it?"

His expression said everything she needed to hear "Do you really think that would work?"

She chuckled, "Ok ok, I'm sorry I asked."

He watched her carefully. "Haruhi, why do you work here?"

What? "I don't understand what you mean."

His eyes never left hers, "I know that you are rich like the other students, but I have been here since school ended today and I watched you go back there at 4 and it's been six hours. You've been working here every school day that I've been here. Why do you work so much when you have parents to do that for you?"

Her eyes burned with incoming tears. She didn't want to think about her mother's death. She didn't want to think about her father's face when he found out that his wife wasn't coming home. She didn't want to remember the look in his eyes when he saw her standing there wondering where mommy was.

Tamaki's face softened, "Honey I am so sorry. I wasn't thinking. You don't have to tell me anything."

He immediately stood and moved over to her. He pulled her into his arms and held her in the middle of the café. He smelled like sandalwood and mint and the scent immediately calmed her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and took deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

When she was ready she slowly withdrew from his embrace, not ready to separate from him but knowing that if she didn't let go now, she never would.

He slowly moved back to his seat and watched her face carefully. "I feel horrible Haruhi; I didn't want to upset you at all. I promise I will make it up to you."

The sadness in his voice just made her want to cry again. "No it's fine. I should probably talk about it anyway. It can't be healthy to leave it bottled up."

He leaned his head on his hands and she knew that she had his undivided attention.

She cleared the lump from her throat, "My mom was raped and murdered when I was four."

Tamaki's face morphed into the epitome of shock, "Oh sweetheart, I am so sorry I said what I said, that must have reminded you of your mother."

Haruhi was shaking her head before he finished, "It's okay, you couldn't have known. It hurts to think about sometimes but it has gotten a lot easier to deal with."

After addressing that, another thought popped into Haruhi's mind, "why have you been here so often?"

A deep blush rose on Tamaki's face and Haruhi fought the urge to giggle at how childlike it made him appear. He ducked his head and hid behind his hair in a rare act of shyness that tugged at her heartstrings. She could picture him as a child hiding behind his mother's legs when introduced to someone. Completely adorable.

He smiled sheepishly, refusing to meet her eyes, "I may have been keeping tabs on you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I knew you worked here and when you told me you walk home I just wanted to walk you home every day so I could have peace of mind. Then it turned into figuring out when your shift started."

Haruhi giggled uncontrollably.

He groaned, "I sound like a creepy stalker don't I?"

She shook her head, "no, more like an overprotective boyfriend."

The moment her words registered in her mind she blushed, "N-not that y-you're my boyfriend or anything."

He smirked and leaned over the table, "Haru-chan, don't you want me to be?" His voice went down an octave and was rich and throaty and instantly she felt hot arousal flood through her entire body. What the hell was that? How was she supposed to answer that?

Before her mind could catch up her mouth decided to embarrass her to the point of pain.

"God yes!"

She slapped a hand to her mouth and blushed harder than she ever had in her life. How could she do that? Now he was going to think she was some fawning fan girl waiting for her chance with the Prince of Ouran Academy. What truly scared her was just how true that statement was.

Tamaki laughed, "You are adorable. I think I might take you up on that offer."

Her eyes bugged out of her head. "What!?"

He smiled at her, "being your boyfriend."

Haruhi pinched her thigh under the table. Things like this just don't happen. Princely gods just don't come up to the plain poor girl and ask to be their boyfriend. Was she being Punk'd?

He raised an eyebrow, "I can see the gears turning in your head. I am completely serious. I have had a bit of a crush on you for a while now. If you really want to, I would love to be your boyfriend."

While her mind was melting into a puddle of goo, her mouth (so sweet and wonderful and totally not embarrassing) saved the day.

"I would love to be your girlfriend."

He smiled softly, "Then it's settled. And if I researched correctly, girlfriend, your shift is over and I now have the honor and duty of walking you home."

Haruhi's heart fluttered at being called girlfriend. She never though she would hear that word and just hearing it from this amazing boy in front of her sent shudders down her spine. She knew she would probably go into shock later but right this second, everything was perfect.

As he walked her home, Haruhi finally felt the shock of the earlier events. She has a boyfriend. What? That was definitely not part of the plan. Even as she thought it she realized that the plan had changed anyway. She has broken all of the rules she put into the plan, acting and dressing feminine and talking to boys. She knew that the plan wasn't broken; it just needed to be fixed to accommodate the changes she has made to become a better person. Just because she is dating Tamaki (squeal!) doesn't mean that she will suffer the same fate as her mother. She would stay careful and make sure that that never happens to her.

Tamaki's words broke her out of her reverie, "Haruhi, are you sure you are okay with this? I don't want to force anything on you and I can wait as long as you need me to."

Any doubt she had about her decision went away with his words. The fact that he was so concerned and read her so well comforted her and she knew that she made the right decision in agreeing to be with him. He already has come to mean so much to her and she would love to continue to get to know him. There was still so much that she didn't know and she couldn't wait to tell him everything about herself too. Yes, she definitely made the right decision.

"I'm sure. I definitely want to be with you, Tamaki."

His answering smile was so beautiful it brought tears to her eyes. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek. She felt no panic with him being this close and that only cemented her belief that he was the perfect guy for her. She only wished he had kissed her where she wanted him to the most.

He pulled away blushing and she could feel a blush on her cheeks as well. He reached for her hand and held it as they continued walking. His hands were slightly calloused and extremely warm. She fought a goofy smile as they walked to her house. How can she get so much joy from something as simple as holding hands?

She was sad to see her house come into view. She didn't want their time together to end.

When they reached her front door, Tamaki looked down at her.

"Haruhi, you have no idea how happy I am right now to call you my girlfriend. I promise I won't screw this up."

In a rare show of boldness, Haruhi replied, "Then I suppose you better kiss me goodnight or you will screw it up."

He chuckled and lowered his head to hers. When his lips touched hers, everything changed. She couldn't focus on anything but him. He cupped her face with one hand and the other wrapped around her waist to settle on the small of her back where it burned through her clothes. She wrapped her hands around his neck and held on tight. His lips began moving and hers followed almost automatically, as if they knew exactly where his were going to go.

Much too soon, he pulled away, his breath as ragged as hers. "You are amazing."

She blushed, "I'm supposed to say that."

He smiled and kissed her again, this time shorter but no less powerful.

"Goodnight honey" His voice took on the same tone it did when he said those words the last time he walked her home. The thought that she actually was his girlfriend now just sent more tremors down her spine. She had to be the luckiest girl in the world.

"Goodnight."

She couldn't resist kissing him one more time before she opened the door.

She closed it to be greeted by her father, standing in the room with his arms crossed and an angry look on his face.

"Hi daddy."

He scoffed, "don't give me that. Who was that boy you were kissing?"

She smiled, "His name is Tamaki, he just asked me to be his girlfriend."

Ryoji's face softened after seeing his daughter happier than she's been since Kotoko's death.

"Honey, I am happy he makes you happy but please be careful. I can't afford to lose you."

Haruhi hugged her father, "Don't worry dad, I know you will love him. He is perfect."

She withdrew from his arms and went upstairs singing a tune under her breath.

Ryoji smiled sadly, "That's exactly what your mother said."

Oooohhhh! What a twist! Like I said earlier, I will shed some light on how Haruhi's mother died. (and what the deal is with that lovely cryptic statement Ryoji just made)!