Haruhi Fujioka sat on the floor of her small bedroom, leaning against the wall with her legs folded up in front of her. Her eyes, for the moment, were focused on the book in her hands, Crime and Punishment, perched on top of her knees, but her gaze shifted upward towards her closet for the occasional second. It was more of a glare really, as she frowned and shook her head, focusing again on the heavy novel. But she just couldn't keep her mind on homework at this particular moment. She sighed, and glancing at her watch, reluctantly closed the book, placing it beside her on the floor. She looked hesitantly at the closet once more, and rolling her eyes, stood up and walked over to it.

The thin, plaster doors opened with a quiet creak. Haruhi stood before them, looking inside with annoyance at her meager wardrobe. On the far left hung the jacket of her school uniform, and beside it, the countless dress shirts that went with it. A random assortment of other tops and pants were adjacent, arranged in no particular order.

Haruhi continued to stare at her clothes for another minute, then rolled her eyes again and turned away, throwing her hands to her hips.

This is ridiculous, she thought to herself. This isn't a big deal. She began pacing back and forth in the small space in front of her bed, thinking about all the things that had happened over the past year, all of her experiences since walking into that club room and meeting the person who would change her life forever.

Haruhi was a scholarship student. She had come to Ouran Academy with a purpose for her future; she wanted to become a lawyer, just like her mother. But once she had stumbled into the arms of wonderment and shenanigans brought about by the crazy boys of the host club, time just seemed to escape her. She found herself wanting to experience life to its fullest, and even more, to experience it in the company of a certain blonde and foolish someone.

She breathed out through her mouth and stopped pacing. She spread her hands out in front of herself and ran the left one through her short brown hair, this time facing her bed, rather than her closet, a determined look set on her face. She glanced around her room until her eyes met the object she was seeking, and nearly jumping onto her bed to do so, she grabbed it from the floor. The shojo manga had been stowed away underneath Haruhi's bed, and for good reason; those things made even less sense than the host club. And they were entirely unrealistic. Chance encounters in faraway foreign cities; love at first site as their eyes sparkle from each other's beauty? Please. Still though, Haruhi couldn't help but look to them in her times of romantic turmoil.

She flipped through the pages, scanning the images for something she could possibly use for assistance. She pursed her lips in concentration, and scoffed at the book in her hands, closing it and tossing it down on the bed.

"Pointless," Haruhi mumbled to herself, wondering why she even bothered reading the garbage in the first place.

Sighing, she sat up and crossed her legs, looking once again at the closet. Suddenly though a knock at the front door of the apartment shook her from her ponderings. Her eyes shot to her bedroom door, and quiet panic filled her for a second. She looked at her watch; it read 8:01.

"Crap," she said, and jumped off her bed, facing the closet once again and grabbing the first outfit she could find.

Tamaki had been standing in front of the apartment complex for a good ten minutes, staring up at the individual units, trying to calm his nerves. He remembered the first time he'd seen the building; he had admired its quaint atmosphere. How intriguing these commoners were, working and living in such close quarters, yet enjoying every minute of it. It had made him smile as he craved to learn more about their lives. Though, he had been nervous that day too, for it was the first time he had seen the home life of his newest club member, his precious "daughter".

Tonight however he shook those thoughts from his mind. She wasn't his daughter, she never had been, and he never knew how stupid he was for not realizing it sooner. But he had realized it, both of them had, no matter how delayed they were at it. That was the reason he was standing outside her apartment right now.

The sky was just beginning to darken in the late summer evening, giving the streets an evanescent glow. Tamaki removed his hands from his jacket pockets and shook them out by his sides, breathing out as he did. He tried to move his feet to walk up the stairs to the landing, but they wouldn't budge, they were frozen in place, glued to the hard concrete beneath them.

"Tamaki Suoh, what do you have to be nervous about?" He said to himself, "You are the king of the host club, the designated heartthrob of Ouran Academy. If anyone knows how to make women happy, it's you, isn't it?"

He paused in his spoken thoughts. But did he know how to make this particular woman happy? She was unlike anyone he had ever met; she was stubborn and proud, strong and intelligent, and she saw right through his sparkling façade. Yet, she was the only one he would ever want to be with. Tamaki smiled as he thought of her, and he looked up at the apartment building again. Swallowing his nerves and breaking from his statuesque posture, he made his way up the stairs of the complex and down the short hallway, stopping outside of apartment 203. He looked down at his appearance and straightened his light blue dress shirt and jacket. He pulled out his cell phone and checked the time, 8:01. All that hesitation had made him one minute late. He breathed out again slowly and closed his eyes, then looked straight at the door and without delaying himself even more, knocked on it three times.

There was a shuffling sound on the other side, and the door opened, revealing a man of average height who had long red hair that was tied back in a ponytail. The man looked up at Tamaki and narrowed his eyes.

"Oh! Hello, Ranka," Tamaki said a bit startled. He smiled nervously.

"You," Ranka responded, crossing his arms over his chest and eyeing the boy in front of him suspiciously.

"How are you on this fine evening?" Tamaki asked, trying to smoothly bring out his debonair persona.

"Fine," Ranka said slowly, not phased at all by the boy's charms.

"I'm here to–"

"I know why you're here, Suoh," Ranka said, "and I've got a few things to say."

Tamaki swallowed the lump in his throat. Ranka had always had it out for him, ever since he'd come home to find Tamaki sprawled on the floor on top of his daughter (accidentally of course). But it seemed no matter what Tamaki did, there was always some part of him that Ranka wouldn't approve us. That's what fathers were for, Tamaki knew. Still though, he couldn't help but try his hardest to improve his low standing in the eyes of the man who he so wanted to please.

"Oh. Of course, sir," he said, straightening his composure.

"I know you think you're all suave and enticing up in that club of yours, and that romantic excursions are nothing new to you. You've practically got every girl at that school trapped under your spell," said Ranka plainly. "But down here is the real world, and while I'm sure you've got plenty of…experience," he emphasized the last word slowly, studying the boy as he did and leaning slightly towards him.

Tamaki swallowed nervously under the gaze of the man before him.

"No, I–" he spluttered.

"But my daughter does not," Ranka continued. "And just be warned," he pointed his index finger at Tamaki and leaned even farther out the doorway as he spoke. "If any aspect of your outings upsets her in any way, you'll–"

"Dad, stop scaring senpai," said a voice from inside the apartment. Haruhi pulled the door back and appeared beside her father. She was wearing a short-sleeved one-piece dress, not the usual pink one she'd worn before, but one of dark purple. Underneath she wore dark jeans that flared out at her heels, covering the least everyday-shoes she could find. Her hair was clipped back on one side with a small bobby pin, revealing slightly rosy cheeks, flushed from her last minute preparations.

"Oh! Um, hello, Haruhi," Tamaki said, relief coursing through him as he readjusted his posture. He looked at her, his eyes shimmering with a mesmerized glow, a small fire burning at his chest and throat. He swallowed it again before it could color his cheeks, and pulled one of his patented dazzling smiles, only slightly faded by a layer of nervousness.

"Hey," Haruhi said, almost shyly, looking up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. She looked back at her father and seeing the discontent in his eyes, decided it was best to break the tension. "So, I guess we'll see you later, dad." She walked out the doorway and stood beside Tamaki, silently urging him to follow her out, despite the glare he was still receiving from Ranka.

Tamaki looked from father to daughter.

"Yes, well, it was so nice seeing you again sir…" he started, but Haruhi lightly took hold of his sleeve and began pulling him down the landing before he could finish. Trying not to trip over his long legs, he straightened himself and turned his attention away from the red-haired man who was still glowering at him from the doorway. Haruhi continued to drag him down the stairs until they reached the street.

"Sorry about that," she said, letting go of his sleeve. "You know how my dad is."

"It's perfectly understandable," Tamaki replied. "Any father would act the same way."

"Right," Haruhi said, looking up at him, then around at the street awkwardly.

"So how have you been, Haruhi?" Tamaki asked looking down at her, noting internally how adorable she looked in her dress. This was a side he had rarely seen of her, but if tonight went well enough, one he hoped he would behold more of in the future.

"Alright, I guess," she replied, turning away from his adoring gaze and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"You look–" he began, before he was interrupted for the umpteenth time tonight.

"So where are we going?" Haruhi asked quickly before he could start fawning over her.

"Um, right," he said, a bit taken aback. "Well I thought maybe we could get something to eat. What kind of food would you like? I could take you to any restaurant your heart desires! Just say the word." Excitement flashed in his eyes as he longed to fulfill any request that she could possibly have.

"We could just get something to go," Haruhi suggested, once again stepping on his romantic gestures.

"Oh, alright, if that's what you want." He looked somewhat dejected at her words, though he did enjoy the delicacies of commoner's cuisine.

"That way we could go for a walk while we eat," she added, oblivious to the conflicting emotions of the tall blonde boy beside her.

"Ahh, I see," Tamaki said, his eyes lighting up once again as images of romantic strolls under a brilliant sunset at the beach crossed through his mind. He blinked the thoughts away and tried to remember that this wasn't a fantasy.

The two of them set off down the street, side by side, as Haruhi searched for a place to eat. Tamaki watched as her head swiveled from side to side, hand held up to her chin in thought, contemplating where to stop. He looked at her other hand, swinging by her side, so close to his own. He wanted to reach out and grab hold of it, and in reality, to never let it go, but he withheld, looking away. You're supposed to be taking things slowly, Tamaki. Relax, he reminded himself. Luckily Haruhi had stopped walking and was now looking quizzically at the outside of a small take-out restaurant.

"How about this place?" She asked, glancing at Tamaki. He looked at the quaint building with awe, and nodded his head.

"It looks wonderful," he said, eager to see what it had to offer.

Moments later they exited the restaurant, each holding containers of shrimp-on-a-stick and boiled beef bites. They continued their walk, and Tamaki led the way down to the water basin on the edge of the town. They walked to the railing that looked out over the illuminated body of water. The lights from the surrounding lamps reflected delicately against its opalescent sheen. They leaned against the rail and ate their food, the slight breeze barely rustling through their hair.

"Mmm…you were right, Haruhi, this shrimp is excellent, and the quality to preparation time is remarkable," Tamaki said excitedly.

Haruhi laughed lightly and smiled, gazing at the water.

"It's very peaceful here," she said after a few moments, having finished eating. She closed her eyes and let the wind cool her neck.

Tamaki watched her, the lights in his eyes reflecting something different this time: the soft glow of his wholehearted devotion to this girl. He swallowed nervously again and look down at her hand one more. She was gripping the rail, but soon let go and opened her eyes, continuing to look across the water before she noticed his gaze on her. She turned her head towards him and asked, "What?"

"Nothing," he answered, grinning and looking across the water as well.

Haruhi eyed him questionably, but smiled too. Without looking at her, Tamaki silently reached over and, his heart beating quicker, held her hand in his. She didn't complain, only curled her fingers around his and smiled again to herself.

"Come on," he said suddenly, looking at her again. "I want to take you somewhere special."

Haruhi was about to ask what he meant by that, but she knew better than to question his gestures when his mind was set on something. Instead, she simply followed without complaint as he led her away from the small basin.

The metal gate that encircled Ouran Academy was closed, and the brick walkway beyond it was shadowed in darkness. Tamaki stopped in front of the pink and gold entwined bars, releasing Haruhi's hand, and looked through them thoughtfully. Haruhi stopped behind him and raised her eyebrows up at the gate, confused.

"Umm, what are we doing at the school?"

"I told you, we're going somewhere special," Tamaki replied, still observing the gate.

"School is your idea of special? We're here every day."

Tamaki didn't respond to her comment, but took her hand again and began walking around the side of the fence, gauging the distance from the top of it to the ground. They reached the back of the school and stopped again.

"You're not actually thinking that we…" Haruhi began, eyeing the gated wall before them.

"Of course," Tamaki answered happily. "It's not too high, we'll be fine."

"But…isn't this against the rules?"

"My father's the chairman, don't worry. Here," he paused. "I'll help you up."

He offered her his hand once again, holding onto the bars with the other one. She hesitated for a second, staring up at the top of the fence, and then looked into his eyes. What she saw in them was what she always did: sincerity, passion, affection. She knew he would never lead her astray. She took his hand and he closed his fingers around hers, lifting her up as she climbed the bars. He followed her over and they jumped down on the other side.

"Well now what?" She asked, still utterly confused by the entire scenario.

"This way," he said, walking slowly through the sparse trees on the grounds of the school.

Eventually they came to a clearing near the back of the main academic building, across from which sat the familiar rose maze that they had visited a few times throughout their host club shenanigans. Suddenly Haruhi knew where they were going and she couldn't help but smile to herself as Tamaki proceeded to drag her into the maze.

"You better not get us lost again," she said playfully as they walked side by side through the walls of roses. He looked down at her and laughed.

"Don't worry," he answered softly.

Before long they finally arrived at the spot that Tamaki had been seeking, and came to the center of the maze where an intricate gazebo sat alone, enveloped top to bottom by the same plump red flowers. Haruhi looked at the structure and remembered when she had first been dragged here by the same person who had captured her tonight. This time however, there were two lights on either side of its entrance, dousing the roses in a fire-like glow. Haruhi stared at them, mystified, turning in a circle, trying to take them all in at once. She turned back to the front of the gazebo, and saw Tamaki standing there smiling at her again.

"I want to give you something," he said, beckoning her to join him.

She walked over, raising one eyebrow and smiling skeptically. Tamaki pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it in front of her, revealing a silver charm bracelet. Attached to the bracelet was a single charm, a bright red rose.

"Tamaki," Haruhi began. "You didn't have to get me anything. It's not that special of an occasion."

"It is to me," he responded.

She started to reply, but he stopped her.

"You haven't let me compliment you all night, Haruhi," he said, looking into her deep brown eyes that jumped with light from the shimmering lamps. "You're beautiful, Haruhi. There."

"But it doesn't matter," Haruhi stammered. "Why bother saying it if it isn't important?"

She looked down and her eyes met the silver bracelet. Tamaki took it from the box and latched it onto her wrist. It was nice; she had to admit, despite the fact that she wasn't one for girly or fancy adornments.

"It's important because…" Tamaki started, and looking back into her eyes froze for a split second. He pushed through the lump in his throat, the fire in his stomach, the grip in his heart, and continued. "Because…I love you, Haruhi."

She gazed back into those violet eyes of his and a smile twisted at the corner of her lips.

And without another thought from his inner mind, without waiting for his nerves to get the better of him, Tamaki lifted his hand up to Haruhi's face. For once, she didn't pull away. She waited as he leaned down and, closing his eyes, gently pressed his lips to hers. Haruhi brought her hand up and held it against his, charm bracelet dangling on her wrist, kissing him back as they breathed each other in.

They stood there together, under the flickering lights of the rose garden gazebo, taking in the moment that both of them knew right then, was only the first to come in a lifetime of doting and passion, foolishness and adventures, and the unconditional love that they would both share forever.