Mending a Broken Heart [Ouran Highschool Host Club Fanfic]

Chapter 19.

(Final Chapter)
One Week Later
Haruhi sighed as she walked to where she planned to meet up with Tamaki. Hopefully it would at least end smoothly. Haruhi could already feel a bit of regret for agreeing to have the conversation. At least she didn't bring Shiromi. That could have made things worse.

However, once that conversation started, it was easy for the both of them to realize how important it was to have it.

The apologies immediately were from Tamaki. The start of the conversation was a ramble from Tamaki about how sorry he was for what happened to Haruhi and Shiromi. That was where most of the apologies were, but there was still an apology that was heard occasionally in other parts of the conversation.

Haruhi: So, how are things between you and Eclair?

Tamaki glanced at the ground.

Tamaki: I'm not sure... I feel like I am happy to be with her, but... it still feels off.

Haruhi: How so?

Tamaki shrugged.

Tamaki: I really don't know how to describe it. I feel like the part of me doubting the arrangement has been split between two things. Though I'm not sure how I can properly describe either at the moment. I feel like I could have a few minutes ago, but I seem to have lost the words...

The pair sat in silence for a moment, figuring out what to address next. Tamaki eventually figured one out, and looked at Haruhi again.

Tamaki: You, you and the others are friends again, right? At least Hikaru?

Haruhi nodded.

Haruhi: Yeah, Hikaru and Kaoru apologized first, Kyoya, Hani, and Mori figured it out and worked it out a few months later.

Tamaki looked at Haruhi concerned.

Tamaki: How long were you alone, exactly...? I, know I probably don't have a right to ask that... But were you able to care for you and Shiromi alright...?

Haruhi nodded, though admittedly grimacing at the memories. She had a feeling that Tamaki learned about everything that happened from Eclair, so she didn't question Tamaki knowing Shiromi's name. Especially after Shiromi told her that she'd run into him and talked to him.

Haruhi: I'm not sure I entirely remember... maybe close to a year if you were to count when we were still in Ouran. And I was able to figure the situation out just fine. Even if nobody was really around to help. Let alone be friendly with me other than a doctor I work with.

Tamaki tilted his head.

Tamaki: Let me know if I'm reading in too much, but is that co-worker the same doctor that helped you when you had that panic attack a few years ago? When we first bumped into each other after graduation?

Haruhi remembered that day and nodded.

Haruhi: He chewed you out, didn't he?

Tamaki nodded.

Haruhi: So, my life is going pretty good so far, but... What about you?

Tamaki shrugged.

Tamaki: Uh... For one thing I found out that I had not only been needlessly cruel to someone who didn't deserve it, but that I took over four years to figure that out. Then, there's issues with me being on bad terms with my family. My strange relationship with Eclair... and now we're supposed to be parents in a few months. I don't know. It seems tough for me to keep track of everything...

Haruhi: Well, congratulations. Tell Eclair that I mean that for her as well. Are you, upset about it...?

Tamaki: No, I actually feel happy... but, it's the same as with Eclair. A part of me doesn't want to accept it, either because I still care about you, and because of what I did...

Haruhi tilted her head.

Haruhi: Because of what you did? What do you mean?

Tamaki sighed.

Tamaki: I mean... I love Eclair, and I'm happy about this child, I really am... But I don't feel like I deserve either of them... That, because of how I treated you, and how that affected both you and Shiromi... I feel like I don't deserve to be happy...

Haruhi looked at the ground now, and it was once again quiet between the pair.

Haruhi: You really are sorry, right?

Tamaki nodded immediately.

Tamaki: Yes! If course I am! I would say it a million times if it meant something. If it erased what happened, but...

Tamaki trailed off, Haruhi sighed.

Haruhi: Yeah, apologies won't erase the past. But it will help with the pain of remembering it. Yes, it was tough to go through, really tough. But you apologizing sincerely still means a lot to me. It makes me feel better now that I'm remembering it again, knowing for a fact that it's in the past. And as long as you mean that you regret what happened, I think you deserve to be happy. Even if you didn't apologize, I wouldn't wish anything bad to happen to you.

Haruhi leaned against the bench.

Haruhi: Where we are right now, what happened in Ouran should be something we just have to move on from. It won't help either of us to dwell on it. Part of the reason I was worried about having this conversation was because I didn't want to dig up those feelings and cause any of those involved to get caught up in it all over again. I'm happy where I am now, and it still hurts to think about what happened, but I don't let it control my actions anymore. I think you should do the same...

Tamaki looked at Haruhi.

Tamaki: Then, how exactly do we proceed from here? How do we move on?

Haruhi: I think it starts with simply acknowledging that it happened, and then remembering that it was over four years ago. And all parties involved are practically over it and have worked it out. Speaking of which.

Haruhi looked at Tamaki again.

Haruhi: Do you want to meet Shiromi? Maybe have a closer relationship with her?

Tamaki let everything go through his head.

Tamaki: Maybe if she wants to. If that's the case, I would rather be introduced as a friend. I know how she is related to me, but I can't be a parental figure to her after being absent for four years already, not to mention making things awkward for you and your fiancé.

Haruhi: Oh, you noticed?

Tamaki nodded, remembering their conversation at the park.

Tamaki: Yes, and to be quite honest, if Shiromi considers your fiancé as her real father, than I would be needlessly bothering the relationship if I tried to have a closer bond with her. I would like to get to know her better, but she is you and your fiancé's daughter. I'm not worthy of being called her father if I was never involved.

Haruhi: Alright. I'll talk to Shiromi, my dad, and Kyoya. He's the one I'm engaged to.

Tamaki smiled then, glancing at Haruhi's ring.

Tamaki: Right, I forgot to mention this earlier, but congratulations to both of you. I'm glad you and Kyoya were able to find happiness with one another.

Haruhi: Thank you, the same to you and Eclair. I'll stay in contact if you want to meet more frequently, as friends this time.

Tamaki nodded, his smile having gotten brighter.

Tamaki: Sure, I'll make sure none of my replies or conversations are delayed.

The pair were able to say goodbye to each other then. Both feeling elated, and feeling the weight of what happened in Ouran leave them.