The Host Club's Florist - An OHSHC Fanfiction

❀ Chapter 44 : Lupin ❀

It was rather hard to keep Sumire's accident a secret when the guests had started to wonder where the silver haired hostess disappeared into. Chaos ensued when a rumor that she had been betrothed to a prince in a far off country and the host club had to step in and intervene when the unofficial fangroup for Sumire started a petition to get Sumire back from her royal captors.

Since then get well soon gifts and flowers streamed into the host club, Sumire's actual hospital location was intently kept guarded to avoid any issues. Hence, Kyoya had instructed that all presents and items go through them to be passed on as several students took it upon themselves to visit all the hospitals in the city and try and find her. Though majority of it never actually made it into it's destination, it was the sentiment that counts. 

Under Haruhi's supervision items that could be donated were sent off to orphanages and local shelters, and the flowers were donated to grieving families and funeral homes. If everything were piled together it would fill a house, and she knew that Sumire would do the same anyways, and that she'd be more upset if all the things were wasted.

Even Nekozawa made a nice arrangement of lilies and lilacs with mini beelzenefs sticking out the flowers. And several other flower variations every couple days, it'd just appear into the club room, tiny beelzenefs present in every one of them.  Haruhi saw to it that those specific ones actually did make it into Sumire's room. 

With business resuming as usual the hosts made-do with the sudden and empty space left by Sumire's absence, Tamaki taking the lead in remaining positive with the help of the twins. While Haruhi tried her best to resume her daily life normally there would be times where she would be spacing out and had to be brought back by either Tamaki or the twins. Brief concern passing through as a mutual silent agreement to not talk about it. 

Though unapparent to the outsider, Kyoya's usual demeanor simmered down considerably, only ever perking up when he had guests, and then withdrawing back to quiet ghost as he resumed his tasks like nothing had happened. 

Tamaki had tried to coax him out of his shell but gave up once after one too many prods, Kyoya snapped at him to mind his own business. An apology via sweets flown directly from France smoothed things over, but Tamaki was very careful not to poke too much again, he very much understood that Kyoya has dealt with his problems by himself as long as he had known and that when he was ready he would talk.

The desire to prove himself as he was overshadowed by the rest of his siblings, the expectations and pressure he receives from his father, the reminder that he always has to be the calm rational person in the crowd. The host club gave him the leisure to relieve some of his burdens although he would never admit it, but as all of them suffered a heavy blow from the recent events, Kyoya had reverted into his old self. 

One that communicated only to do his job and be civil, one that never seemed to be shaken by anything or anyone, but the scariest of all was that he was closed up once more. Without Sumire by his side he had retrograded back to his guarded up self, he barely smiled or smirked at the odd antics the club had gotten into, his snide comments replaced by silence. 

If he wasn't on his laptop he wrote in his book. If he couldn't help it he'd make another job for him to do if there wasn't any left. Something to occupy his mind, keep his thoughts at bay.

 Because if he didn't, he would certainly break. 

The last instance that the club had seen Kyoya express any non-neutral emotion was when the car that had hit Sumire was located. The driver was identified to a middle aged man who was driving drunk in the middle of the day.

With the entire host club in tow Kyoya paved the way with his personal ride to see the man arrested. The burning anger that emanated from his figure was enough of a reminder that Kyoya was not one to be trifled with.