Kindred Spirit (Mori x OC)

Twenty six

"Haruhi...I...I don't know what to say."

Hanabi missed the rest of the festival, and apparently missed a lot.

Tamaki announced the disbandment of the Host Club, effective immediately after the fair. He was being arranged to marry a young woman from France, Lady Eclair.

Hanabi remembered her. She sat by herself, quiet and poised. She remembered thinking that she held herself like she was in a higher position than the entirety of the room.

And for her to be able to convince Tamaki to disband the Host Club, a group he thought of as family, she must have some influence.

"Kyoya said he may be able to find his mother again, if he went with her."

Hanabi exhaled shakily. What the girls wouldn't give to see their mother again... "maybe...it's for the best."

Haruhi had her head resting on her arms. They were in the ant room in her den, finding calm watching the little insects busying themselves. At her words, Haruhi slid her eyes over to her sister. She knew what she meant. "That's what I thought, at first. But...Tamaki-senpai...he looked so sad."

Hanabi chewed on her lip. She didn't want him to leave. She's sure that wasn't what any of them wanted. But were they allowed to ask him to stay? He was obviously conflicted as well.

"Hanabi...is it normal for rich families to arrange marriages like that? Maybe this is something that would have happened anyway," she muttered.

"It's normal," she confirmed, the memory of her own experience surfacing. "Usually when there's something to gain between the families."

Haruhi didn't reply, just sighed out her dissatisfaction.

"Maybe...you should tell him that you don't want him to go," Hanabi suggested. She went wide-eyes as Haruhi suddenly became beet-red.

"W-why would I not want him to go?! The entire club needs to tell him they don't want him to go!"

Hanabi blinked in surprise, "sorry, that's what I meant. All of you should tell him that you want him to stay. At least that way he'll consider his options...are you okay?" She felt her forehead with the back of her hand, "you're so red."

She sighed in relief, "I'm fine. But...I really don't want to lose the Host Club," she admitted.

Hanabi smiled, "I know you don't. There's still one more day, right? Let's all tell him."

"Yeah...okay."

—————

"He's still not here?"

"No...Eclair said she forbade him from coming," Haruhi informed her over the phone. "But I still thought..."

"Me too," she sighed in reply. The sun was low in the sky now. "We're finishing up here. I'll be there, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Hanabi glanced at her phone as her sister hung up. Haruhi skipped breakfast today. Something that hasn't happened since their mother's funeral. She's hurting, and she wasn't sure there was anything she could do to help her.

"Everything okay?" Kasanoda Ritsu asked. His gardening club set up their own display for the festival, and she was more than happy to lend her hand when he asked.

Hanabi pursed her lips. "I'm not entirely sure yet," she spoke honestly. His reply was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. Seeing Haruhi's name on the screen, she answered, "Haru-?"

"Hanabi! We need your car, now!!!"

Not wasting anytime to question the demand, she began running, ignoring the worried calls behind her. "On my way, explain." Her car was parked on the street, she needed to hurry.