A Song For Another Time - A Hikaru Hitachiin Story

Chapter Twenty Nine - You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello

Rose wasn't quite sure how she had landed on her back, staring at the grey sky, in the middle of the sidewalk, or why she had the distinct feeling that she heard that word "commoner" again, but she did know that the laughing coming from her right was Diego and the pain in her left shoulder would probably be with her for at least a week.

"Nice going Senpai," a flat voice whispered from somewhere near Rose's feet. "You couldn't be less graceful if you tried."

"What a terrible thing to say to your boyfriend!" Another, much louder, voice blared from the same direction.

Rose pushed herself up slowly with her right elbow as her left arm screamed obscenities through her nerves. Her whole face winced as she attempted to sit up and locate the bodies connected to the voices she heard but when she opened her eyes, there was no one in sight.

Blinking a few times, Rose turned to Diego with questions written all over her brow line. He merely shrugged at her before helping Rose to her feet and standing off to the side awkwardly as she brushed dirt off her butt.

"Thanks," she mumbled, absentmindedly, as she turned her head left and right looking for a blonde head of hair. Her search was, thus far, proving to be fruitless when a blur of ashen hair filled her vision.

"Did someone hurt you," Hikaru demanded, throwing his hands on Rose's shoulders so he could search her for injuries.

She shrugged him off, wincing slightly at the pang in her side. "I'm fine," she breathed.

Behind a nearby booth, a girl with chestnut hair was struggling to breathe between the fingers held firmly over her mouth. Try as she might, she couldn't squirm out of her boyfriend's grasp as he held her close, his own back pressed firmly against the side of the stall as he continuously peered around the corner.

"Shhhh, Haruhi," he whispered dramatically. "We don't want them to find us."

With one final, strong push, Haruhi broke away from the hold she was in and whirled around to face her captor.

"It would serve you right, idiot," she berated. "We shouldn't be here anyway, but you just had to insist on following Hikaru and Kaoru on their vacation!"

"It's not my fault they left without telling us where they were going," Tamaki yelled as quietly as he could, his hands thrown above his head. "We're a family and families are supposed to stick together around the holidays!"

Ignoring his ranting completely, Haruhi was instead peering around the booth's wall. Groaning softly at the sight, she turned back to Tamaki with a grimace.

"Figures you would walk straight into that girl they brought here," the brunette sighed, annoyed. "Nice going."

The color immediately drained from Tamaki's face as he slowly peeked his head around from their hiding place. In front of him stood Hikaru, testily looking around for who accosted the short brunette standing beside him while Kaoru fixed her ruffled hair.

"You sure have a way of messing things up," Haruhi said flatly, her back now against the wall as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her right thumb and forefinger.

"Gahhh, Haruhi," Tamaki gasped, jumping back from the corner and turning toward his extremely blunt girlfriend. "Why must you say such mean things to me."

While Hikaru and Kaoru continued to fuss over Rose, Diego had quietly slipped away, leaving the trio alone. Rose hardly had a chance to notice, however, as she was continually poked and prodded by the duo.

"I can't believe we just left you alone," Hikaru said, chiding himself.

"It was just a dumb accident," Rose replied. "Chill out."