Episode 4

How to be an Older Sibling!

Click!

Click!

Click!

Tamaki glanced over his shoulder as the clicking noise continued. He'd been hearing it almost since the party had ended, and it was making him more than a little twitchy with curiosity. At the moment, he and Kyoya were standing at the front doors, gesturing the party guests out of the hall. Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai were separating the extra food from the buffet to either be moved into storage or be disposed of. The twins were overseeing the decorations being taken down. And Haruhi...

Haruhi was roaming around the untouched parts of the hall with a camera she had recently pulled from her pocket, snapping away photo after photo. That was the source of all the clicking and Tamaki's curiosity.

"I had such a great time dancing with you, Tamaki. I'll see you at school next Monday!"

Pulled away from his new pastime of 'Haruhi watching', he quickly replied to the leaving girl, "I'll count every second we spend apart until I can once again lay my eyes on your beautiful face, my darling." The ravenette squealed and stumbled out the doors that boomed shut behind her.

"Well, that was the last one. I suppose we should assist the others in th-"

"Yeah, sure. I'll be there in a moment, Kyoya. There's something I want to do first."

Before his best friend could stop him, Tamaki quickly snuck over to Haruhi. The newest host was now making her way out to the balcony and he followed. Tamaki watched as she took a few pictures of the courtyard, trying to figure out what the heck she was doing.

Haruhi went through all her previous photographs as she made her way down the stairs.

"Hey, Haruhi?"

"Wah!" The brunette jumped and almost dropped her camera.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

She took a few breaths before turning to him, her face scrunched up in annoyance, "What do you need, Senpai?"

Not put out by her cold attitude, he shrugged, "I wanted to know what you were doing. You're not helping us tear down, so I was curious about all the photographs you were taking." Haruhi blinked and held her camera a little tighter to her chest, as if he might steal it from her. At a closer look, Tamaki noticed it wasn't a very good camera. It looked like one of those cheap disposable ones he'd seen tourists buy back in France.

"I'm taking pictures for my sister. Jin would've loved a setup like this."

Tamaki blinked, "Really?"

The brunette nodded and continued her way down to the courtyard. Tamaki followed. They made it to the cherry trees before he attempted a conversation again.

"I, uh, I'm an only child."

"Mm."

"So… what's it like to have a sibling?"

Haruhi almost drops her camera again, "What? Where did that question come from?"

Tamaki shrugged, but wet his lower lip at the same time. Talking to Haruhi was harder than he had anticipated. She asked questions instead of answering them, as if she needed to be convinced to give up any information at all. It was hard work, but for some reason Tamaki never liked giving up on talking to people like that. As he's found out with his previously made friendships, if someone is hard on the outside and you push for long enough, they end up having the softest centers.

Haruhi, he was positive, would be no different.

"I guess, I want to know what it's like. You always talk about your sister, and it's pretty clear that she's a very important person in your life. I've never had anyone like that for me, so I was just curious. Anyone who can change you from someone with two left feet to an impressive waltz dancer just by being mentioned sounds like someone worth knowing."

Haruhi narrows her eyes, as if trying to decide whether he just took a jab at her pride, before softening her features, "Well, it's a little hard to explain. Not all siblings are created equal, you know. Some don't get along well at all, but Jin and I… we've always had a bit of a special relationship. After all, I was born the day before her first birthday. She's always said that I was the best birthday present she's ever gotten..." She trails off and smiles at the ground.

Tamaki waits patiently for Haruhi to return from wherever her mind had fluttered off to. She does with a small, minute shake of her head.

"Anyways, as I was saying, being an older or a younger sibling changes for different families and different people. There's no real way for me to explain-"

"Just… what's it like for you?"

"For me?" Haruhi thinks about the question as she returns to taking pictures of the cherry blossoms, "Well, as the younger sibling, I see Nēchan as someone to rely on. She's like my shield but she's also my sword and I never feel uncomfortable talking to her about anything. She can always tell when I've had a bad day and makes sure to give me really warm hugs when I do. She knows everything about me, and it's not in the creepy way that Kyoya knows everything. My Nēchan is like having a best friend, a mother, a twin, and a soulmate all rolled into one."

Unbenounced to her, Tamaki was subtling writhing behind Haruhi. While it was heartwarming to see her speak so lovingly about someone, Tamaki wanted to know what if felt like to be on the receiving end of that warm spiel. Why doesn't she ever give Daddy that kind of affection? Am I not someone she can rely on? I'll give her all the hugs she requires!

"You know… I really, really miss her right now." Blinking his way out of his mental movie theater (where Haruhi was currently hugging him tightly after a bad day) Tamaki noticed a faint shimmering in the brunette's eyes. Immediately, he panicked.

"I'M SORRY, HARUHI! I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE YOU CRY!"

"S-s-senpai! It's okay! I just miss Nēchan. I'll call her tomorrow morning. Besides, she's coming home in only a few weeks." Haruhi gently lay a hand on Tamaki's head, "I just want to thank you. Remembering all the great things Jin does for me while she's away is just going to make me appreciate her behind home all that much more. Come on, I think I have enough pictures. Let's go see if we need to help the others."

The blond let the short brunette lead the way back to the party hall in complete silence. But in his head, a new idea was beginning to form.

If she wants an older sibling…

The next Monday

"Hey, Haruhi?"

"No."

"What?"

"You don't even know what we were going to ask."

"Yes I do, and the answer is no."

The twins trailed after their brunette classmate and continued to pester her, "Then what do you think we were going to ask?"

"I'm not doing your homework for you."

"Aww… pretty please?"

"Not happening. How else are you supposed to learn?"

The trio opened the club doors, continuing to bicker back and forth. Haruhi knew Hikaru and Kaoru weren't being really serious. They were actually pretty smart, albeit lazy at times, and in the end they'd do their own homework so she wasn't actually annoyed.

Until a blond and blue blur shot at them and scooped up the small host.

"ARE THE TWINS GIVING YOU A BAD DAY? DON'T WORRY, I'LL HUG THE SADNESS AWAY!"

"AHHH!" Haruhi flailed around in Tamaki's death grip. How is he so strong? His arms are so skinny!

"Whoa! Boss!"

"We were only teasing!"

With the combined efforts of the twins and Haruhi herself, they managed to free her from the King's "death-hug". At least the blond had the sense to look a little embarrassed.

"I thought you were having a bad day, so I wanted to cheer you up."

"Uh… while that's very kind of you, Senpai, maybe you should ask if I've had a bad day first."

He opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment the clock tower chimed in the distance.

Kyoya stood up from his couch, "Club activities will begin in one minute. Places, everyone."

The new arrivals quickly placed their bags along with the other's and raced back to the center of the room. Tamaki took his usual spot on the single chair facing the doors with his legs crossed and his head leaning on his fist, his elbow resting on the armrest. Mori-senpai was standing on the far left of the group, his back almost completely facing the door which he gazed at over his left shoulder. By his side was Honey-senpai, holding Usa-chan to his chest with his cute smile. Kyoya was almost directly behind Tamaki, standing just enough to the side to not be blocked by the chair. He had his black journal tucked under his arm, as per usual. To the other side of Tamaki's chair, the twins stood side by side with their arms linked, and Haruhi was just barely in front of them.

The moment the seven froze in their position, the doors to the club room squeaked open.

Countdown four… three… two… one…

"Welcome, ladies!"

It had taken Haruhi three days to correctly time the silence between the first opening of the host club doors to the verbal welcome, but she was glad that she finally got it. It was almost as embarrassing to not welcome the guests as it was to be half a second off. Still, it was always a breath of relief when the welcoming was over.

As the hosts -other than Kyoya- split away from the center floor to their assigned tables for the day, their guests quickly filed into the room, eager to start another day of hosting. Haruhi took a moment to collect herself before the first wave. Okay, I was given a window table today. Large enough for three to four guests at a time. I have one couch appointment today as well as three duos, but I'll be mostly around this window all day. The weather is now a safe topic.

She looked out the window at the brightly sunlit day. Maybe we could crack the windows open just a bit… it's warm enough to let a slight breeze in. Does the host club hold outdoor events? Do we ever host outside on the commons?

"Haruhi? You look like you're thinking hard about something!"

"Ack!" The brunette jumped in her chair, making a slight squeaking noise on the tile floor. She took in a few deep breaths before facing her senpai, "Tamaki-senpai… please don't sneak up on me again!"

To his credit, the blond looked a little sorry for startling her, "I'm sorry, but you looked so deeply in thought I figured you wouldn't hear me anyways."

"Uh…" How am I supposed to respond to that?

"So, is something troubling you?"

"Troubling? No. I was just wondering something about club activities. I was planning on asking you guys about it later."

"Okay! Well, feel free to talk to me about anything! I won't judge you at all and I'll help you no matter what you don't understand!"

Haruhi couldn't do anything but blink, "Well… thank you, Senpai… Shouldn't you be getting back to your table?"

The blond jolted a bit and quickly took a few steps back, "Oh, right, thanks for the reminder! Bye, Haruhi!"

The brunette watched him leave. Something's off with him today… but what is it?

"Haruhi!" She straightened up and turned back towards the table. Her firsts guests were already sitting down.

"Hi, ladies! Sorry about that, Tamaki just need to have a word with me."

"That's alright, Haruhi!"

"It's so nice to see you getting along with everyone!"

"Are you enjoying yourself at the host club, Haruhi?"

"W-well, the guys are a little… much at times… but I do like talking to you ladies everyday."

Three identical gasps and blushes. And the hosting begins.

*\/*

"Hey, Mommy? I have a favor to ask of you."

Kyoya's pen stopped dead in the middle of a word before he sighed, "Please don't call me that. Or at least not during hosting hours."

Tamaki continued on as if he'd agreed, "Listen, this might sound a little weird, but I need all the information on Haruhi that you have."

At his request, the ravenet actually look up at the blond, "And what use would you have of that? Furthermore, why do you need it in the first place?"

"Well… it's a little hard to explain. I just want to know more about her."

Kyoya didn't move, just quirked an eyebrow.

"It's kind of like, well, I want to be… closer to her?"

"Was that an answer or a question?"

"...I think the second one. Ugh!" Tamaki threw his hands through his hair, ruffling it up out of it's neatly combed style, "Why is it so hard to explain? I want to know Haruhi better so I figured if I read whatever information you had on her-"

"Information on who?"

Tamaki stiffened and slowly looked over his shoulder. You know the type. The horror-movie-character-just-heard-a-floorboard-creak kind of turn. Standing directly behind him was none other than Haruhi, her hands tightly clenched around a teapot, and it looked like she was considering chucking it at his head.

"H-haruhi! How long have you been...standing there?"

"Long enough."

The blond jerked back to facing forward and spoke in a quick monotone, "Well, thank you very much for your help Kyoya but now I need to go," before speed walking over to the other side of the room.

Haruhi glared off after him, "What was that all about?"

"No idea."

The brunette breathed in deeply through her nose and closed her eyes. Why couldn't I have gotten stuck in a club filled with normal people?

*\/*

"Haruhi! Come on, club activities are done for the day!"

The girl rolled her eyes and snapped her school bag shut, "I'm well aware of that, Senpai. You don't have to wait for me, you know."

"I don't want you getting lost!"

"I won't get lost! I can navigate this school just as well as anyone else!" Now Haruhi was angry. I'm a capable person! He doesn't have to treat me like I'm some little kid who can't do anything for myself!

It only made her more furious when the boy continued to smile as he spoke, "But I'd be worried about you!"

"I didn't ask you to be!"

"You don't have too! It's just something I'll do anyways." Tamaki laughed airily, "I guess you could just call me Niichan!"

Haruhi blinked, her anger surprisingly dissipating, "Niichan?" Why on Earth is he calling himself my big brother… oh.

"Haruhi? Are you okay? You're staring off into space again."

"Oh."

"Oh? Oh, what?"

"Oh…"

"Haru-" Tamaki's questions died in his throat as Haruhi smiled warmly at him. She reached up and gave him a single pat on the head.

"Tamaki, you're my Senpai. You're not Jin. Thank you for… trying to fill in her shoes, but she's supposed to be back in two more weeks, so I'll be okay without an older sibling until then."

A bigger smile, "I was really sweet of you to try and make me feel better, though. See you tomorrow, Senpai."

And with that, she walked out of the room, leaving a surprisingly red Tamaki in her wake.