Mind Games OHSHC Ch.24

Day 1 before leaving to France

We arrived at Haruhi's apartment twenty minutes later. My first impression of her apartment is amazement of how spacious her house seems to be. Though the rich thinks that it's a bit too cramp, but I for one knows that this is a pretty decent size apartment because I've experienced this back when I was a child. Looking at the house now reminds me of what it was like living with both my parents.

"You have an adorable apartment Haruhi." I said as I walk through the front door, and took of my shoes. I then slip my feet into the house slippers and step up onto the tatami floor. "I'm surprise it's this spacious."

"Thanks." Haruhi said gratefully."Unlike those guys, you're more considerate of my living condition."

I knew she was talking about the Host, and I nodded in agreement. I follow Haruhi towards her living room, and set the books on top of the coffee table, and stood up to stretch my back. My eyes darted towards the family room and then the kitchen.

I then notice the picture stand right away in the living room, and I walk up to it. I softly smile, and got on my knees in front of the picture with the lit scented candles in front of the photo. Haruhi watches me a I bow respectfully and put my hands together as I pray.

"Your mother is very beautiful." I whisper kindly, after I was done praying, and stood up."You have her eyes."

Haruhi look down at the photo and smile, "Thanks. I'm like my mom in a way."

We both respectably kept silent for a moment, and I brought up a lighter subject.

"Where do you guys sleep?" I ask.

"Right here." Haruhi said, pointing downward at where we were standing.

I step back apologetically. "Sorry."

Haruhi laughs. "It's alright. Even though it seems like the house is spacious, it's still not enough room for my dad and me."

"Speaking of your dad, where is he?"

"He'll be home soon." Haruhi said while looking up at the clock hanging on the opposite wall. "He'll be here in about 2 sec-"

"Haruhi I'm home!" A charming voice hollers from the front entrance.

"…Seconds." Haruhi finishes her sentence with a slight laugh.

I chuckle in amusement.

"Hey welcome back. We also have company." Haruhi said, while she walks back to the front door as I follow behind her.

"Oh really, and who might it be this time-"Haruhi's dad stops mid sentence when I came into view.

We both stare at each other for a moment, and taking in what we were seeing. My expression show shocked, and confusion, while Haruhi's dad expression was curiosity, and then a knowing smile shown on his lips.

"Dad, why do you keep dressing up like that?" Haruhi ask in irritation.

I want to ask the same thing, but I can understand why because I'm doing the same; Cross-dressing. I thought in understanding.

"I'm only doing this for you, because you need a loving mother beside you!" Mr. Fujioka whines while grabbing his daughter and giving her the biggest bear hug I've ever seen.

"Hey, cut it out!" Haruhi shouted, as she squirms under his grip.

"It's a pleasure to me you Mr. Fujioka." I introduce myself, while extending my hand out to him."My name's Alexander Kinmichi, but you can call me Alex if you like."

"Ah so you're the Alex Haruhi has been talking about." He said, while taking my hand and shaking it politely.

I smile in return."Really now? You've been talking about me Haruhi?"

I look back at Haruhi who blush in embarrassment, while she glares back at her dad in irritation. I laugh while I pull Haruhi and hug her with my other arm. I lean towards her ear and whisper, "I'm glad I made an impression on you."

Haruhi laughs nervously while scratching the side of her head, which made both Haruhi's dad and I smile in amusement.

"Would you like anything to drink, Alex?" Mr. Fujioka asks, while walking towards the kitchen as we all follows him towards the kitchen. "We even got coffee if you want any."

"Oh no, thank you Mr. Fujioka." I said, while waving off the offer.

"You can just call me Ryoji." Haruhi's dad said, while turning halfway to smile at me.

I smile back and nodded.

"Can you get some plates for me Haruhi?" Ryoji ask his daughter, while he was heating up the stove top and placing a deep pan over it.

"Alright," Haruhi replies, while stepping up from behind me, and enters the kitchen ground.

It's been about five minutes until I realize that I was just standing there looking lost, while watching those two go at it in the kitchen. I felt out of place standing by the door that leads to the kitchen, while leaning my weight against the door frame. I fidget a lot and immediately understand that this is my cue to leave.

"I should be going." I said to them, and my voice interrupted their focus as Haruhi and Ryoji stop on what they were doing."It was nice meeting you Ryoji, and I'll see you at school Haruhi."

I politely bow, and turn myself around to walk back towards the entrance.

"Don't you want to stay for dinner?" Ryoji call out to me, causing me to stop midstride. I turn around, looking surprise.

"Well, I didn't know that you wanted me to." I said sheepishly.

Ryoji laughs out.

"Nonsense, you're a part of this family now Alex. You can come over at our house anytime, and as long as you keep this girl by your side, I'll be even happier." He said while pointing to his daughter and smiling mischievously. Haruhi rolls her eyes and sigh out.

"Thank you." I said gratefully." And I'll look after her; you don't have to worry about that."

This time, I didn't hesitate on entering the kitchen, and grab an apron from the hanger and putting it around my neck. Haruhi watch my movements in curiosity while I tie the apron around my waist as I finished tightening the string.

"Ugh, what are you doing?" Haruhi asks.

"What do you think I'm doing?" I counter back, as I search through the cabinet till I find a lard glass bowl and setting it on top of the counter."I'm not just going to stand there and not help out with the food."

"But you're our guest." Haruhi protest, while she bumps me to the side and taking my place next to the kitchen counter."And guest should not be cooking if they are invited to dinner."

I snorted."I don't believe in that terminology, Haruhi. I am the kind of person who rather gives service to rather than being the one that is being served."

Haruhi snickers."You're really something, Alex."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

I bump myself back in front of the counter while Haruhi gave up on me and went back to helping her dad. I took a peek out at the corner of my eyes while smiling as I went into their fridge to see what kind of dish I can prepare.

"Are you guys preparing any deserts?" I ask, while looking back at both of them.

"Hm, I've never really thought about dessert." Ryoji said.

"It's usually because we don't have any ingredients to make it." Haruhi explains, while she washes her hands and drying it with a towel.

"Ah I see." I said, while looking back into the fridge. I notice that they have simple things that most people uses daily, and it suddenly struck me with an idea.

"Hey, do you guys happen to have any cocoa powder, powered sugar, and vanilla extract around here?" I ask, while looking back at them again.

Haruhi thought about it for a moment and then nodded."Yeah, I think we have it all."

I grin devilishly."Good, then I know what to make."

"And what would that be?" Haruhi ask, as she raises one of her eyebrows in curiosity.

"You'll see." I said while taking out milk, two eggs, and butter out of the fridge and place the items next to my bowl on the counter. "Now where did you say those other things were?"

It didn't take me long to get the missing items as I set it all next to my bowl. I thoroughly wash my hands, before drying it with a towel. I ask Haruhi for a whisk as she handed me the tool, while I pour all the ingredients into the glass bowl with precise measurements of the item's amount. I then whisk the ingredients vigorously until the batter is completely smooth. When I was satisfied, I wrap my bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for twenty minutes.

Within those twenty minutes we sat down and eat our dinner. Ryoji and I talk about what I thought of the Academy and if I was making any new friends there. Just same old questions, Anne-Sophie had asks me, and I answer it politely. Haruhi even brought up the Host Club, which I was surprise about. I never really thought that she had any interest in the Club since she always seems like she's miserable and can't endure what those guys, especially the twins, are doing to her.

"It's not like I don't think they're annoying at times. "Haruhi said nonchalantly."It's just who they are, and I respect that part of them because that's what makes them be themselves, you know what I mean, Alex?"

"Yeah, I guess so." I said thoughtfully.

After that conversation, I went back to my task after the twenty minutes has pass and brought out a large skillet and set it on top of the stove top and melt a little butter onto the skillet. Ryoji and Haruhi watches in curiosity while I brought back the bowl from the fridge and scoop three tablespoons of batter into the pan and swirl until the bottom of the pan is covered with batter. I cook it within a minute and take the dessert out and set it onto a plate Haruhi had set out for me. I did this method repeatedly until all the batter is all cooked, while I went back into the fridge and found whip crème, and a box of strawberries.

I sliced the strawberry and at the same time setting those sliced pieces onto three separate plates in a decorative fashion. I use a spatula to scoop the dessert onto each plate at even amount, and decorate it with whip crème, and place a whole strawberry onto each whip top. Finally, our dessert is ready.

"Voilà! I present you my creation ladies and gentleman." I said while bowing elegantly like a nobleman.

"Ohh." Ryoji said in awe, while he claps in amazement. Haruhi laughs and claps also. Without a word, they both took their plates and dig into their first bite.

They eyes lit up in surprise as they gulp down their first taste of my dessert. I smile sheepishly while asking, "So, what do you think?"

"This is amazing!" Haruhi exasperated."What is this?"

"I don't know if they make it here in Japan, but we call it French Chocolate Crapes." I said."Though it's nothing special, like "Calissons with meringue", but this is all I can come up with since we have limited ingredients."

"Well, it's still delicious." Ryoji complimented. "I've never had this before. May I have the recipe?"

"Sure, it's pretty easy." I said, while smiling in accomplishment.

"How come you never told us you can cook?" Haruhi ask, as she munches on her crape. "You're seem to know your way around the kitchen."

I laugh at her compliment, as I took my own plate into my hand, "Well you guys never ask."

"Oh." Haruhi said thoughtfully.

I lightly chuckle while taking my first bite.

Reminds me of home. I thought solemnly, while I look down at my plate. I sigh out slowly and set my plate back down on the counter.

"You alright, Alex?" Ryoji ask worriedly, and Haruhi mimic the same worried expression as her father.

"What?" I ask, and it took me a moment to come back to reality. "Oh ,yeah. I'm alright."

I pretend to read the time on my watch as I chew on my lip in disappointment. "It's getting late, and my mother must be worried about me. I should be going."

"Do you really have to go?" Ryoji ask sadly. He pouted, "I would really like to spend more time with you."

I laugh nervously while scratching the back of my head, "I'm sorry, but I really have to go."

"I'll walk you to the door." Haruhi said, while she grabs my hand and lead me out of the kitchen, and away from her disappointed father.

"You can come back anything dear!"

I skid to a stop and turn half way around in surprise. Haruhi also stops when I tugged her back. I look at the kitchen entrance, and then back at Haruhi in confusion."Did he just call me dear?"

Haruhi laughs, "He's weird, I know."

"No it's not that." I said while shaking my head, and start to walk ahead to the front door with Haruhi's hand still in mine. "I have a feeling that your dad might know who I really am."

Haruhi blink back in surprise. "I swear I didn't tell him."

I smile, "It's just a feeling Haruhi. And it's a pretty strong feeling."

"Anyways," I said as we both step out of her apartment. I lean my elbows against the railing in front of her door."Thanks for the invitation; I really enjoy you and your dad's company."

"Not at all." Haruhi said, while smiling.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask you this." I said slowly."Why do you keep hanging out with the Host Club?"

"It's because I broke their 8 million yen vase." Haruhi said irritably." And I have to pay them back by being a Host."

"Couldn't you pay them another way?"

"No." She said, as she sigh out."I don't have the money."

"Then would you like me to pay it off for you?"

"What?" Haruhi ask shock, while she looks at me in surprise.

I smile, "I can pay it off for you, and then you can be free, Haruhi."

"Free…" Haruhi repeated the word. She thought about hard as I could read her expression while she contemplates about it. I notice the smallest things. The way she squints her eyes in frustration, the way she chew on the inside of cheek, and the way she look up when she thought through hard situations. Haruhi is like an open book to me. I knew why she's hesitating on answering, and I wanted to confirm that theory I've been curious about.

"So how about it Haruhi?" I ask, while she snaps back to attention. "Do you want to get away from the Host Club?"

I chuckle in amusement when the corner of her mouth twitches.

"Well…"

I put my hand up to stop her, and she looks at me in confusion. I only grin and shook my head in enjoyment."You know, if you want to stay in the Host Club, then you can just decline my offer."

"I didn't mean to-"

"Don't be too stubborn about your decisions, and follow what your heart tells you, Haruhi." I chide, while patting her head like she was a five year old.

Haruhi froze for a moment, and then pouted. "Thanks a lot sempai…."

I grin. "No problem."

"Well I must get going. See ya." I said, while stretching my arms, and walking down the stairs. I was almost one block out into the street when Haruhi called out.

"Hey sempai!"

"What is it?" I ask while looking back at her.

Haruhi smile while she hollers back at me. "We're always here for you!"

I cock my head to the side in confusion, as she waves to me and goes back into her house without another word. I stood there staring up at her apartment as I thought about what she said.

"We're always here for you?" I said in a question while letting out an amusing smile.

I shook my head and head back towards home."I might be wrong. Maybe Haruhi isn't as much of an open book after all."