Engaged to Morinozuka (an Ouran High School Host Club fanfiction)

Chapter 4

That night, when Ritsu got home, all he could think about was Mariska.  He was furious he hadn't been engaged to her and that she was now engaged to Morinozuka, whom  he didn't stand a chance against.  However, he knew he wasn't alone.  Several of the boys at school had sent their share of stern, jealous looks.  Immediately, he started to plot.  They'd never knew what hit them until it was too late...

"Takashi! Over here!" Both Mariska and Mori Senpai looked over and smiled in unison as they took note of Honey Senpai, who was bounding happily towards them. However, Mori noticed something out of the corner of his eye and froze as his smile disappeared. Mariska was the first to notice.

"Mori..." Without warning, he turned towards her and, pulling her close to him, jerked her from the spot where she stood. The sound of something shattering echoed through the courtyard as he grunted and dropped to his hands and knees, still clutching her close to him. Tamaki and the others rushed over as he eased Mariska to the ground and attempted to stand up.

"Mori Senpai...?" Tamaki came over and brushed off his friend's back. "What was that?" Haruhi pointed to something on the ground.

"It looks like someone threw a flower pot down at them..." Honey Senpai rushed over to Mori.

"Takashi, are you okay? Did it hit you?" For Honey's sake, as well as Mariska's, Mori stood and extended a hand to help her up.

"I'm fine..." Both of the Hitachiin twins spoke, taking turns with each sentence.

"Why would anyone want to hurt Mori and Mariska...? It just doesn't make sense..." Kyoyo Senpai pushed his glasses in place as he spoke.

"I'm afraid Mori Senpai has been targeted because of his engagement to Mariska..."  Mariska placed a hand on Mori's shoulder as she looked down at the ground.

"A flower pot?  They threw a flower pot at us?"  Tamaki frowned as he helped Mori steady himself.

"I think it was meant for Mori."  Mori took a step forward and regained his balance.  Standing straight, despite the pain he felt, he smiled down at Mariska for her sake.

"I'm fine, Mariska."  She shook her head and looked around at the others.

"We should take him to the nurse."  Honey looked up at Mori, his eyes glistening in concern.

"Takashi...?  Are you really hurt?"  Feeling even more obligated to seem unfazed, Mori shook his head.

"I'm fine, Mitsunuki."  Honey exchanged looks with Mariska, who looked even more worried than ever.  He knew that Mori must have been in pain, even if he didn't show it.  He looked back at Mori and spoke.

"I think you should go to the nurse, Takashi.  We all want to be sure you're okay..."  Mori looked from Mariska, who lowered her gaze, to Honey, who stared up at him, daring him to resist the concern his cousin felt towards him.  Finally, he nodded.

"Alright, then.  I'll go to the nurse myself."  As he, Mariska, and Honey started towards the school, Haruhi noticed a piece of paper laying in the midst of the broken pottery and the dirt.  Picking it up, she studied it.

Property of Science room 6, it said.  She looked up at the school rooms that loomed above them and spoke.

"Do any of you know where science room 6 is?"  Tamaki frowned as he took the paper from her hand and read it.  Kyoya nodded when Tamaki handed it to him.

"I do recall taking a class there last term."  Without so much as another word, they ran towards the school and up into the science wing.  They stopped right outside Science room 6, and the Hitachiin brothers spoke at the same time.

"Why would anyone use this room...?  How did they know where Mariska and Mori would be...?  This doesn't make any sense."  Kyoya opened the door and looked in.  The room was empty.

"The incident was clearly a message to Mori and Mariska.  Someone, or some people, don't want them together, and they're willing to take this as far as needed to see to it that they aren't for much longer."  Tamaki, who was getting a little freaked out at this idea, withdrew from the room, seeming to keep his composure quiet well for someone who had just learned that his friend was in trouble.

"Well then, we'll just have to help them."  He stepped back, throwing his hands up dramatically, and started shouting.  "From now on, we will all be helping make sure no one hurts Mori or Mariska!"  Everyone stared at him a silent, sarcastic way as Haruhi answered him.

"Great, so how are we going to do that, senpai?"  Tamaki turned to face them, putting his hands on his hips and staring at them with a determined look on his face.

"We will learn the same fighting technics Mori and Honey know, and we will defend them!"  Kyoya crossed his arms and spoke, practicality dripping in his voice.

"We would all have to train for months, maybe even years, before we knew even a portion of what Honey senpai and Mori senpai know.  Even then, knowing Mori, he will insist that it's too much to ask of us and refuse.  What makes you think this plan will work?"  Tamaki brushed his hair back a little.

"Okay, yee who don't believe.  Watch your king and learn..."

As it would turn out, Mori was just fine.  He would have a nasty bruise on his back, but that was it.  While she was relieved he was alright, Mariska couldn't help but feel guilty for what had happened.  Whether her father would admit to it or not, he had paraded her around a little too much and sparked a little too much interest in her and her future.  She knew that there could be any number of families who did care enough to try to fight against his decision, and she was the key to it all.  As the nurse left the room, Honey smiled at Mori.

"Takashi..."  The sweetness of the affection in his voice as he hugged his cousin was more than enough to make anyone smile, but it made Mariska feel worse.  "I'm glad you're okay."  He turned to Mariska, who forced a smile immediately.  "Aren't you, Mari-chan?"  She nodded, avoiding looking at Mori while refusing to look Honey in the eyes.

"Yes.  Of course I am."  Both noticed the concern and fear in her voice, but neither said anything.

Mori knew what she was thinking.  His father had bragged about how he had been fortunate enough to end up engaged to Mariska since her father's expectations for his daughter's betrothed were so high, yet he knew how Onikan boasted to everyone about his daughter, taking extra care to ensure that each family became interested in his daughter.  He didn't see it fair to Mariska, who seemed to want nothing to do with it all, and he knew it was weighing down on her.  As he buttoned up his shirt, he approached her and smiled down at her.

"Are you alright?"  She looked up at him, startled by his question.  She said nothing and only stared up at him, and he could see the fear and concern she harbored for him and his safety in her eyes.  He smiled a little as he hugged her, not caring that Honey was watching.  "It'll be alright, Mariska.  We'll protect you..."