Kauru Hitachiin's Love Story || an OHSHC fanfiction

Twelve || Communication is Key

Ever since the showdown with Lobelia, Maverick had suggested that the host club do a K-Pop theme, staying that there are a lot of trends in K-Pop and Korean culture to choose from, so every club member could chose one so that they're comfortable. Maverick had also talked with some of his customers about K-Pop groups, BLACKPINK, BTS, TomorrowXTogether, GOT7, among others, Kyoya had always shot it down, until Renge finally came to a meeting. She agreed on the spot, and though it took a long time, he finally got his K-Pop theme.

The guys didn't pick a group to emulate, but they did look into the trends from earlier that year. The ladies tried to guess what group each of the guys was attempting to gather the gist of, and it was fun for Maverick to hear their theories.

After club hours, the club members took turns changing while everyone else cleaned up. By the time Maverick had finished getting changed, the room was cleaned up, but Haruhi still had to change, and the four first years were going to the Hitachiin's to work on their homework; Maverick had suggested that they all get together once a month for a study group sort of a thing. Maverick sat at the piano and played 'Happy Birthday', looking at the piano sadly. Kaoru sat next to him.
"You okay?"
"Today would have been my mum's 42nd birthday, but instead she died when she was only 32."
There was a pause as Kaoru thought about what to say. "I'm sorry." He finally landed on before he realized that he had known Maverick for almost a whole year now, and they hadn't celebrated his birthday; when the other host's birthdays rolled around, the club had made an effort to do something to celebrate, but they hadn't done anything for Maverick's. "Hey, Mav, when's your birthday?"
"August 25th." Both Maverick and Kyoya answered.
"Your birthday was almost three months ago and we didn't celebrate?" Kaoru asked, standing, outraged that he had missed his boyfriend's birthday.
"I don't like celebrating my birthday." Maverick replied softly, his shoulders hunching as if he was trying to make himself smaller. "Bad things always happen on my birthday." He mumbled before Haruhi came out of the change room. All of the hosts made their way to their limos, which were outside waiting.
The four first years got into the Hitachiin's limo, the talk of birthdays dropped.

"The school year's coming to an end." Maverick said, trying to spark a conversation.
"Let's hope this year isn't as dramatic as last year." Hikaru said and the other two Japanese students chuckled. Maverick looked at them for an explanation.
"Basically, a French aristocrat tricked Tamaki into proposing, attempted to take him back to France, Hikaru broke his arm falling off a carriage, and that's when Tamaki and I first kissed." Haruhi explained badly. Maverick just nodded along, still confused.
"You had to be there." Kaoru said and gave him a small smile.
"So long as Éclair Tonnerre doesn't try and pull the same stunt again, it should be smooth sailing." Hikaru said.
"Éclair Tonnerre?" Maverick asked, knowing exactly who they were talking about. "Don't worry about her coming back."
The three looked at him, confused.
"After that whole debacle, she went and found someone else from a powerful family to get engaged to."
The three looked confused still.
Maverick sighed. "She's betrothed to my cousin."
"The one we met in Karuizawa?" Hikaru asked, confused.
"What? No, Ryan has a boyfriend. No, other side of the family. My cousin has been on lockdown for as long as I can remember." Just as Kaoru was going to ask him to elaborate on what exactly he meant by 'lockdown', the car stopped. "Oh look, we're here." Maverick said and got out of the car quickly.
The other three also got out of the car, all four of them heading inside.

After a while of doing homework, Maverick got a call. He answered the call and stepped out of the room. Kaoru followed, but being careful to not be seen. Maverick was speaking in English, so Kaoru didn't exactly understand all of what he said, but he understood Maverick's facial expressions perfectly.
"This is he." Maverick said with a small nod. The person on the other end of the line spoke and Maverick's eyes went wide. "What? How? Are you sure?" He asked quickly, his grip on his phone tightening. "What about- She's already been contacted." Maverick got cut off before he spoke again, nodding. "Thank you for calling. No, I'll tell them." Maverick said. "It would be best for everyone if I told them. Have a nice day." Maverick hung up and stared at his phone.
Kaoru slowly stepped into the room.
"Maverick?" He asked cautiously. Maverick slowly looked up at him. "Are you okay?"
"My father's dead." Maverick said numbly, finally looking up at Kaoru. "He got beat up in when his cell mate learned what he did to me in full."
"Cell mate?"
"He was in prison for what he did, specifically to me and my ex."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I think I'm finally ready to talk."

"So you're telling me that you father killed your mother, your boyfriend, and he took-"
"Yes."
"He disowned your brother because he had mental health issues, your brother, not your father, and attempted to name Martin his successor."
Maverick nodded. "Always on my birthday."
"Why?"
"He said it was to break me, so he could put me back together the way he wanted, and he needed mum out of the way to do so."
"You were eight when all of this started."
Maverick nodded again.
"Why not divorce her?"
"If she died, he got life insurance, divorce is expensive. He also wanted sympathy."
"He's a sociopath!"
"Why do you think I fled the continent and changed my name?"
"But he's gone now, you have no reason to hide."
"Katherine is a reason to hide."
"That's Martin's mother, right?"
"Right."
"And why hide from her?"
"She's just as psychotic as my father is- was." Maverick self-corrected. "Martin looks a lot like her. The dark hair, the green eyes; I guess father had a thing for women with green eyes."
"So you gets yours from-"
"From my mother." He replied with a nod.
Kaoru took Maverick's hand in his. "I'll do everything in my power to keep you away from her." Kaoru promised. "You and your brothers."
"I love you, Kaoru."
Kaoru was taken slightly aback at Maverick's proclamation. It was the first time either of them has said it.
"I love you too." Kaoru replied once he regained his composure. Maverick smiled and leaned over, placing a hand on Kaoru's cheek, kissing him softly. The kiss was sweet, soft, and short. After he sat back, Maverick smiled at Kaoru.
"Come on, we should get back to the other two, they might be wondering what we're doing."
"You sure you're ready to go back?"
Maverick nodded and the two of them headed back to where Hikaru and Haruhi were. Hikaru's arms across his chest.
"What took you two so long?" He asked impatiently.
"I found out my father died and Kaoru helped me calm down." Maverick's answer made Hikaru instantly soften.
"I'm sorry Maverick."
"Save it, he was a dick."

That night, Maverick told Matthew and Martin what had happened to their father. Martin was upset, Matthew was indifferent. Maverick said that Martin could take Monday off school to grieve.

At the next club meeting, Maverick told Tamaki and Kyoya that his father had passed, but refused to tell anyone of the hosts except Kaoru how it happened. Kaoru kept his mouth shut when it came to what all he knew about Maverick's father's passing.
Maverick started to spend some Sundays at the Hitachiin's manor or somewhere else with just Kaoru; sometimes he really needed the break from his brothers and seeing his boyfriend was the best excuse he could come up with to get out of the house.