Chapter one
I was the niece of a rich man. His family owned a lot of companies in Japan. My father didn't really talk a lot about his older brother, but it wasn't hard to tell that even though they didn't keep in touch he loved his brother a lot. So when I lost both him and my mother in an accident in the will it was told I was to go live with him. I admit I wasn't comfortable with it. I mean I was a niece who he barely knew so why then did I have to go live with him? I could have just stayed in California with my friends and live with one of them. I'd made many amazing friends back in the states and their parents graciously offered for me to live with them. They welcomed me into their families, but I knew that adding another mouth to feed wouldn't help any of the families so I took the ticket my uncle sent me and was on a plane to Japan. When we landed at the airport in Japan and I was heading to grab my bags I turned my phone back on. My message box was full of texts and voicemails all from my friends. I listened to a couple messages before deciding to leave the rest for when I really needed them. As I was getting my bags a man came up to me with a sign that had my name on it. Great. So they'd sent a private car and driver to get me, which was so unnecessary. I wasn't a child I could take care of myself. The driver took all my bags from me despite how many there were and brought them all out to the car. He looked as though he were struggling, but said nothing evidently to keep his pride and he had determination and then we were on our way.
As I sat in the back I pulled my phone out again and scrolled through a few of the texts I had received. One came from my best friend Danielle.
Miss you already. Wish you didn't have to go. Going to hate Warren's class without you. Love you xoxo - Danielle
I laughed quietly. Boy was she going to have so much fun in Mr. Warren's class, I thought sarcastically to myself. Mr. Warren was our math teacher. She and I had hated him ever since the first day of ninth grade. He couldn't teach and was the rudest teacher at the school. Personally I had no idea why they kept him there. I shut my phone and shoved it away not wanting to have cried on my first day in Japan. Slowly the car rolled to a stop and the door was opened for me as I unbuckled my belt.
"Ms. Kami-sama." The driver held his hand out to me speaking in a completely formal respective tone. I placed my hand lightly in his and allowed him to help me out. The windows had been tinted so I couldn't see anything and when I stepped out of the car my jaw didn't drop, but my eyes widened slightly. The estate was quite large.
"Kami-sama I will be your driver from now on so if you need to go anywhere do not hesitate to ask." The driver spoke shaking me out of my stupor. I nodded and smiled over at him. He had kind sympathetic eyes and I he was still pretty young looking. I think I would get along well with him.
"Please do not call me Kami-sama. I'd feel much better if you called me Hikari. And if not at least Kami-chan." I practically begged him and he laughed seeming to grow more relaxed and comfortable.
"Hai Kami-chan, but only when it is just the two of us I do not think that the Ootori family would appreciate someone like me being so familiar with one of their family." He replied and I scowled.
"This isn't how it was in California. It's going to be hell trying to adjust." I sighed and he nodded.
"Alright I'll see you later I may need a ride somewhere."
"If you're looking for me just ask around for Steven." He said and I raised an eyebrow at his name.
"Not very Japanese traditional now is it?" He made a face at me and I laughed before heading up the steps.
As soon as I said my name I was brought to a huge office door and asked to sit while the maid went in. I rolled my eyes. Butlers and maids were wandering around the whole place carrying out tasks and just looking butlery and maid-like in general. Soon the same maid came out and ushered me in before shutting the door behind us.
"Hikari welcome to your new home." The man behind the desk greeted me not looking up. He seemed nice enough a little cold and distant, but otherwise nice.
"Er it's nice to meet you sir." I spoke politely unsure of why I was even meeting him. I figured since they were rich business people there would be no time for this.
"Polite and refined just like a real lady." He said finally looking up.
"Thank you." I answered stiffly and he offered a warm smile. The kind of smile he would use to win over clients and smooth over any arguments.
"You will be starting at Ouran academy tomorrow and everything has already been brought to your room. Any maid will be able to show you the way, but you will have your own personal maid her name is Aki-chan. If you need anything do not hesitate to ask. This is your new home and you are family so please feel welcome to explore and one of your cousins Kyoya will show you around when he gets home from school." He seemed to have been finished speaking as he looked down at his desk again and began writing something. I took this as a dismissal and bowed slightly before walking out of the room and shutting the obscenely large door behind me.
On first try I found out who Aki-chan was. She was a pretty Japanese girl about nineteen or twenty years old. She had a shy smile and pretty glittering eyes. She showed me to my room and when I asked her about her being my maid she said she enjoyed that for once she would have a lady to wait on. I smiled at that.
"Aki-chan I have a question. My uncle said that I was free for the day before starting school tomorrow, but I was wondering would I be allowed to go to the school and just take a quick look around?" She gave me a hesitant look so I played to her soft side, "It's just so I have a better chance at going around. Everything is so new to me it's going to be hard."
Her expression softened and she gave me a smile. A smile that reminded me a little of Danielle before she answered, "I suppose so. I'll unpack your things for you and you can go find Steven. I believe he's in the kitchen."
How she knew Steven was my driver I didn't get at first, but from the slight blush that covered her cheeks as she said his name made me suspicious that she had a thing for him. It was okay they were both around the same age well he may have been a year or two older, but that wasn't too much difference. I just hoped that there wasn't any rules about them dating. I thanked her and headed out grabbing my purse from where I dropped it on my bed before heading down the grand staircase towards the kitchen. True to her word Steven was inside eating a snack. Mm food. I shook the thought of food from my head and called his name. He smiled looking up from his plate and stood immediately as if he knew what I was going to ask already.
He led me out to the car and opened the back door for me saying, "Where too Kami-chan?"
"Ouran academy please." I grinned and he drove. I lounged comfortably in the back not needing a seatbelt as I had originally thought. Apparently since the private car had been switched to the limo there were plenty of things that would cushion my fall if I got knocked around a little bit. Besides Steven assured me that he was a careful driver. Along the way I got to know him he explained his name and how he to wasn't native to Japan and I felt better knowing I wasn't the only foreigner. We came to a stop and I rolled a window down. There were huge golden gates, which personally I thought were tacky, but it wasn't my school to run so whatever. He helped me out of the car again and told me he'd just wait for me. I nodded and turned back to face the school. I took a deep breath and headed in the whole time wishing that Danielle were here with me to face the fear of a new school.
Apparently it was lunchtime at school. I still wasn't used to the different times from here and California. It was a big difference. I wandered the halls hoping I wouldn't get lost as I stared at the pink walls and nodded politely at the students I passed. Each turned to stare at me, which I thought was rude. Just because I wasn't wearing the right uniform and looked completely like a foreigner. I looked at the uniforms with slight disgust. The buttercup yellow dresses the girls wore was ugly no hideous, but I didn't so much hate the boys' uniform. But there was no way I was going to dress up in a guy's uniform so ugly dress it was. Oh joy I couldn't wait for school tomorrow. I just kept wandering telling myself I wasn't lost denying that I wasn't because I knew I was too stubborn to admit that I was.
Somehow I ended up in front of a door that read third music room. Ooh a music room. I was a complete music lover and I pushed the door open hoping to get some help from other music students like I soon would be. Boy did I not know what I was getting into. When I opened the door I was showered with many rose petals and greeted by the sight of seven very attractive boys. Okay technically six seeing as one of those boys was clearly a girl.
"Welcome, fair maiden." The tallest blond who also happened to be the most adorned spoke as he came closer taking me around the waist and dipping me low. He held a rose out to me and I blinked confused. I thought that this was a music room not some I don't know what to call it. Pimp house? No not right. Uh er um. I was stumped as to what they were called as the blond boy continued to speak to me. I almost rolled my eyes I wasn't even listening and he thought he was turning the charm on me.
"Would you please let me up? I do not appreciate being handled by a guy that I do not know." I said trying to keep the steel out of my voice. In a moment I was standing again and the guy was sitting in a corner with a black aura around him and tracing a circle on the floor with one of his fingers. I sighed and surveyed the room in sadness. It wasn't actually used as a music room, I thought to myself. The boy girl came up to me and I seriously hoped that she wouldn't try anything on me. Instead she gave me a friendly smile.
"Hi I'm Haruhi Fujioka." She tilted her head to the side cutely. No I'm not a lesbian and no there's nothing wrong with that, but just they way she acted was cute.
"Fujioka-kun may I be blunt?" I asked and she nodded encouragingly. I took a deep breath like I had when I'd stepped into the school and asked her the question.
"Why are you dressed up like a guy?" All the boys except for the tall one with glasses and the dark stoic one looked taken back. The blond boy who'd unsuccessfully tried to woo me was in my face suddenly demanding to know how I knew.
"Tamaki-sempai let her go." The girl sighed as if this had happened before. The twins had identical worried expressions on their faces. I rolled my eyes at them as he released me from his grip.
"Look I'm not going to tell anyone. Who would I the only people I know of here are you and you already know. I was just wondering why jeesh." I muttered that last bit to myself and all gave me a relieved look.
"Who is she Kyoya-sempai?" One of the twins asked as Tamaki sempai or as I liked to think of him baka chi babbled at me. I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying though. I know it's rude, but I really didn't care he just rubbed me the wrong way for some reason. The name Kyoya caught my attention. I stepped around baka chi to see the twins looking at the tall guy with glasses who shrugged at them.
"But you're supposed to know everything how could you not know?" They questioned together. Creepy twin talk just great.
"I just don't." He said as I studied him my head tilting to the side curiously. So this was my cousin. Hmm very interesting, so he supposedly knew everything. Show off or just a quiet genius? I walked over towards them confidently in my black high-heeled boots and my skirt swishing around just above my knees.
"Kyoya-kun?" I questioned and they all turned to look at me.
"I do not mean to be rude or disrespectful, but who might you be?" He asked me everyone's eyes on me. I shrugged not caring.
"My name is Hikari Kamizuka Ootori." I replied adding my new last name onto the end. They all gasped and looked from Kyoya to me.
"You're an Ootori?" He seemed to be uncomprehending.
"Hai, you are my cousin. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of me before." I nodded to myself.
"Cousin?" He seemed quite confused as if he didn't know that he had a cousin.
"I suppose he was going to tell you tonight after school. Oops. Oh well can't change anything now. Yes I am your cousin. The daughter of your father's younger brother."
"Why are you here then?"
"Because my parents they." I faltered a tear sliding down my cheek.
"They?" A little blond boy holding a stuffed pink bunny asked coming forward. He gave me a wide-eyed pleading look and I continued.
"They were in an accident and the will said I was to live with my uncle. He said I could have anything I wanted I just I wanted to come see the school before I start tomorrow." I sighed a few more tears escaping. It was the first time that I had cried at all since their funeral. Suddenly my phone rang breaking through the silence.
"I'm sorry just a moment." I grabbed my phone from my purse and flicked it open answering the call.
"Hello?" I asked sadly into the phone. My fake happy had disappeared and my depression had kicked in.
"Kyla why does it sound like you're crying?" Danielle asked cheering me up some.
"Because I miss you and it's hard moving to Japan all by yourself." I retorted and she laughed.
"I know I'm sorry hon. I miss you everyone does."
"Wait why are you calling during lunch won't you get in trouble?" I questioned then suddenly remembered I wasn't alone. The little blond boy was staring up at me and everyone else was just watching me curiously.
"Lunch? Girl it's after school already." She laughed and I grimaced remembering the time difference.
"Oh it's only lunch round here okay got it."
"So what's happening over there?" She asked trying to sound cheerful I knew she was just doing it for me.
"Met my cousin and evidently his friends."
"Are they being nice to you?" She demanded immediately and I laughed a little.
"Yeah they're fine. Listen I've got to go I'll text you kay?" I said.
"Sure Kye bye then miss ya." She answered before hanging up. I wiped my tears away and put my phone back in my bag.
"Who was that?" The little boy asked me.
"My friend. She's all the way in California." I replied sweetly he was so cute. Absolutely adorable and I adored him.
"Ooh wow is that where you came from?" He inquired and I nodded.
"The very place. Anyways so I'm here now and I feel so uprooted I miss the warm beaches and everything."
The twins still seemed to be having difficulty with me being Kyoya's cousin because the next thing anyone said was, "But I still don't see the resemblance. You have long blond hair and are no offence short while he wears glasses, is tall and has short dark hair."
"I take after my mother's side mostly." I answered and they looked sceptical.
"What do I have to do to prove it?" I sighed exasperated and Kyoya seemed to notice. He came and put an arm around me.
"Please leave my cousin alone. She is obviously still tired from her flight." He told them and I smiled up gratefully at him. Kyoya accepting me seemed to be enough for them so I was allowed to sit and rest. Apparently I had interrupted a meeting so I just leaned back against the chair and shut my eyes. Kyoya had been right I was tired. Really tired. Pretty soon despite their loud voices I fell asleep.
Mitsukuni's [POV]
Mitsukuni watched the pretty blonde girl, as he wasn't interested in the meeting. She must have been really tired because she closed her eyes settled back comfortably and fell asleep. How did he know? She didn't snore, but her breathing became slower and calmer and she looked peaceful.
"Takashi look." He nudged his cousin gently taking his attention away from the other hosts to look at the sleeping girl.
Without a word he watched as Takashi stood strode over to the girl and picked her up without waking her. He carried her gently to one of the more comfortable couches and settled her head on a pillow. Mitsukuni wanting to help went over and put Usa-chan his bunny in her arms smiling satisfied as he saw her arms wrap around the bunny cuddling it to her. She let out a content sigh and Takashi pulled the blanket over her. When the two cousins turned back to the hosts they were all watching her with calm expressions. Something about this girl made them stop arguing about what they had been discussing previously.
Suddenly she started thrashing around underneath the blanket clutching Usa-chan as if it were a life preserver. He watched the pure horror and terror on her sleeping face. They all did wondering what was wrong. One of her hands reached out as if she were searching for another and they were all surprised when Takashi took her hand. Even more surprisingly she calmed down. Her tossing and turning stopped and she relaxed her expression softening. They all stared at her and Takashi. He couldn't stay there until she woke up they had class soon. All couldn't figure out what to do until Kyoya spoke up.
"She is my cousin. I should wake her up and send her home. She's too exhausted to go anywhere anyway." He said and Mitsukuni was secretly relieved. He was worried about Hikari. She looked frightened before Takashi took her hand. Slowly agreeing with him they let Kyoya sit next to his cousin stepping back to give the two some room. He shook her gently as if she were the most important person in the world and watched as she opened her eyes rubbing them letting go of the bunny momentarily. They didn't hear what he said, but she nodded and started crying before throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his shirt. He felt Takashi take a step forward, but Kyoya did something they'd never seen him do. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him. Embracing her and stroking her hair making them aware of how important she was to him. He was never like this with his clients of the club it shocked the club quite a bit. Mitsukuni gave a little sigh of relief as he saw the smile on her face despite the tears. He liked her smile. It made her face light up and she looked just like an angel to him. And from the way Takashi watched her he knew that she was going to be important not only to Kyoya, but to his cousin as well. He didn't mind that Takashi had given some attention to Hikari. He liked Hikari she was nice and she knew how to handle Tamaki. It was nice for once to have another girl around.
Hikari/Kyla's [POV]
I couldn't believe it. I had barely met Kyoya yet I felt completely comfortable with him. Well comfortable enough to cry in front of him. He was a cousin I had never met before and yet he comforted me like I was his little sister with scraped knees. I had been having a nightmare. A nightmare since that day that horrible, horrible day and it haunted me long before my parents had had the accident. I didn't want to relive it who would? But every night I would and end up crying about it. Each day though I would act like nothing happened because I didn't want anyone to know. I couldn't I would have died of shame. He hugged me understanding the severity of the nightmare even if I hadn't given him any details.
"Shh Hikari shh it's okay. Do you want to go home and sleep?" He murmured and I shook my head.
"Can't I just stay in here and wait for you?" I whispered and he nodded. I pulled back to look at him a smile crossing my face.
"Thank you. Oh Steven is still outside waiting for me." I frowned and he raised an eyebrow at me.
"Steven?"
"Steven is my driver." I replied and he nodded relaxing. I almost rolled my eyes you'd think he thought that Steven was my boyfriend. Mhm not happening. I didn't have a boyfriend.
"Well I'll send him home you can ride home with me after school. Well and after the club event is over." He amended and I nodded again. A bell rang and I knew he was going to leave. Call me crazy, but I didn't want him to leave so soon and when I looked over at the other club members I noticed the stoic one watching me with an expression in his what I assumed to be normally blank eyes. I couldn't quite get what the expression was, but I knew it was somewhat protective. All of them filed out of the room Kyoya last Mitsukuni I learned was the boy who had the pink bunny. I felt a rush of joy when I realized he had given me the bunny while I was sleeping. I handed it back to him with a small smile and mouthed 'thank you' to him before he left. He had been the second last one to leave.
So Kyoya left me with assurance he would be back and I lay back on the couch unsure of what to do until he came back.
