A/N: Hey guys! It's YummyCheesecake and I'm new to the whole fanfiction community. This idea has been in my head for a while, so I thought "Why not?" and actually write it. If people like it, then I'll be happy to continue. And if people don't, well then I'll still keep writing anyways! :) In case you didn't read the summary, this will be a KaoruxOC fic along with other side-pairings that are undecided for now. I really hope you guys will enjoy this story!

You Are Not Alone

Chapter One: And so He Met Her

"Huh? You like me?"

"Y-yeah! I wanted to tell you-"

"Ha! Aki, you hear that? She said that she likes me!"

"Seriously? What a joke!" The two young boys began to laugh as the girl just stood there with a flushed face.

Unsure of what was going on, she decided to speak up again. "Um, listen-"

"No, you listen." Daichi, the boy she confessed to a minute ago, cut her off. "Your hair is a mess. Why is it so short and frizzy? You look like a boy."

"Yeah, maybe if your hair was longer and straight guys would actually like you." The other boy, Aki, said.

"Or if you're lucky, they'll actually realize that you're a girl!" Once again, the two friends erupted with laughter.

"Y-you're so cruel! It's not like I can help it!" The girl yelled. Her green eyes were now filled with tears steaming down her small face.

"Eh, well unless you change your hair, I won't even look at you. Come on, Aki! Let's go play somewhere else."

"Sure! I want to be far away from this ugly monster anyways." Both of the boys giggled and ran away, leaving the sobbing girl behind.

'I knew that it was because of my hair,' the girl thought to herself. 'No matter what I do, it always looks ugly. If only I had silky straight hair. Maybe boys will think I'm pretty.'

"Hey. Could you keep it down? I can hear your crying all the way from those bushes over there," an unfamiliar voice said to her. She slowly turned her head around, revealing an auburn-haired boy around her age. His hair was parted to the right and his golden eyes were filled with boredom. His hands were filled with an assortment of flowers from the bushes of the park.

"S-sorry." she said timidly. She then proceeded to restrict herself from spilling out anymore tears. Unfortunately, the tears continued to seep out of her eyes.

"...Geez. Why are you even crying in the first place?"

"This boy that I liked said he would never like me if my hair stayed like this."

"Your hair? I don't see what's wrong with it."

"Just look at it! It's short and it's too wavy. I look like a boy."

"No. I can clearly tell that you're a girl," the boy said flatly.

"..Really?" the girl's eyes widened and was full of shock.

"Yeah. That guy must be an idiot if he can't differentiate between a girl and a boy," he said. "Besides, you have pretty hair. If you grow it out, you can do a lot of different styles with it."

"Y-yeah. I guess you're right." Her face suddenly turned red out of embarrassment. It wasn't often she got told by a boy that her hair was nice.

"I am right. Even your short hair is still cute. My mom says that wavy bobs are always a classic," he confidently said.

"Kaoru, where are you? Come on grandmother says it's time to go back home." A slightly similar voice to the boy, Kaoru, spoke from afar.

"Ah, well I have to go home now." He rummaged through the many flowers he had until he finally found the one he wanted: an orange rose. "Here, this one will look good in your hair." he said as he tucked the rose behind her ear.

"Oh no, you don't have to give me one," she said shyly. Her face was now clearly red as a tomato.

"It's fine. I don't think all of these flowers will fit on grandmother's hair."

"Kaoru!"

"Yeah, I'm coming Hikaru! Well, if I see you next time maybe you can play a game with us. If you win, you get to play with me and my brother. Bye!" He quickly ran off to find the voice that was calling him.

"Um, wait!" she called, but he was already to far ahead to hear her. "...I'm going to America." she said quietly whilst fiddling around with the orange rose in her hair.

"Ms. Tachibana."

"...Hmm?"

"Ms. Tachibana you must wake up now. We will be landing in Japan shortly."

Immediately, Maiko's eyes opened. "What?! Already?" she exclaimed, not noticing the strange look she was receiving from the passengers. "And geez, Genji. I've been telling you for the last fifteen years to just call me Maiko!"

"...Please try to calm yourself down, Ms. Tachibana. You're causing a scene," the butler, Genji, said sternly while completely ignoring her request.

"Oh, fine," she said, slumping back into her seat. "And I was having such a good dream."

"Really, about what?"

She smiled to herself as she started to put her long, black waves into a fishtail braid. "It's nothing."

"Anyways, it would be best if you rest for the next few days in order to get used to the time change. After all, you will be attending Ouran Academy in a week."

"Whaaat?" She groaned. "I only get one week?"

"Yes. Your mother and father wish for you to return to your studies right away."

Maiko sighed in defeat. "Well, that's understandable I guess. When are they arriving?"

"In about three days. Your mother is helping your father pack his belongings at the old office, remember?"

"Oh yeah, that's right. Hmm, I bet his building here is a lot bigger than the one in America."

"It is. You probably don't remember what it looks like since you were really young back then.

"Yeah, but it's good to be back! Now I can finally experience the Japanese culture! Ah, Genji, let's definitely buy some Ramune* before we go to the mansion." she said excitedly.

He chuckled. "We will see about that."

"Ugh, I can't believe I spent the whole week sleeping when I could have been exploring the new town!" Maiko uttered. Today was her last day off before she had to start school again.

"Ms. Tachibana, are you sure it is a good idea to be going out today?" Genji asked.

"I don't see why not. I want to at least do one fun thing before I have to go to school."

He sighed, knowing that there's no use trying to stop her. "I see. Well, do make sure you have your cellphone so you can call a driver to pick you up."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," she said half-listening. "Besides, there's only one place that I want to visit today."

Although it took a while for her to finally find it, Maiko came across the old park that she loved to play at as a kid. 'It doesn't look like anything has changed,' she thought to herself. Everything that she remembered eight years ago still looked the same. The tress, the flowers, the swings, the slide, the yellow bench, and even the sandbox.

'This is the same place where that jerk rejected me! Ah, but it's also the place where I met that boy," she blushed as she remembered what happened. 'Thanks to him, I can do all these neat things to my hair! Eh, but what are the chances of ever meeting him again? I barely even remember what he looks like. I don't even know his name anymore!' Pouting, she lied down on her old favorite yellow bench.

'Hmm, there's nothing to do really. I guess I'll try dad's new game now.' Digging through her purse, she snatched out her video game console and flipped it open. She turned on the power and began to play her dad's newest creation. Since she was the daughter of a video game designer, she would always get the newest games even before they get released and agreed to test them out.

Her father was the director of one of the most popular video game companies, Tachibana Corporations. Because her father wanted to expand his video game company across the seas, they moved to America eight years ago in order to build a Tachibana Corporations studio in New York. Since his company has been huge success, he decided to move back to his original studio in Japan and leave a temporary director in charge of the one in America. When her brother, Kazuki, finishes college, he will be the one who will take over their father's company. It's not like Maiko cared. As long as she gets to be the first to play the game, everyone wins.

'It seems like dad has outdone himself this time...Ah shoot! How are you even supposed to get passed these sharks?' She was struggling to get past the current level, but was failing miserably. After several tries, she lost her last life and was forced to start from the beginning of the stage.

"ARGHH! Why does this always happen to me?' She exaggeratedly yelled.

"Hey, this is a park you know. You might want to keep it down so others can enjoy the peace and quiet," a soft, gentle voice spoke. Maiko turned her head to the side to find a boy with golden eyes looking right at her.

"Oh, sorry," she said while quickly sitting up. "My friends did always tell me that I got too wrapped up into any game I played." She took this moment to get a better look at the boy. His auburn hair was slightly messy, but it suited him. It was clear that his lean figure easily towered her and he looked about her age.

The boy smirked. "They're certainly right about that," he teased her as her cheeks began to puff out after hearing his comment. He glanced at the screen of the game she was playing and his eyes suddenly widened. "Wait, is that the newest 'Super Maria Sisters' game? That's not supposed to come out for another three months."

"Well, let's just say I have a few connections." She grinned. "Do you want to try playing it?"

"Huh? Are you seriously just letting me?" He said in a astonished tone.

Maiko laughed at his surprised face. "Yeah, I'm serious! It's not like you're going to steal it the minute I hand it over, are you?"

"How do you know I'm not?"

"...I don't! It doesn't matter though, I can just ask for another one anyways. Here! I know you what to. Your face is just screaming 'Give me that game!'" She said, practically shoving the console in his hands.

He hesitated to take it from the girl. "Yeah...but I promised my brother that when it actually came out he would be the first one to play it."

"Huh? Your brother isn't here though is he?"

"No...he's sick today."

"Then lighten up a bit! I highly doubt he'll get mad if he finds out that you got to play a game before him." Although Maiko had a good point, the poor boy still didn't seem convinced. She tilted her head, thinking of a solution to his problem. Then after a few seconds of silence passed, an idea hit her. "Okay! How about this: if you can get through the first world and collect all of the special items in each level, then you can keep the game. That way, you can give it to your brother as a gift and he won't even know that you played it first."

"...You'll seriously let me have it?" He asked skeptically.

"Only if you beat the first world!"

"Deal." Smiling, she handed him the game.

A couple of minutes passed and the boy was skimming past the levels like it was nothing. Maiko was in awe as she watched the boy play through each level with ease. Before she knew it, he was already about to defeat the first boss.

"Wow. I can't believe you beat it so easily!" She exclaimed.

"It was nothing. Maybe you're just really bad at this game." He laughed as he teased her again.

She pouted. "Hmph. Well I'm better at games like Last Illusions and Pouch Monsters! ...Anyways, you beat it. So the game is yours."

"Thanks. My brother will be really happy when I show this to him." He smiled as he took the game out and gave the console back to Maiko.

"No problem, I hope-" she stopped talking as her phone started to ring. She grabbed it out of her purse and pressed the 'talk' button. "Hello?"

"Ms. Tachibana! Where have you been?" It was Genji speaking. "You specifically told me you would be back an hour ago!"

"Ahhh sorry Genji! ...Okay, chill out I'll go home now!" She hastily hung up the phone and turned back to the boy. "Well, I guess I have to go now. You better not lose that game!"

"Don't worry I won't. I should be getting back home too. My brother might get worried about me."

"Oh, wait! Uh...I never actually got your name."

"It's Kaoru." He said grinning at her.

"I'm Maiko! Alright, Kaoru, I'll be sure to remember that next time we see each other."

"Come to think of it, this is the first time I've seen you here at this park."

"Oh, that's because I just moved here from America."

"Ah, I knew there was something different from the way you talked."

"Yeah, well I'll be leaving now. Otherwise I might get lectured by my dearest butler, Genji. Bye-bye Kaoru!" She turned around and began walking the path to her mansion.

"Goodbye, Maiko." She heard him say from the distance. She was smiling to herself. 'I met a cute guy the first time I went out! How lucky am I? Come to think of it, he kind of reminds me of..."

She suddenly stopped in her tracks. '…No! I doubt it!' She continued to walk home, not even feeling sad that starting tomorrow, she will be a new student at Ouran Academy.

A/N: Yay! Chapter 1 is complete. So, what did you guys think about it? I would love to hear your comments and suggestions if you have any! Don't be afraid to rate and review! However, rude comments are not allowed :)