Before the story starts, there are a few things I just want to say. There is a trigger warning, because this story involves rape. It's not graphic, but I can understand the painful memories this can bring up. Please, if you don't think you can handle it, I suggest you turn back now. Reviews would be loved and appreciated because I am thinking about making this an actual chapter story if it is well liked. Don't be shy now! :D sorry, that sounded a little creepy. Errr... anyway, let's get on with the story!
~MikkyMouse~
~Chapter One: Summer and Winter~
Akari Yoshinori grinned widely as she doodled in her notebook, completely ignoring the teacher's lecture. Her bright green eyes were glazed over and unfocused, her long curly blonde hair danced playfully around her shoulders. She let out a dreamy sigh as the bell rang. Akari grabbed her books and stashed them in her shoulder bag that had been hanging off the back of her chair. Her sharp ears heard voices from the back of the nearly empty classroom. She looked up to see the Hitachiin twins sitting close to each other, playing video games and waiting for their rich family to send them a car. Akari had been wanting to be friends with them for a long time. Over the years, she had watched them turn down girl's affections in the cruelest of ways, as well as refuse to be friends with anyone. She felt that they must have been so lonely, only having each other. Today, she inhaled sharply and swallowed her pride.
''Hi.'' Akari flashed a friendly smile at the twins. Two pairs of honey-colored eyes fixated on her lazily. They were filled with boredom.
''Are you talking to us?'' The twin she recognized as Hikaru asked irritably.
''Of course, silly. The classroom is empty except for us. Who else would I be talking to?'' Akari tilted her head slightly, in a manner the twins found surprisingly endearing.
''Let's play a game, then.'' The other twin, she knew to be Kaoru suggested.
''I'm game.'' She shrugged, moving over to them casually. Akari set her bag on the ground and she plopped herself on a nearby desk gingerly, neatly folding the pleated skirt of her uniform around her legs as she did so. Clever girl. She already knew what game they wanted to play.
''Okay. Let's play the which one is Hikaru game!'' The twins suggested happily, flashing her identical smiles. Akari had already decided which twin was which. She grinned back at them cheshirely. Miss Yoshinori knew them well, although they never gave much thought to her.
''Which one is Hikaru?'' They asked simulteanously, switching places with each other continuously. They finally stopped moving around and looked at her questioningly. Akari propped her elbow on her knee and rested her chin ontop of her knuckles, smiling knowingly. The twins knew with the look on her face that she was going to be a tough opponent.
''You are Kaoru,'' Akari replied, pointing casually at the twin on the left. ''And... you are Hiakru.'' The twins just stared back at her, their eyes filled with shock. No one had ever guessed right. No one.
Akari beamed from ear to ear before hopping off the desk in a very un-ladylike manner. She waved to them quickly as she lifted her bag and hoisted it onto her shoulder.
''See you around.'' The small girl left the classroom and headed out into the courtyard to see if her ride was there yet.
''She... how did she...'' Hikaru stared at his twin with his mouth gaping wide after her.
''I've seen her around a lot... but I never thought... she ever paid attention to us...'' Kaoru replied, his expression mirroring that of his brother.
Akari Yoshinori hummed to herself as she hopped in the car driven by her family chaffuer. She knew that she had just blown the mischievious devil brothers' minds. Perhaps they will stop being so cruel. Akari leaned agaisnt the leather seats happily, the thought of making some friends made her feel warm inside.
The next day, Akari sat in her fourth hour class silently... but on the inside she felt full to burst. All she could think about was how Hikaru and Kaoru hadn't been able to take their eyes off her at all today.
At the end of the hour, she purpousely took a long time gathering her schoolbooks to head to lunch.
''You.'' It didn't sound angry, but Akari couldn't help feeling like a child who was about to be lectured.
''Me.'' She retaliated, all sassy-like.
''How did you know?'' Hikaru folded his arms, a curious expression plastered on his face.
''I just... know. My Aunts are twins, and I had to learn to tell them apart. My mom is really sick, and so they came to live in our Mansion with us. It took years, but finally I trained myself to know who was who.'' Akari responded softly, picturing her Aunts clearly. She smiled sadly, her eyes looking off into the distance, almost like she was gazing through the walls of the school and into her family's mansion.
''Oh.'' The twins glanced at each other for a moment, trying to find something more meaninful to say.
Akari snapped out of her trance and came back to earth. She gazed into the two pairs of golden eyes that were busy analyzing her with looks she couldn't identify. Was it scrutiny? Perhaps it was that they were impressed? Either way, Akari felt proud of herself.
''Well, I guess I should head to lunch if I want to get something to eat.'' She chided herself. Akari spun around and headed towards the door. Three...two...one... The blonde counted off the seconds in her head.
''Wait...we'll eat, too.'' Hikaru and Kaoru said hastily. She smiled to herself before slowing down and waiting for them to grab their things. It would seem like such a small victory to most of the peoplel, but to Akari it meant the world. She understood the twins in an inexplicable way no one else ever fully would... and they understood her in a way they hadn't fully realized themselves yet. Until today, the twins had refused school food in favor of lunches their servants would make them and pack for them. They followed the blonde girl blindly, because no one had ever recognized that they were two different people before. No one had ever known that Hikaru was not Kaoru, and Kaoru was not Hikaru. Until that day, they had almost forgotten that themselves.
The days seemed to blur together after that, with Akari spending more and more time with the twins. It was a strange, unspoken bond. Hikaru would say something mischievous about a student he didn't like, and Kaoru would back him up. Akari would hit them both over the heads and remind them that people have feelings, and they aren't toys to be used in a game. They seemed to fit together, the three of them.
It was a cold and rainy day, when everything started to change between them, and not entirely for the better. Akari had gotten pulled out of class by one of the school officials, and she was told the news. Her mother was gone... she had finally succumbed to her illness. Her father wasn't handling it well at all, and he wanted her to come home. Akari felt the tears welling up inside her, and she rushed off down the endless dark hallways to be on her own. She came to stand in front of one of the enormous windows, and she stared off into the distance as she sobbed. Her vision became blurred and she sank to the ground weakly. Akari was unaware how long she sat there in a complete breakdown before someone had found her.
''Akari!'' Her name fell from Kaoru's lips like a gentle song. Akari couldn't bring herself to look at the twins. They hurried to her side.
''My mother... she died today.'' She choked, resting her head in her hands.
''We are so sorry...'' Hikaru and Kaoru whispered to her softly. The twins curled on the floor beside her, unsure of what to do. Akari rested her head on Kaoru's shoulder, and her hand relaxed on Hiakru's lap. The two brothers both had traces of a light pink blush painted on their faces. They had never comforted anyone but each other before... but somehow, it still felt natural to them. Hikaru closed his eyes and moved closer to the crying girl. He placed his arm around her waist protectively and pressed against her. Kaoru leaned his head against Akari's gingerly.
The three of them stayed that way until her crying had subsided, and they decided to get back to class.
''Akari... you need to be with your family. We should go to class.''
''I... I don't know if I can.'' She breathed weakly, her voice cracking.
''You can.'' Hikaru nodded, helping her stand. Akari almost fell over, but she stood on her own two feet.
''If you need us for anything, you can give us a call anytime you want. Unless... you don't have a cell?'' Kaoru looked at her curiously as he handed her a scrap of paper with their phone number scrawled neatly across it.
''Thank you...'' Akari said appreciatively before hugging both of them. The twins felt it instantly... someone had crossed the barrier into their world... and they had found their way past hers. They had never shared their number with anyone. They hadn't even considered it before they met Akari Yoshinori. She was different. And they LIKED different.
Akari raced home that day to find her father in tears, sitting on the bottom step of their elegant stairs.
''Daddy...'' Tears traced their way down her cheeks again as she sat beside her father. He was just as broken as she was.
''Princess... I am so sorry... I tried to save her.'' He sobbed, bringing his daughter into the safety of his arms.
''It isn't your fault daddy...'' Akari cried, holding onto him.
Things began to change rapidly over the next few months of her life. Her father started to drink, their female servants began quitting in large numbers... and her relationship with the twins had only grown.
One day, Akari came home from school to a silent mansion. She figured most of the workers were on duty cleaning or making food, so she headed up the stairs to her room. Before she even turned down the hallway to get to her bedroom, she looked down the opposite end of the hall, and the girl decided that she would confront her father about his drinking.
Akari knocked on the door timidly.
''Who the hell is it now?'' An angry voice asked.
''It...it's Akari, dad. I... I'm worried about you.''
''Come in, Princess.'' There was something strange in his voice. Akari was afraid, but she loved her father too much to care. She just wanted her old dad back.
''Dad... are you okay?'' Akari opened the door. The instant light poured into the dimly lit room, she could see the alcohol bottles. Her nose twitched with the strong smell of liqour. Akari clapped a hand to her nose, but she fearlessly forced herself into the room.
''Princess... you look so pretty tonight.'' Her father whispered. He was sitting on his bed. His once smoothed back blonde hair was now shaggy and unkempt. His eyes were bloodshot and glazed over from the alcohol. He was slurring his words together, and his movements were erratic.
''Dad... you have to stop this.'' Akari gasped, staring at the lineup of bottles at the foot of the bed, cluttered on his desk, gathered in random groups on the floor. There were hundreds of them...
''Sweetheart, you always care so much.'' His eyes were flooded with tears.
''Please...don't do this to yourself.'' Akari begged, grabbing her father's shaky hands in hers.
''You are so beautiful.'' His hands broke free of her hold only to stroke her cheeks softly.
''Dad...''
''Rieka...'' Her mother's name fell from his lips like a dying man's last breath.
''I'm not mom... I am Akari. Your daughter, remember?''
''Your jokes were something I always loved about you, Rieka.'' Her father smiled. He leaned up to kiss her. She gasped and pulled away. Akari wiped her mouth in disgust. She wanted to leave the room, especially with the way her own father was eyeing her. Akari felt that her legs were paralyzed with fear,and no matter how much she wanted to run, she was glued to the spot.
''How could you leave me like that? I've taken care of you, haven't I?'' He snapped drunkenly, throwing himself off the bed and lunging at his daughter. Akari was helpless as he pressed her against the wall.
''Dad, please! Stop!'' She begged weakly as her hands were pinned beside her head.
''Rieka...'' He slurred, kissing her again. She was so small compared to him, and there was nothing she could do to defend herself. She tried to struggle, but it only earned her extra pressure being placed on her to keep her pinned against the wall. He tore her clothes off her, leaving his daughter exposed before him. All her father saw was the ghost of her mother.
''Please...'' She pleaded tearfully. Her innocence was violently shattered that night, and the next morning Akari sat in the corner, sobbing and shaking. Her servant, Yukino came into the room to look for her. When she discovered what had happened, she immediately called the police.
Akari watched with horror as her father was taken away. He screamed obscenities at the policeman, and begged Rieka (Akari) to save him.
''He will never hurt you again, Akari.'' Yukino muttered, grabbing her hand. She was her mother's servant for a few years before agreeing to serve her after Rieka's death. Yukino was the only servant left who remembered her mother. Everyone else had left in the months following her death.
Akari didn't cry as she watched them take him away. She didn't cry that night when she found the scraps of clothes her father had tore from her and burned them. She didn't cry when she bolted awake from her sleep almost every night from horrific night terrors. Akari didn't even cry when she decided to stop talking to the twins and go it alone...because they could harm her too and that was something she just couldn't live with.
Hikaru and Kaoru noticed the change in Akari instantly. A few days after the arrest of her father, word got around about what he had done to her. The twins wanted to talk to her right away, but she refused at every turn. She ignored their calls, pushed past them in the hallway, and stopped eating lunch. The brothers realized slowly that they had fallen back to their lonely world of two... and she had lost her world completely, even herself. Akari stalked the halls of Ouran like a beautiful ghost, and her tan skin faded to white. They watched in silent sorrow as their once best friend had changed from summer to winter, and they were left behind in the change of seasons, like dead flowers.