Prologue

Disclaimer:Wow I never put this on before, since I never published any of my works anywhere before! X3 Anyways, the story and characters, except for my OCs, do not belong to me but the rightful owner Kazue Kato.
AN: Whew! I haven't updated in a week or so? Or two weeks? Time flies! Anyways, I decided to put this in so you guys can understand Aiko more, she's not just some random annoying girl who's stupid and frustrated at everything.
I'll try to update as fast as possible, but I'm a struggling sophomore! Please understand _ Also, I don't want to rush it and give you guys some halfhearted story, I really spent a lot of time on this and proofread!
Alright enough with my blabbering ;) Hope you guys enjoy! Tell me if you like it? :]]

Plopping down her brown slouch bag, Aiko slides into the bus seat, exhausted. She's worn out as usual from work, it really sucked out her energy; she only gets 5 hours of sleep daily.

Struggling to keep her eyelids open, Aiko listens through her MP3 the explanation for her AP calculus problems. Reading a book on the bus hurts her eyes, plus she would always be too brainfried to work out any problems. However, falling asleep meant possibly missing her stop, wasting time and getting even less sleep overall. It was especially hard to keep awake today since the rain outside was pouring soothingly against her windows.

Aiko felt a tap on her shoulder and turns around, seeing a guy around her age (high school, maybe older to college) dressed in a grey hoodie, black jeans and white sneakers.

"Hey, do you mind moving over?" He said with a friendly smile. Aiko smiles back quickly gathers her bag into her lap, moving into the inside seat.

"Thanks. I'm Sakamoto Akira." He takes off the hoodie over his head and leans back in the bus seat, throwing his backpack over in front of him. "The weather seems to be like this lately, huh."

"Yeah, I hope it doesn't go on. It'll flood the balcony upstairs and the ceiling might leak water again." Aiko said. She blushed, realizing what she just said.

"Haha! That happens to me too, we always have to work fast to get out our buckets and stuff." Akira said. Aiko could tell that he was lying for her comfort; you can tell by his clothing and aura he was pretty well off. She smiles at him a bit, and bends down to rummage through her bag.

"Hey, drop by our café sometime. It's especially nice during rainy times like this, it's pretty relaxing." Aiko said, fishing out a business card.

"Wow, advertising already? Businesswoman!" Akira joked, taking the card.

"Whatever! Just remember to come." Aiko said, slapping his chest.

Hajimoto Street, Hajimoto Street…
"Oh! That's my stop!" Akira said, getting up and reaching in his pockets. "Oh, crap… hey, I'm missing 10 yen! Do you have any small change with you?"

"This had better not be your tactic to fish money out of me." Aiko said, grinning and reaching for her bag.

"Well, how's this? I'll pay you back when I go to your café." Akira said.

"Hmmm… That's a fair deal." Aiko lookes inside her bag and reaches for her wallet as Akira put his hoodie on again.
Suddenly, Aiko's hands are jerked to the side with her bag. Her things scattered on the floor, including her cell phone, wallet, tissue paper… and her envelope she got today for her month's salary. Aiko gapes at the floor, then looks up, seeing Akira's face. He has looks stoic and stares back at her with his auburn orbs. He bends down to snatch her most precious brown envelope and smirks at her as the bus jerks to a stop, the doors opening.

"You didn't think I was into you, little girl?" Akira said softly, and then runs out the bus door as soon as it opened, throwing in his change for the bus fare, the money – her money – clanging in the metal slot.

Aiko stayed sitting on her bus seat, her eyes widened in shock. She hardly felt the stares and whispers around her. She falls on the floor, as tears start to form in her eyes.

I was robbed… I'm so stupid, how will I face mother tonight?

Aiko starts to pick up her things and squeezes her eyes shut, holding back her emotions. She felt like her heart was breaking into a million pieces, it was too hard to believe her luck. She sat there for rest of the bus ride, not bothering to get back on the seat.

After around twenty minutes, her stop arrived.

"Kyoto stop, Kyoto stop…" Aiko walks over quickly to the bus driver's deposit and beep stand and brushes her wallet over the stand. Walking outside, she realizes the rain was pretty heavy. She takes out her headphones, turns her mp3 off and puts her hoodie over her head. She's still in her work clothes – a simple black v-neck, black skinny jeans and her black converse shoes. Her hoodie is black as well, as she's working as a waitress and a tutor. Best to just keep things simple.

Although her hoodie is warm, it's not waterproof. The water started to soak through her thick layer of cotton. There wasn't any time to stop and wring out the water. Her feet splash into the water harder and she runs faster, closer and closer to home.

Finally Aiko sees her house from far away. It's an old apartment, but she loves it. The outside is rusty and the black iron gates have paint peeling off. However, there's a garden outside and it's full of lush carnations, poppies, tulips and lavender. There are also mint, parsley and rosemary bushes in a large section, planted by Aiko. She stops for a minute and leans down to sniff the flowers, picking some mint leaves for her dessert she'll make later. Plants and vanilla always seem to calm her down, they were always there for her with their aromas filling the air.

"Oh, crap!" Aiko said, glancing at her watch quickly. "There's no time for dawdling!"

Pressing buttons in her old creaky elevator, she checks herself for a bit in the old but clean mirror to make sure it doesn't look like she's miserable, and fumbles for her keys. Rushing out of the elevator, Aiko opens her door quickly.

Mom's waiting!

Bursting in the living room, she throws her bag to the side and quickly preheats the oven; she was going to make some chicken wings tonight, her mom and her love those the best.

"Mom, I'm home!" Aiko yells, she walks around in their small flat. It's not fancy at all, but simple and cozy. The floors are all made of wood, and they have warm brown throws and rugs over the floor. The walls are painted cream and chocolate, with photos hanged up neatly and Aiko's trophies and awards hung up neatly. Aiko opens the wooden door to her mother's bedroom and finds her mom, Saki, on her desk

Saki has her hair in a messy bun and her hand flying furiously around the bills, making marks here and there, writing in her account book… Aiko leans against the doorway quietly and bites her lower lip, worried.

Another month's end.All those bills, they would've been paid off by now…

"Um, hey mom." Aiko said softly, walking in the room.

"Hey dear, back from work?" Saki replied, not looking up. When Aiko doesn't reply, she stopped punching numbers in the calculator and takes off her glasses, spinning the chair around to face Aiko. "What's wrong, honey?"

"I…" Aiko started, her voice cracking. "I got robbed today, mum, and it's all my fault!" Aiko burst into tears, holding her hands to her face and trying to wipe the tears trickling down her face.

"Oh sweetie…" Saki gets up and pulles Aiko into a hug as she sobbed harder into her mother's shoulder. Aiko feels her mom's warm hands moving her towards the bed. They both sit on the side of the covers as Aiko tries to calm down.

"I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to…" Aiko said, burying her head into her mother's calming scent.

"Shhh, it's okay baby, we'll manage somehow, don't worry about it, we'll pull through." Saki said, rubbing Aiko's back soothingly and kissing the top of her head.

Aiko didn't know how long she cried for, she blubbered until her throat was hoarse, her eyes dry of tears and her body too exhausted to heave any more sobs. The last thing she remembered was her mom's sweet scent of vanilla and almonds from working in the café.

I promise I'll make things right, mum, no matter what it takes…