WOO. Okay, another corny, badly-written fiction by me, Midori Akiyama or Raye Williams, whichever you want to call me.

Lemme first say I'm sorry to all Hikaru fans who feel I'm making him the bad guy in this. It'll end well, I promise. The M rating doesn't come to effect until the final chapter, and here's hoping I do as well on that as people say I did on "A Reward for Selflessness."

Story's Hikaru-Kaoru and has minor Tamaki-Haruhi For the record, the title translates to "Dawn, Sunset, and Moon." Enjoy. All normal disclaimers apply.

Akatsuki, Yuhi, to Tsuki: Chapter 1

It wasn't uncommon for Kaoru to go for walks along the bike path, even without his brother. It was time he spent contemplating his schoolwork, his future careers, and, most often, his capriciously set relationships.

It was October, and Renge had been on a rampant cleaning spree in an attempt to help decorations for the year's Halloween festival. This year wasn't going to host a fear trial so much as a party. Kaoru glanced into the sky, which was a warm blue, broken only occasionally by the clouds threatening to overtake the sun. There was little wind, but every so often, a light breeze would ruffle his red hair and make him raise a hand to push back his bangs. He took extra care to make sure they were smooth, parted to his right, and the left of anyone who looked at him. That was important to him, not that it mattered to anyone else. The mirror would show him what he wanted if he parted it to his right.

Despite the out-of-character precautions, it was a pretty normal day.

Kaoru wasn't planning to go anywhere specific. He was just walking the path. He figured reaching the end would mark the point of turnaround, which was obvious enough, and he'd head home immediately after. The thought displeased him. His already leisurely pace slowed slightly.

Home was boring now. The real fun was in school, and in the Host Club, and, most of all, when he and his brother were doing their routines for their customers. That wasn't the same either. They didn't play the "Which Twin Is Hikaru?" game anymore. Their bangs weren't the reason their hair ruined the fun. Their hair colour was.

The change in their world was.

The intruder was.

Haruhi was.

A biker came up the path in the opposite direction; Kaoru stepped aside politely to make way, but as the rider approached, he slowed and came to a stop a couple feet from him.

"Hey, Kaoru."

It was Arai. Kaoru smiled in the friendliest way he could, considering the person before him. The Hitachiin had nothing against the boy, but bad memories of loneliness and hurt crossed his mind. Arai seemed to sense this, as his freckled face grew red with an embarrassed blush and he grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Hey…you're far from home. What's up?"

"Very little, just scouting, I guess. Work's been pretty slow lately, so I've had more free time. Where's Hikaru?"

Ah yes, the eternal question. Whenever Kaoru greeted someone, it was with Hikaru, and when it wasn't, that became the topic. Where is the twin? Kaoru suspected his brother suffered the same unintentional abuse. Unfortunately, there wasn't really anyone he could blame for that.

"At home playing video games. I just wanted to go for a walk."

Arai laughed, and Kaoru eased up, a smile coming to him more honestly now. For a commoner, he wasn't hard to get along with. Kaoru wondered briefly why everyone was separated into groups based on money alone.

"Sounds about right. Oh, how's Haruhi? I haven't seen her around much. Still a member of that club?"

"Yeah, and I think she's the most successful host, after To…Tamaki."

"That's awesome. I'm glad she can loosen up a bit. She wasn't unpopular at the middle school, but she didn't hang out with anyone much either. Too into her studies. It's nice that she can still make friends."

And steal mine, Kaoru thought savagely, almost snarling aloud in contempt at the thought. He still had feelings for the girl, it was true, but everything from Tamaki's recent states of depression to Hikaru's darker hair colour was…

Her fault.

He felt selfish and childish, and his smile faded as he stared at the ground, briefly forgetting about his talking companion. Arai was oblivious to the internal battle. He adjusted his cap and stared into the sky, squinting at the sun.

"Clouds are setting in a bit more," he said thoughtfully, snapping Kaoru from his reflective trance. "It might rain soon. I'm gonna get going. See you."

"Bye," Kaoru said, forcing up a grin. Arai didn't see it as fake and smiled back. Kaoru was a good actor. It was his job. The commoner rode off, leaving Kaoru to himself. Kaoru looked up. The sky was definitely darkening, but he could've cared less. Stuffing his hands in his pockets and keeping his gaze low, he trudged off, his mood slightly less good-natured now.

It's not right. Haruhi can stick with Tamaki…he's the only one who really loves her. Haruhi needs to leave my brother alone. Hikaru shouldn't be hers…he should be…

He didn't get to finish his thought. As though an alarm had gone off, he instinctively looked up. The path ended shortly, and to the left of it was a dumpster, against the side of a department building. He'd managed to walk into what Hikaru fondly referred to as "Commoner Country." The smell emanating from the garbage bin was overpowering and Kaoru's eyes watered, but something about it demanded attention. Instincts drove him to examine the boxes littered around the base.

Golden eyes stared down at a padded box; a raindrop splattered against the corrugated edge of the cardboard and Kaoru started, glancing up. It had begun to rain, just as Arai had predicted. Water trickled down the boy's cheeks as he looked down at the box.

Without a word, he closed the flaps of the discarded box and picked it up, before making his way back along the path, his pace less than leisurely. The rain pattered against him. He only held the box closer. After a moment of very brief contemplation, he decided on his destination, far away as it was.

Mori's house.