Disclaimer: I own Ayaka. Not the Ootori name nor do I own Ouran High School Host Club.
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For Bobbie, girl, just believe. You are ALWAYS my inspiration, even if you hate sappy romance stories. For Tohru, because I dedicate my stuff to you, I love you. For Kara. Don't stop, don't change, stay beautiful. And for Ferret, from WW, thanks for trying Ouran.
Kaoru Hitachiin stuck his head out of his brother, Hikaru's, bay window. It was a fresh spring day and the beginning of Golden Week.
Kaoru gazed around the courtyard, watching the gardeners work. They hustled and bustled about, carrying daisies and lilies. And as he was looking around, he'd found a member of the staff he'd never even seen before. She looked his age. Kaoru lifted his head from his hands.
"Hikaru, who's that?" Kaoru asked and pointed to the girl, now watering some daffodils.
"Someone who works here. Ayaka Ootori I believe," Hikaru explained.
"Ootori?" Kaoru asked.
"Second cousins. She's 15. She'll be attending our school starting after vacation," Hikaru informed his twin.
"What else do you know about her?"
"Dude, I know everything. I got a laptop with wi-fi and dad's passwords."
They bring up the maid's information on the computer. She's a 15 year old like Hikaru had said. Both her mother and sister have breast cancer, and so she's working for their treatment.
"Maybe we should go get to know her," Kaoru suggested, "Y'know, just because we're gonna be classmates and all."
Hikaru looked appalled. "This is new."
"You coming?" Kaoru said, already halfway out the door.
"Uh...no...I'll stay," Hikaru slowly reached for his cell phone and speed dialed Tamaki.
"Tono...No it's Hikaru...no...There's a new maid, she's Kyouya's cousin...can I finish?...anyway, Kaoru's out in the courtyard talking to her...smiling? Yeah...now he's coming back...mom yelled at him..." Hikaru snaps his phone shut and jams it into his pocket, leaving Tamaki in mid-speech.
"She seems nice," Kaoru said.
"Uh-Huh, yeah..." Hikaru said, perched in an awkward position of one hand in his pocket, and the other balancing a magazine.
"But...I didn't know the staff went to school..." Kaoru wondered.
"Well, I think this is the youngest member of staff we've had..." Hikaru mumbled. All of a sudden his face lit up, "A test!"
"What?" Kaoru looked confused, but Hikaru was already calling her.
In 30 seconds flat she was standing in his room.
"Good afternoon," Ayaka smiled, "You called?"
"Uh, yeah, could you get me something unhealthy to eat?" Hikaru dared.
"Excuse me for being unhelpful, sir, but I'm afraid I'm not allowed in the kitchen quite yet. I could ask someone el—" Ayaka was cut short.
"No, I can get it," Kaoru bounded out of the room.
"Good," Hikaru stuck his head out of the door to make sure he was gone.
"Huh?" Ayaka was puzzled.
Hikaru took a brief moment to look her over. She looked like an Ootori, that was for sure. She was very tall, almost 5' 10" and thin, with jet black hair and steely eyes. Her face was heart shaped, with thin, arched eyebrows, and she had well defined cheekbones, which Hikaru decided, were her best feature.
"Are you any good at math?" Hikaru whisper-asked.
"Math...I mean, I'm okay..." Ayaka stammered.
"Be honest. And modest," Hikaru instructed.
"Yes, I am good at math. Why?"
Hikaru stared into her eyes.
"Wh-What are you looking at?" Ayaka took a step backward.
"Ever consider tutoring?"
"Why?"
"My brother, Kaoru, is horrible at math. He needs major help. And a tutor, someone who will SHOW him instead of do his math homework. You free?"
Ayaka laughed, "What?"
"Your shift ends at 7:00. He'll be there. Now leave, before he gets back!" Hikaru shoved her out the door.
Ayaka's smile faded completely.
Kaoru returned five minutes later with a tub of peanut butter and a bowl of chocolate ice cream.
"Oh, did she leave?" Kaoru looked around as he set down the food.
"Yeah. But, hope you don't mind, she's gonna be tutoring you in math every night starting tonight at 7:00." Hikaru explained innocently.
"Really? Why? I'm doing fine in math!" Kaoru lied.
"Well, she will anyway," Hikaru assured him.
"Fine," Kaoru sighed and took a huge scoop of ice cream and coated it in peanut butter. "So, when did you two come to the conclusion?" He smiled.