Technicolor

Chapter One

The only thing that made the twelve hour flight from DC to Tokyo bearable was the private jet. I don't think I could handle cabin crew and stupid people snoring in front of me for that amount of time. My parents had made me do that once – fly commercial, for reasons still unknown – and it didn't end well. I made a steward cry. I was seven at the time. Since then they've learned not to put me in a situation when I'm unable to walk away with people I don't like.

"Miss, we'll be landing in the next fifteen minutes," one of my bodyguards, Ian, told me as he came back to where I was sprawled on the bed. I turned off my music and oh-so gracefully rolled off the bed, cause I couldn't be bothered throwing my legs over and getting up the conventional way.

I was excited to land. I would be seeing Toui again, and I hadn't seen him in so long. It was hard visiting him, even with all my resources, flying to Tokyo on a regular basis wasn't really in my cards.

Oh yeah, and Hana. My other cousin. She was nice, I liked her. Not quite as much as Toui, obviously, but we got on decently well, considering she saw me as a spoilt brat and I thought her annoying at times.

"Scarlet!" as I exited the jet I heard a male voice shouting my name. I focused on Toui leaning against a black limo, with a set of crutches under his arms. He looked much better than I would have ever thought.

I dropped my bags and rushed to embrace him. "You look so good," I giggled, careful not to crush him but he winced anyway. I released quickly and saw the smirk on his face, then I slapped him on the arm. "Don't do that. Don't pretend I've hurt you. It's not fair."

Toui chuckled, "sorry, but I had to, just once."

I went to get my bags, but they'd already been brought over by the limo driver and my guards. The breakdown in communication was starting already I noticed – that's the problem with most of my guards not speaking Japanese. "Where's Hana?" I asked Toui as I helped him back in gently. "I thought she'd be here to greet me."

"She wanted to, but she had school," Toui explained. "It's the same school you'll be attending. You'll like it there. Everyone's as insane as you are, maybe more so."

"Sounds like my kind of place."

Toui told the driver 'back to the house' and we were off, with my guards following in the completely-unnoticeable-and-conspicuous black SUV that was the size of a tank hot on our trails. As if a limo wasn't bad enough. "How was your flight?" Toui asked me as he took some painkillers having poured himself a glass of water.

"It was fine. Tiring, and long; but fine." There wasn't really much to say about my flight other than the obvious. "I got a lot of great pictures of the sky though, which is good."

"That is good. Does that mean you won't be producing your camera any second now like the paparazzi? Will I have to watch facial expressions around you again? I don't want anymore of those horrible ones you took when I was about to sneeze."

I giggled – that was more than eight years ago, but he wouldn't let it go. I suppose it was one of the worst pictures in the history of time, but still – eight years. to annoy him I pulled out my camera and before he could react the flash went off.

"Damn you, Scarlet," Toui cursed, though the grin covering his face told me he wasn't really angry with me.

"If you don't want me doing it, get better reflexes."

"I do have good reflexes. I have the reflexes of a cat."

Another flash, just to prove my point. "Yeah; dead cat-like reflexes."

Toui filled me in on the most recent headline in the Izumi household. "Hana's dating Kaoru Hitachiin," Toui smirked. Apparently the fact Hana was dating amused him. I thought it would frustrate him. As in make him want to punch through a wall. He was that kind of over-protective brother.

"Hitachiin? Like the designer?"

"Yeah, apparently his mother's some big designer. Being a guy who is ignorant of fashion, I didn't know that." I slapped him, because not knowing Yuzuka Hitachiin's name was a criminal offence, even for a guy.

"What does uncle think of it?"

Toui laughed, "he hasn't be told yet. Hana's under the impression as soon as he finds out he'll start organizing a wedding. To be fair, she's probably right – it'd be an advantageous match, for all those concerned."

"And auntie would start thinking floral arrangements and grandchildren," I teased, though we both knew that's exactly what his mom would start doing. Good thing mom wasn't like auntie Michie. I think I'd clash too much with an over-bearing mother.

When we reached the mansion, I was greeted by my aunt and uncle. Auntie Michie was in a cream skirt suit and it was lovely. Uncle was scowling, as always. I doubt it was a reflection on my personally, but I know we didn't see eye-to-eye all the time, or ever, if I'm honest.

"How was your flight, Scarlet honey?" auntie beamed after she told me I'd grown, like adults tend to do. Toui told her what I said in the car – long, but I got great pictures. "Well, that's wonderful. Your room's all set up, if you want to sleep."

"No, I slept on the jet."

"I'm so glad you're coming to stay with us for a while, Scarlet. It'll be so wonderful having you around again, like old times," auntie continued, motioning for us to go into the house. The servants were rushing about with my things. I couldn't believe auntie and uncle still had this many servants – back in America we had a housekeeper, two maids and a cook. Okay, so I had an equestrian trainer, but that doesn't count right now.

Upon his father's request, a wheelchair was brought out for Toui. "There's no need for you to walk right now," he insisted, and Toui sighed but lowered himself into the chair. We decided to go for a walk in the gardens.

Something I loved about the Izumi mansion was the gardens. We didn't have a sculptured garden like this back home. Only a swimming pool, the pool house and the stables. Granted they may be fancy things to have, but I would trade at least the pool house to have somewhere this secluded to collect my thoughts and take the most beautiful nature pictures in the world.

"I'm really glad you're here, Scarlet," Toui smiled as we started onto the winding fairytale path through the trees and I was ready, camera in hand.

I giggled, "I'm glad I'm here too."

"Liar."

"Well, yeah."

We were out there for hours, and I took so many photos I ran out of space on my memory card. Good thing I carried a spare everywhere, for this very situation. Back at the house, we came in through the conservatory doors just as Hana was coming through.

"Scarlet!" she marvelled, stepping forward to give me a hug. Maybe I had grown, cause my chin was now at the top of her head. Hadn't been that way before. "I wanted to come greet, you, but I had to go to school."

"It's okay. No problem," I assured her. "So, I hear you have a BF."

My wording was specially chosen to avoid the detection of her father who was walking past the doors at that very moment. The way you do. Hana blushed and turned to throw Toui a disdainful scowl, "you promised I could tell her."

"It slipped out," he shrugged. "So, where is Kakaru this fine afternoon, or is it Haoru? Which one are you dating again, Hana? One, both of them? What are their names?"

Hana muttered something under her breath I didn't catch and by the fire in her eyes I didn't particularly want to. "For the last time, Toui; it's Kaoru. K-a-o-r-u! Kaoru and Hikaru."

This was clearly a touchy subject. Who was Hikaru? His brother probably. I wonder if he was hot. Knowing my luck with guys he wouldn't be. I seemed to attract the worst kind of idiot – the vain, self-centered egocentric jerks. There's only room for one drama queen in the relationship, and that person is definitely me.

"You called, my lady." Two identical boys appeared at the doors. One of them spoke. I had no idea which one it was. I was usually good with identical twins, noticing some distinguishing feature, but these two were too identical.

I think I frightened them when I took a picture. What? You don't come across things like this all the time. "Guys, this is my cousin, Scarlet. Remember, the one I was telling you about?" Hana smiled at them, encouraging them to come over and join the conversation.

"You just took a picture of us," I was informed by the one closest to me.

I nodded, "I like taking photos. Is that alright?"

The other one said he guessed it was okay. Toui informed them my question wasn't really an open answer – I would keep the photo anyway, if I wanted it. "So, you're the heiress to Pineapple Electronics?" the one standing right beside Hana asked me. I guessed he was Kaoru, and my assumption was proved correct when I saw his hand subtly find its way into Hana's, away from Toui's eyes.

"Yep, that's me."

"You're not how I imagined," he admitted, sheepishly. "I thought you'd be some language-ignorant Malibu-Barbie."

"I should kick your ass for saying that."

He was horrified. "What? Why?"

"I'm not sure, but I want to kick someone's ass," I shrugged, though I did plaster on a smile to make him less uncomfortable and doubt whether I was serious or not. "So, your mom's Yuzuka Hitachiin?"

"Yeah, she is. You a fan of her work?" the other one, who I now knew as Hikaru, wondered. I nodded and told him I thought his mom's designs were amazing. He promised to pass along the message, cause she'd be thrilled to hear it.

Hana rang for tea, and we went to sit out on the terrace. Hana told us some very interesting facts about the china and decided she was going to plan a tea ceremony for my arrival. I, having no clue what that was, told her it was a very nice idea and I'd love it.

"So, how did you guys meet?" I asked the twins and Hana.

They exchanged a very strange look then turned to me, speaking in unison. "The Ouran High School Host Club."

I nodded but couldn't help asking the question, "what's a host club?"