Disclaimer:All fictional characters that make an appearance or are mentioned in this story do not belong to me. They belong to Bisco Hatori. I only own my OCs. You'll recognize them when you see 'em; they're the ones who never show up in any official OHSHC media.

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1. The End of One Life and the Beginning of Another

It was a quiet May night. Silence, along with the chilly spring air covered the Akimoto estate. Inside his office sat the owner of the estate: Akimoto Katsuro. He was a handsome man in his early 50's. His jet black hair was streaked with grey, although it gave him an air of distinguished charm, rather than making him look old. Dark brown eyes were hidden behind a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. It was just as still and quiet inside his office as it was outside, with the only thing breaking the silence was the faint 'tap-tapping' of his fingers as he typed on his laptop.

To say Katsuro was a businessman would be a little more than an understatement. He was the owner and founder of Akimoto Airlines. Because he was a man who had no qualms about walking over people to get what he wanted, Katsuro managed to build his company up to be one of the top airlines in Japan.

So deep in concentration, it took Katsuro a while to notice that his phone was ringing. He looked at his watch, then down at the machine, confused. There were very few people who had the number to his private line. And he couldn't think of a reason for any of them to be calling him so late. He picked it up.

"Hello?"

After a few seconds of silence he spoke again, surprise apparent in his voice.

"Takara? Why are you calling so late?"

A few more seconds passed.

"WHAT?" he suddenly yelled. "She's dead?! …A-are you sure?"

"Of course I am, idiot!" came the very angry voice of an elderly female.

It took a while for Katsuro to find the words to say. "So about Minori…?" he finally asked, although he already knew the answer.

"Our agreement still stands, I presume. We knew this day would come. If Rin were to die, you would have to take in Minori and raise her until she is off-age," the old woman replied. Her voice was low and flat. "But that wouldn't be for long. She turned seventeen last month."

"I know," he replied, thinking back to the bracelet he sent her as a recent birthday present just a few weeks ago. "I'll be there to pick her up. When?"

"Tomorrow afternoon, after the funeral."

After the funeral. It couldn't be clearer that he wasn't expected to make an appearance before he was needed. "Okay. I'll be there," he said, then hung up.

Handa Takara placed the phone on its receiver and turned to look at her granddaughter, Minori, who was lying on her bed. She was facing the nearby wall, curled up into a ball and hugging her pillow. Her dark grey eyes stared blankly at nothing in particular; she barely blinked and moved even less.

"Minori," Takara said, getting up and walking over to her granddaughter. No response. She called her name again, this time placing a hand on Minori's shoulder.

"I'm not going," the young girl suddenly stated.

Takara let out a sigh. "We've talked about this already. There's no other alternative."

"There is," Minori replied stubbornly. "Why can't he just give us the money? He has enough of it…"

Takara shook her head. "No, it isn't my money to take. You're his daughter and-"

"Am I?" Minori interjected, suddenly sitting up. "He wasn't thinking of me as his daughter when he walked out on my mother while she was pregnant! He wasn't thinking of me as his daughter when he married that….that…"

Minori couldn't think of a name to call her father's wife that would be appropriate in front of her grandmother so she let out a frustrated sigh instead.

Takara opened her mouth to say something but couldn't find the words. So she just kept quiet and stared at her granddaughter. For the past couple of days Minori resembled nothing of the happy child she helped raise. Her skin was much paler. Her black hair was a knotted mess. Her eyes were puffy and red and her cheeks tear-stained.

"I don't want to lose you," Minori mumbled, trying to hold back tears but failing miserably. Just when she thought she couldn't possibly have any more tears to cry.

"And you won't," Takara reassured, putting her arms around Minori in a comforting embrace. "You know you're welcome to visit any time you like and I will try to visit you whenever I can."

Minori stayed silent. She didn't want to say it but that wasn't good enough for her.

"It's time for bed," Takara finally said, standing up. "Sleep. You'll need your rest. We have a… busy day ahead of us."

Once her grandmother left Minori rolled over and cried herself into a restless, nightmare-filled sleep.

The following day went by in a flash for Minori. The funeral was quick and the wake was even quicker. In her mind it all felt so surreal. Almost like a terrible dream she couldn't wake out of, no matter how many time she pinched herself. So she spent most of the day in a zombie-like state. To her surprise she couldn't even cry, which earned her a few less-than-comforting side glances and mutters during the ceremonial. And before she knew it, she was sitting outside of her grandmother's house, all of her belongings packed as she waited on her father.

In her heart, she began to hope that he would decide to not show up. And she soon began to plan how to make money to support her and her grandmother. 'I could get a part-time job and maybe drop out of school and go to night classes instead.' But her thoughts were interrupted and her hopes dashed once she heard the unmistakeable sound of a car pulling up into the yard.

The driver stepped out of the luxurious black limousine and walked around to open the door for her father. He stepped out and Minori couldn't help but tense and glare at the man she shared half of her DNA with. He made his way towards the house but Minori didn't get up nor did she greet him. In fact, she didn't even acknowledge his presence. At that moment, Takara opened the door and joined them outside.

"Hn, so you showed up," she said, raising her eyebrows.

"I did promise…" Katsuro said, trailing off. He was becoming more and more nervous under the elderly woman's hard stare.

"You never were one to keep promises," Takara scoffed, turning to her granddaughter who finally stood up once she realised it would be pointless to fight at this point. "Remember what I told you."

Minori nodded solemnly and gave her grandmother one final hug.

"Ready to go?" Katsuro asked, holding out his hand to take her bag.

Minori glowered up at her father, tightened her grip on her bag and walked briskly towards the car. The driver opened the door and she got in, sliding as far as she could to the other side. She wanted to get as much distance between her and her father as possible. The limo backed out of the driveway and drove off; leaving behind everything Minori knew and loved.

The ride was quiet. The driver was silent, Katsuro was silent and Minori sure wasn't going to say anything. Katsuro was the first to speak.

"So…" he started awkwardly. Minori continued to stare out of the window, her chin resting in her palm. "Are you feeling okay?"

Nothing.

He assumed it wouldn't bring about positive results to try to console her.

"How's school?" he asked, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Fine."

"Good, good. Ah, speaking of, you go to a public school, right?"

She glanced at him through the corner of her eye. "Well, I can't afford to go to a private school…" she replied icily.

"Ha, right, of course. You can now, though. I enrolled you into one of the finest schools in the country. Ouran Academy."

"Hm, that's nice."

Katsuro gave up trying to make conversation and continued the ride in silence until they reached the estate.

Even in her foul mood Minori gasped when she saw where she was to live for the next few years. It was huge and absolutely beautiful; an Old Victorian style mansion, a charming off-white in colour.

'There will be only three people living here. Who would possibly need this much space?' Minori thought to herself as she was lead into the front yard. As she passed the garden, she couldn't help but stop and stare. It was probably the most breathtakingly beautiful scene she had ever laid eyes upon. Brightly coloured flowers and plants as far as the eye could see; each one more beautiful than the next. There was even a quaint little swing and gazebo – the kind she only saw in the romance movies her grandmother loved so much.

Minori and her mother had always talked about growing their own garden once Rin's disease was cured and she was let out of the hospital. She always had a thing for flowers. Minori's heart ached a little at the realization that she never saw her dream come true. But she pushed the memories into the back of her mind and continued after Katsuro, into her new home. Now probably wasn't the best time to burst into tears.

She was immediately greeted with a large group of people who were wearing the same type of servant uniform.

"Welcome, Minori-san," They all greeted in unison.

'Is this his way of trying to impress me…?' Minori thought, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

Minori set her bag down onto her new bed in her new room. As much as she hated to, she had to admit. She was impressed. It was as nice as it was big. Probably ten times bigger than her room back at her old home.

She walked around the room, inspecting everything, from the soft, pale yellow linen sheets of her bed to her new closet (and even that seemed bigger than her old room). She put her clothes in but felt a little embarrassed when she noticed the stark contrast between her new extravagant walk-in-closet and her old, not-so-extravagant jumpers, tee-shirts and jeans. The last thing she unpacked was the only picture she had of her mother. It was taken before she fell ill so in it she looked happy and healthy. The photograph was in a cheap plastic frame Minori bought with her meagre allowance but she handled it as if it were the most precious diamond on earth and set it gently on the nightstand beside her bed.

"Just for two more years," she kept chanting as she busied herself putting the last finishing touches on the personalization of her room. It was all she could do to not rip her hair out in frustration. The only thing she wanted to do was pack up her stuff and move back into her old home, go back to her old life.

There was a knock on the door that pulled Minori out of her thoughts. She looked up to see someone opening the door. It was a mousy looking woman with light brown hair and eyes. She was dressed in a maid's outfit.

"You are requested for dinner, Minori-san," she said, smiling and bowing politely.

Minori didn't know if she would ever get used to being called '-san' but followed the maid out of her room and into the dining room. There, her father and another woman were sitting at the needlessly long dinner table.

"There you are," Katsuro said, standing up and turning to the woman beside him. "Etsu, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Minori."

The pretty blonde gave Minori a wide smile showing off straight, white teeth. "Oh! She is just adorable, Darling. She looks just like you!"

Minori flinched not only at hearing that she looked "just like" her father but also at his ridiculous nickname.

"But we will have to get her an entirely new wardrobe. Those rags will never do," Etsu pouted, her perfectly plucked eyebrows scrunched together as she looked Minori over.

'R-rags?!'