Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story and any Ocs used.
Prologue-They were sisters
They were born only a day apart, to two women who considered themselves sisters.
One baby girl born to an artist with a tattoo parlor and a three year old boy in the waiting room with a man he considered to be his uncle.
The other baby born to a fabulous lawyer who was happily married to said uncle and saw a blissful life ahead for her and her small family.
Kotoko gazed down at the little baby wrapped in a pink blanket, her baby, "I honestly never knew my life would be like this." she laughed slightly and looked to her fairly tattooed friend, Noriko had given birth to her own little girl not even twenty four hours ago and was somehow up and walking around. Then again, the woman had already given birth before, so she must know what she was doing.
Noriko smiled at her friend, "What do you mean?" she asked, whispering so that her daughter would continue sleeping peacefully.
"Just that, I of all people would settle down, get married, and have a baby." she looked back down to the bundle in her arms, Haruhi, she and Ryoji had decided the name months ago, "Me. Kotoko Katayama."
"Fujioka, hon." Noriko corrected, her lips stretching into a smile, showing off the silver piercing on her upper lip, "And I know, I thought the same way after I had Hideo, but it's just something that happens." she looked back to her own bundle as the little baby moved in her sleep, "And now I'm thinking that again; I never thought I'd have two kiddos, let alone a little girl of my own."
Her friend looked up, the smile fading slightly, "Did you ever tell Akio?" she asked.
Noriko sighed, "I can't. He's so busy nowadays, he doesn't even have time to spare to speak to Hideo. He never knew I was pregnant and I intend to keep it that way." her green eyes were sad as she turned between Kotoko and her baby, "If only so that he can follow his dreams."
The brown haired woman bit her lip, but refused to say anything against what her friend wanted, it was Noriko's choice and if she thought this was best then that's what had to be done.
Instead, she smiled, "What did you decide to name her?" she asked, shushing Haruhi when the newborn started to get a little fussy.
Noriko was staring at her daughter, "Back when Hideo was barely a thought, Akio and I had picked different names just in case and the one we liked the most for a girl was Hikari. So, I think I'll go with that." she lightly kissed the baby girl's head before looking up at the door being opened.
Ryoji looked exhausted, walking in carrying a passed out three year old over his shoulder, his stubble making way to a full on beard if he didn't shave it soon, "Mind if we come in now?" Noriko truly felt for the man; he had been the steady male presence in both her and Kotoko's pregnancies and it showed terribly on his face and the way his eyes drooped.
His wife smiled at him from her bed, "Come on in, sweetie." she raised an eyebrow at Hideo snoring on her husband's shoulder, "How long has he been sleeping?"
The ashy haired man bent and placed him in a chair right by his mother before walking to the other side of Kotoko's bed, leaning over to look at his baby daughter, "About five hours ago, maybe? I can't be so sure." he suddenly perked up greatly as his wife offered up Haruhi for him to hold, and he did so with great care.
Noriko turned to look at her son, moving to hold Hikari in the crook of one arm, she gently shook Hideo's shoulder, "Hideo, wake up baby, there are two people your aunt and I want you to meet." she said and smiled as he slowly opened his green eyes.
The toddler sat up, yawned and rubbed at his eyes before he took in his surroundings and noticed his mother looking at him; scratching his spiky, black hair, he stretched over the armrest and tilted his head at the sight of his little sister, "She's pink." he finally said.
The adults laughed, "Well yes, they're both pink, they were just born, Hideo." the little boy's uncle smiled as he walked around the bed, still holding Haruhi, and stopped in front of the Okumato family to display his own daughter, "This is Haruhi." he introduced.
"And your sister's name is Hikari." Noriko added, moving closer to her son.
Hideo's eyes moved between both of the little girls, seeming to compare one brown haired girl to the other with black hair, before he sat back; crossing his arms and starting to pout, he said, "Can we return them?"
The laughter in the room was loud enough to wake the two infants and elicit shocked cries of protest.
The girls were barely two years old when Kotoko was diagnosed with cancer.
Hikari poked her head out of her bedroom to stare into the hallway, checking for any sign of her mommy or her aunt, her uncle was out at work and would be gone all night. Upon seeing there was no one in sight, quietly and quickly, she tiptoed out and padded down the hallway and down the staircase. As quick as a bunny, down to get water.
She stopped as she reached the foot of it and noticed the kitchen light on, and being the curious little girl she was, she silently walked to stand by the doorway and peeked inside.
Her mother and her aunt were there, her aunt sitting at the table with her head in her arms as her shoulders shook with sobs wracking her body; her mother stood by her, gripping the chair Kotoko sat in.
Kotoko sniffed and looked up at the now heavily tattooed woman, "What am I going to do, Nori?" she cried, the tears flowing freely from her almond orbs, "I can't afford treatment, but I can't give up! I'd be leaving Haruhi and Ryoji behind! I'd be leaving Kari and Hideo! I'd be leaving you..!" and with that, she turned back and stuck her head in her arms again as a fresh wave of sobs took over.
Kari watched as her mother gulped, the pretty vine tattoos there moving with the effort as she ran a hand through her ruby red hair, "W-we'll find a way, Kotoko." she bent down and wrapped her arms around her sister's shoulders, one with a dragon tattoo, the other with lightning; and stuck her face in the area between Kotoko's neck and her shoulder.
The little girl, who's presence still went unknown to the two women in the kitchen, turned back and pressed her back against the wall, her green eyes wide.
There was something wrong with her aunt? Why was her mommy crying? She's never seen mommy cry. At least, not when it didn't involve a curious little girl trying to find out about her daddy.
The cup of water forgotten, she took one look back to the kitchen before quickly padding back up the staircase to make her way to the room she shared with Haruhi.
Closing the door with a silent click, she turned around and looked at her brown haired sister, still sleeping in the bottom bunk, no way of knowing about the scene taking place downstairs.
For the first time in her short life, Hikari was worried for her sister, and her aunt. But, there was nothing a two year old could do but climb back up in her bed and try to go back to sleep.
Hikari Okumato would be wide awake until it was time to come down for breakfast, where she would pass out right into her bowl of cereal, as her brother laughed at her and her mommy called her name to make sure she was still coherent.
The girls were five years old when Kotoko Fujioka left.
Kari bit her lip and held her stuffed dog tightly as she remembered her momma's expression as the telephone dropped from her hand and she called to Hideo and Haruhi, leaving the eight year old in charge of his younger sister as she buttoned up Haruhi's coat, grabbed an umbrella, picked up the startled five year old, and ran out the door as fast as she could.
That had been a good three hours ago, now here she was, clutching her stuffed animal as her brother put in another movie for the two of them, her body giving a startled jolt as thunder boomed across the dark sky, she had never been very fond of it.
Looking away from the window, she decided to stare at her brother, he had his back to her but she could tell he was just as unsettled as she was, "Hideo?" she questioned in a quiet voice.
The boy looked back at her, his green eyes were bloodshot, he must have been worried, "Yeah, Kar?" he asked, standing up straight and dusting his knees off as he walked to kneel next to her.
"What do you think is happening?" she clutched the dog tighter to her chest, "Why did momma run out like that? Where did she take Haruhi?"
Her brother sighed and scratched at his head, "I really don't know, Kari." he pursed his lips as he noticed this only seemed to agitate the little girl more, "But, I'm sure everything's okay! Mom's got everything under control, you'll see. They'll all come home any minute now and we'll eat dinner, watch TV, and go to bed like we do every night."
Oh how wrong he was.
Two hours later, Noriko solemnly walked through the door of the house she had bought with the intention of sharing with her sister and her slowly growing family; but now her sister was no more.
"Momma?" she turned her watery green eyes to the living room, finding her five year old daughter staring at her with fatigue clear on her little face.
The girl rubbed her eyes and looked at her mother again, "What's wrong? Where's Haruhi?" she asked.
Noriko was silent as she dropped the umbrella where she stood and walked the short distance into the living room where she collapsed by her children and gathered them both into her arms as she cried.
Hikari was wide awake now, "Momma?" the girl asked again, hearing her brother grumble and move next to her, he seemed to realize he was not on the floor anymore.
The woman sniffed and pulled back to look at the two, "..There's something I need to talk to you both about, and I'm going to need you to understand it."
The rest of that night was filled with tears, unanswered questions, pain, and heartache at the loss of a dear mother, sister, and aunt.
I'm sorry guys, I know this was not the best prologue, but please bare with me.