Hey guys it's been a while hasn't it? Well I for one thinks it' been a while since I last check my fanfiction account and even try and browse any stories from his website. And finally after countless months of long reflection and inspiration hunting, I finally decided to revamp this story! This is afterall, my very first fanfiction so this story has a special place in my heart. Cheesy I know but I'm not going to deny. I am entitled to be rather sentimental over somethings right?

IMPORTANT NOTE: There will be major changes in this story. I'm planning on making the story itself more detailed and more in-dept. The character's development will be more highlighted that MIGHT result to OOCs. This story will be completely different yet similar to the original version of the story. If this doesn't bother you at all then please by all means proceed!

Anyway, I'm gonna spare all of you guys with all my aimless rambling and just get on the chapter.

So, without further ado, I hereby present you Chapter 1:

Warning(s): Semi-AU

Adult!Character

UnBeta-ed

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran Highschool Host club, it belongs to its rightful owners. I am only practicing my right to make stories based on the series to my own DISCRETION, in my FANFICTION. I hope that fellow fans of the pairings that will be showcased in this stories will enjoy this!

R&R

Chapter 1 : Loss and Promises

HARUHI FUJIOKA prided herself as a normal Japanese citizen, albeit just a little bit on the opinionate part of the society if she may say so herself. Growing up in a middle-class family she knew what she had and how contented she was with it. Though just like everyone else, she had her share of pain and sadness from the harsh dealt of life. At a young age, she had lost her father—so caring and diligent far too soon. And thus, sparked yet another milestone in her younger life, forced to grow up faster, she has drilled it into her head to do whatever it takes to help her mother to provide for the two of them, if not, then just stay out of the way and try not to burden her mother much more than she had done.

Never did her mother saw her as burden though, for Fujioka Kotoko, Haruhi is the embodiment of the perfect daughter any parent could ever want. They were a simple Mother and child, alone in the world fighting everyday just to get by day by day.

Or so young Haruhi thought.

…

At 16, armed with her brain and a no nonsense personality Haruhi won a scholarship to attend one of the biggest and prestigious academy in the country. A school where only the best and the rich are found; Ouran Academy.

And by twist of luck, managed to bring herself into the company of school's famous Host Club by accidentally breaking a million dollar vase. And thus she was thrown into yet another adventure that had defined and proved that in the world, even the most simple person can make a big difference.

Years after that, at the ripe age of 22 Haruhi thought that she can make that mark. Yet fate is still not done with her. She had to literally crawl herself to finish her schooling—gain a scholarship in Tokyo University at the same time support her mother. Yet it did not deter her to push through, she didn't endure all of this to just give up when all of her dreams are almost at hand. Even if she had to sacrifice everything she won't stop.

God knows she had sacrificed enough to just give up just like that.

…

"Will you be alright on your own Haruhi? I mean it's raining cats and dogs out there." An elderly woman asked.

Haruhi smiled the elderly woman and assured her that she's going to be alright. "I'm fine Inoue-san, my mom is picking me up in a bit and I'll be late for my next job if I don't get a move on."

"Well if you say so. Just be careful alright?"

"I will."

Picking up her things, Haruhi stuffed all her review material to her worn but sturdy backpack and shuffled out from the review center. She bit back a wince at the dreary weather, Inoue was right the rain doesn't look like it will stop any time soon. Idly, she wondered where her Mom is right now when she heard a familiar car horn. Smiling, she burst into the unrelenting rain and ran to the passenger side of the car.

"Whew… Some rain huh?" Haruhi shifted on her seat, adjusting her things before throwing it on the backseat of the car.

"I know. I thought I was going to be late." Kotoko smiled at her daughter before handing her a towel.

"So how was work Mom?"

"Oh the same as always, I'm trying to put a move on my current case." She paused. "Nothing like the usual I get that's for sure." She continued as she put the car into gear and joining the endless queue of car along the road.

Haruhi hummed, intrigued with her mother's current case. "How different?" she asked. "Nothing like the divorce cases that you usually get I presume?"

Kotoko let out a soft chuckle at her daughter insight. "Very different, I was really at loss when I first receive the case a couple of weeks ago to be honest. It's a case that is mostly given to the lawyers specializing in criminal law."

"So it's a criminal case then?" Haruhi pressed on.

Kotoko only nodded.

Criminal law, as interesting as it sound never really appealed to the young aspiring lawyer. Haruhi was more inclined to the legal manners—more on the merger and acquisition part of law. But Haruhi saw it fit to find out what her mother is doing right now.

"So have you heard from your Highschool friends dear?"

Haruhi blinked, finding herself speechless all of the sudden. Sighing, she turned herself and watched the pelting raindrops hitting against the car's windshield.

"None."

It's been nearly half a year since she last heard from her Highschool friends. The last ones were shared with the Hitachiin twins. Not that it troubled Haruhi even for a little bit. She didn't expect any of the men of the Host Club to keep up with her. They have their own lives to live right now.

The last she heard about Hunny and Mori-senpai is that the two of them took control of their family company a couple of months back and is out of the country to finish some documents of something.

The twins are currently in Paris, finishing their Fashion Design degree and is preparing on taking over their mother's fashion clothing line.

A small smile appeared on her lips. She remembered the last conversation she had with Hikaru and Kaoru. They were both equally excited over it.

Tamaki is well Tamaki. She didn't know what the blonde is doing right now to be honest. But if her assumptions are correct, he is learning to run his family's big ass conglomerate or something along that line.

And as for Ootori Kyoya…

She snapped out from her reverie when she saw the object of her thoughts in the big screen on top of some building. As always Ootori Kyoya looked regal as she remembers him to be. Smiling softly on the camera yet Haruhi can see that the smile never reached his onyx eyes.

She willed herself to look away from the screen as the two Fujioka continued to trek the busy streets of the Tokyo.

"Are you alright dear?" Kotoko asked her daughter as they stopped on the red light. She saw the empty look on her daughter's face when they passed the screen where Haruhi saw Ootori Kyoya.

"I'm fine mom."Haruhi replied, a forced smile gracing her visage. It didn't convince her mother though; the older of the two then grabbed Haruhi's hand and squeezed it.

"You don't have to hide it from me dear. I would be blind if I didn't know what you had with that young man back then."

Haruhi sighed and shook her head. "I'm fine mom really. It's in the past. It wouldn't have worked out even if he stayed…"

Kotoko looked like she was going to retort but decided against it and just settled with squeezing her daughter's hand reassuringly.

"Alright. But you know that no matter happen you have me alright?"

Haruhi nodded.

"But I want you to always take care of yourself even when I'm not there." Kotoko's voice suddenly turned somber as the mother and daughter stared at each other.

"I will Mom." Haruhi smiled.

"I love you Haruhi… never forget that." Kotoko smiled before leaning over before placing a loving kiss on Haruhi's forehead.

Neither did they know that it would be the last affectionate gesture that they will do to each other.

…

Kotoko smiled at Haruhi and turned back to the steering wheel just in time for the red light to lift. Stepping on the gas pedal, the Fujioka matriarch slowly eased her way to the center of the intersection when Haruhi noticed something.

"MOM!" Haruhi yelled when she caught sight of a big truck zooming from the left side.

Kotoko desperately tried to maneuver the car out of the way when Haruhi felt the truck struck her side of the car. Screaming, Kotoko quickly flung herself to cover her daughter before and everything turned black.

Haruhi when she came to felt like she was floating, she could hear frantic voice but couldn't make out what they were saying. It's like their voices where muffled and talking in another language. Prying her eyes open she was greeted with flashing lights and blurred figures of people hovering all over her.

Everything was blurred and she can't find the energy to move.

"She's conscious!"

"Hey there, don't worry you're gonna be alright. Just hang on we're gonna get you out of her and fix you up al-"

The voice drawled on, yet Haruhi can't understand. Black spots littered her limited vision before she succumbed into unconsciousness, with only one thing on her mind;

Where's Mom?

Is Mom alright?

…

In the prominent part of Tokyo, two people, a man and a woman sat quietly in front of each other in the comfort of a warm fire while drinking tea. Both where engaged in a casual chat about the most trivial things.

The woman with brunette hair that was tied in sophisticated French twisted smiled at the older man.

"I trust that you're doing well father."

The older man with raven hair littered with a couple of graying hair nodded back. He wore a sleek tailored suit as he sat comfortably in front of the woman.

"I'm doing alright Saeko. The years had been good to me."

"I'm glad to hear that father. It's been a while since we last sat like this. The last one is after…" the woman now named Saeko paused. "Mom's death."

The man let out a long sigh before turned his gaze back to his daughter. "Yes it's been a long time… I just wished that things would have gone differently in our family. This old man had his own share of wrong decisions that he would give everything to fix."

"But you can still fix it father." Saeko mumbled, her eyes finding itself on the big portrait mounted on the wall just above the fireplace but she mostly stared at the gentle smile of the much younger woman painted right next to her painted self.

"We can still fix it…" she reached out to her father's hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "Mother would have wanted it."

Kurosaki Mamoru's chocolate eyes stared at his oldest daughter and nodded. He was just about to reply when suddenly a knock sounded from the study's door.

A disgruntled man immediately entered and looked at the two, a wireless phone in hand.

"What is it Tanaka?"

"Master Mamoru… Mistress Saeko… it's Mistress Kotoko…"

"There has been an accident."

…

BEEP… BEEP… BEEP…

The constant beeping sound slowly aroused Haruhi from unconsciousness. The beeping noise coupled with other whishing and clicking sound didn't do anything else but slightly annoy her.

Slowly, she tried assessing herself despite feeling so tired and weary. All energy seemed to leave her as she can't move even the slightest bit. Though she noticed that her mouth felt rather full, but she didn't mind it. She was so tired to actually raise any complaints. Her mind was still fuzzy and she had a hard time collecting her thoughts when she heard soft hushed voice from somewhere. Her eyes kept itself closed as she doesn't have the energy to even try to open it even for a slighted bit. She just resorted to just try and listen.

"How is she?"

It was a voice of man, Haruhi didn't recognize.

"She's stable at the moment. But she's not out of the woods yet I'm afraid."

Out of the woods? Haruhi thought. What happened to her? Her memory seemed to fail her as she can't recall what had caused this to her.

Idly, she noticed a hand holding hers and squeezing them gently. Instinctively, Haruhi mustered all the energy and tried to squeeze back, but her hand refused to move.

"But she is going to be alright right?"

Another voice, this time a woman.

"I'm very confident that she's going to be alright. She's a fighter. She'll pull through."

A sense of anxiety grew at the bottom of Haruhi's gut. She was confused and weak. She didn't like it all, so with another attempt, she mustered all the strength that she can and tried to move her hand. This time, her body didn't fail her as a small movement was made.

Haruhi then felt frantic movements around her the moment she was able to move her hand. The hand that was squeezing hers, gripped her hand with vigor.

"Haruhi? Haruhi dear? Can you me?" The woman's voice coaxed Haruhi and she squeezed back. That one movement had drained all the energy Haruhi had at the moment and slowly she was once again welcomed by sweet unconsciousness.

…

When Saeko and Mamoru Kurosaki arrived at the Hospital, they were an emotional wreck. That one phone call felt like a death sentence for the two Kurosaki's. Immediately, they looked for the reception area and asked about one Fujioka Kotoko.

They weren't ready to what they saw when the nurses lead them to the ICU wards of the Hospital. There they saw Kotoko, hooked up to a number of machines. They almost didn't recognize her from the injuries that she had suffered. The fact that the doctor had been honest with them that Kotoko will not be able to last any longer do nothing to else their pain.

Mamoru was definitely not ready. He felt his knees go weak and had to lean over to his daughter and avoid going down to his knees. His lovely daughter, his smart and charming youngest daughter… It pained him so dearly to see her in such state.

Slowly, he and Saeko walked right next to her and he grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. He fought the tears at bay and leaned down and pressed a kiss on Kotoko's temple.

"…Dad…"

Mamoru shifted immediately and for the first time in years, two identical chocolate colored eyes met each other once again.

"Oh Kotoko… My daughter… I'm so sorry."

Kotoko forced a smile at the sight of her father and tears started to fall from her eyes. It was wiped by another pair of hands and she saw her older sister.

"Saeko…" she rasped.

"Shss… It's okay 'Toko-chan. We're here…" Saeko reassured, desperately fighting back the tears as well.

"I'm so sorry Dad… I'm so sorry…" Kotoko sobbed, despite her injuries.

"No… You don't have any to apologize for. Everything is forgiven."

Kotoko continued to sob. "I'm so sorry Dad… S-Saeko. Please…" her voice was reduced to a whisper.

"Please t-take… care of Haruhi…" she whispered desperately.

Mamoru stared at her daughter and nodded. He knew that they were at a time limit. He knew that it was only a matter of time.

"I will… We will… Please Kotoko. Hang on." Mamoru pleaded. Saeko was openly sobbing and hugging her disgruntled father and holding her dying sister's hand.

"I love you Dad… Saeko… Please… tell Haruhi… I love her." Kotoko whispered, a small ghost of a smile graced her pale features before her eyes slid shut…

Never to open again.

Mamoru sobbed, dropping to his knees and gripped his daughter's hand. Shakily, he leaned over once again and kissed Kotoko's forehead and hand in grief.

"I promise you my dear Kotoko…"

…

AND CUT! Rewrite is finally here! Major changes had occurred in this rewrite that I hope won't bother anyone. I was re-reading the first story and I was 'this' close in slapping myself HARD. I mean I can't believe I wrote all those stuff! Too many loopholes not to mention confusing. So I re-plotted the whole story but still it will remain true to the original plot, though there will be changes and difference between the first story and this.

Please tell what you think about the first chapter. I really need to know if the whole re-plotting thing was worth it.
Next chapter will be posted SOON! I just need to know what you guys think about this, it depends really if I'm posting the next chapter.

But nonetheless, thank you for your patience and I hope I didn't make this too bad for all of you.

Thank you!

-stolideux (formerly;xDarkxKurokox)