Snowfall

By: Starwolf Magic

Disc: I do not own Ouran…

Author's note: If you haven't guessed yet… this is roughly based on the end of the anime and parts of the manga. I don't want this story to last for too many chapters… I am shooting for about 5-10 chapters. Each being about 2,000 words or more. Wish me luck! And thank you to my beta reader Kinllover!

Also note that I dislike Tamaki… But.. I am trying to be nice. .

Haruhi was the first one to enter the homeroom that morning, or so she thought. She looked around and saw Umeko at her desk putting on her makeup. She went to sit in her seat, knowing that the quiet girl didn't notice her yet, glanced towards her once more and froze. With wide shocked eyes she gazed at the girl.

"Haruhi!" The Hitachiin brothers called out to her as they entered. Umeko was just finishing her make up and putting it away as a startled Haruhi looked at the twins.

"Something wrong, Haruhi?" Hikaru asked curiously.

"…No. Its nothing. " She muttered as she settled in her chair. The twins looked at each other and shrugged.

The day went by uneventful. Haruhi walked in silence to the club room. She couldn't get what she saw that morning out of her head. The twins walked with her just as silent, curiosity eating away at them as to why their friend was so quiet.

"Fujioka-san!" Haruhi and the twins jumped and turned to the voice. The twins smiled as Umeko ran up to them. Haruhi looked at her in concern. She smiled brightly at the three of them, a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"Are you heading to your club now?" She asked. They all nodded, in her hands she held a portfolio. She held it a bit closer. "May I walk with you?" Her blush became more pronounced with her words. The twins grinned, linked their arms with hers and all but dragged her off towards the club room in reply. Haruhi followed quietly. Something wasn't right.

When the group got there, Kyoya had her art supplies ready for her. Did this mean she was part of the club? Umeko was confused about it, but she didn't voice it. She managed to slide out of the twins' grasp and wandered over to the supplies, Kyoya stood there waiting for her.

"Miss Minako," He said nodding slightly to her. "On behalf of our king and the club I would like to offer you membership to the club, not as a guest or host, but as our artist. I have looked into your previous artwork and you some decent talent. I will give you free reign to draw as you wish to. However I will be selling your work. I will decide the prices for the pictures of our hosts that our guests will want."

Her eyes widened. Sure he would be selling her work to the guests… But, she would be able to have free reign over her skills! This sounded wonderful to her. She didn't know the other hosts had gathered around as Kyoya spoke, she was too excited to notice them. "I… I'd be honored!" She squeaked happily.

Tamaki stepped forward, took her hand in his startling her, brought her hand to his lips, and gently brushed a princely kiss to the back of it. "Welcome, sweet princess, to the Host Club." He said in his overly charming way. She was blushing, as she managed to slip her hand away from Tamaki's. Umeko smiled nervously at the Host Club King. A moment later she turned to Kyoya once more and handed him her portfolio.

"There were the requests from yesterday. I think the girls can pick them up from you and you can charge what you wish for them. Their names and request are attached to each picture with a paperclip." She told him. He nodded at her. She continued, "I think I'll set up over by the far window." She smiled at the Shadow King, gathered several books of paper, drawing pencils and pens, and the box of colors, before heading off to the far window and did just as she said she would. Kyoya watched her go with a frown.

"Kyoya-Sempai?" Haruhi murmured once the other hosts scattered around the room to their respective places. Kyoya looked at the female host in question. "Did you notice?"

"I have. But it is best to wait until she says something. You cannot force her to tell us." He replied to her as both of them watched their new artist. Haruhi nodded, and then headed off to get the refreshments ready for their guests. Kyoya opened his laptop and started to type. Something wasn't right.

For most of the club time, Umeko spent her time gazing out of the window drawing what she saw. The girls seemed intimidated by her, either that or they just didn't want to bother her. They went to Kyoya with their drawing requests. One girl; however, was brave. She walked over to Umeko and spoke softly to her. The artist giggled softly, turned to a new page in her book, got up and followed the girl over to where the twins were. They didn't notice one of their girls had gone missing. Nor did they notice Umeko when she sat next to the other girls. The twins were too wrapped up in their act to notice. When their faces were inches apart Umeko spoke.

"Hold that pose." Umeko stated suddenly.

The boys froze their eyes wide and a blush ran across both of their faces. Their eyes turned towards Umeko who was scribbling swiftly in the drawing book. She looked up at them every now and again as she drew them, a blush on her own cheeks. Kaoru looked towards her the moment she looked at them. He blinked as she frowned, stood up and knelt before them. Everything seemed to happen quickly at that point. She touched his face gently moving it back to look up at his brother. His eyes stayed on her but he felt his brother's eyes on him.

She had moved back to her place on the couch with the other girls when Kaoru's eyes widened with realization, with how close his brother held him. He was positive that Hikaru had felt the shiver that ran through him at her touch, and felt how hard his heart pounded because of it. He turned his eyes back to Hikaru and saw that his thoughts had been right. Kaoru's blush deepened a bit. He closed his eyes the moment Hikaru rested his forehead against his.

The girls made and 'awe' noise at the sight. Umeko smiled at the brothers. In a way she envied them. But she wasn't about to let them know it. It was bad enough that they knew she liked them. Why else would she have chosen Kaoru for her subject for that assignment?

"You can pick up your picture with Kyoya-Sempai once it is done. Did you want it colored?" She asked the girl softly. The girl shook her head in the negative. Umeko nodded. "I'll go finish the details then." She smiled at the girl then looked at the twins, they were watching her. That caused her to blush deeply once more before she scurried off to the far window once more.

It didn't take much time for her to finish the picture before she walked over to Kyoya. She handed him several pictures. He looked through them and nodded. She then handed over the one of the brothers and he arched a brow.

"A guest of the twins asked me for it. I told her she could pick it up from you." She explained to him. He nodded. She headed back to her place by the window, but felt a bit uneasy with Kyoya's eyes upon her. Vaguely she wondered just how much the man knew. She gathered all of her supplies before heading back to where the club kept her things, she had seen Haruhi put them away yesterday. When she finished she turned to see Honey watching her. He was adorable! She couldn't get over that. He smiled up at her.

"Do you wanna hold Usa-Chan? You look like you need to." Honey asked.

She blinked at him, smiled and replied, "No thank you, Honey-Sempai. I should be heading home. …..It isn't good if I am late." She knew he caught her hesitation as she moved around him and towards Kyoya.

Kyoya held out her portfolio to her. She accepted it with thanks, noting that her new requests were inside, and before anyone could say goodbye she slipped out of the club room and was gone for the day.

"Does she hate us?" Tamaki asked, worried.

"No. She likes it here." Hikaru stated. "I saw her smiling by the window as she drew whatever she saw."

"Yeah. She was smiling yesterday when she drew us. And when she drew Hikaru and I at the end." Kaoru stated.

"Don't worry about it Tamaki." Kyoya said firmly closing the book on the subject.

Haruhi entered the classroom early the next morning and looked around. She frowned. Umeko wasn't there. Silently she sat in her seat. She didn't respond when the twins called out to her. 'Is she late today?' she thought to herself. Time flew by so fast that Haruhi didn't even know that school had ended for the day. She was then poked.

"Hikaru." She stated suddenly. The boy to her left stiffened. "Poke me again and you will lose that pencil." A moment later she growled. "The same goes for you Kaoru."

The twins snickered.

"At least you responded to us." Hikaru stated.

"What's wrong Haruhi?" Kaoru questioned.

"She didn't show up today." Haruhi murmured, concern laced her voice. The boys looked towards the quiet artist's desk. It had been empty all day.

"Sick day?" Kaoru reasoned.

"Kaoru… You and Hikaru have seen her up close. Haven't you noticed?" Haruhi questioned them as they headed to the club room.

"You mean the painfully obvious thick make up on her face and neck?" Hikaru asked. He had noticed but didn't want to think about what it could have been.

"Yeah. Yesterday morning I saw her covering up a bruise." Haruhi confirmed what the twins had hoped it wasn't. They had talked about it at home for the last two days. However, with this information, Hikaru and Kaoru went silent.

When they entered the club room they saw a man handing over Umeko's portfolio. "Lady Umeko sends her apologies for not being able to attend the club today, as she is unwell. Everything in her portfolio is finished and she has asked me to bring the new requests to her once the club's activities are done for the day." The man said loud enough for the club to hear.

Kyoya nodded. "The club will be finished in about four hours. Return then and you will have the new ones."

The man bowed and left the room.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki called out. "He said she is unwell… Maybe we should go see her?"

"I would not advise that Tamaki. It is best we let her rest for today and visit her tomorrow if she still has not come to school." Kyoya responded. Tamaki instantly agreed and the club went on as normal.

Later that evening Hikaru and Kaoru entered their mother's office. It had been a while since they had seen her and they wanted to say hello.

"Yamato, I still don't understand why you sent your entire design team to me." Their mother stated. She wasn't holding a phone nor did she have her headset on.

"You were able to employ them all, right?" came the worn and worried voice of a man over the speaker phone. The boys blinked.

"Yes. I was. But I don't understand. Minako Corporations is doing well… isn't it?" She responded. She arched a brow at her sons as they stayed to hear the conversation. Both of them looked concerned.

"Not since I remarried…" came the soft reply. A rage filled shout sounded in the background, followed rather quickly by a cry of pain. "Yuzuha.. I have one more favor I must ask of you."

"Yamato…. What was that?" She questioned.

"Can you take my daughter in? This house isn't safe for her." The man spoke completely ignoring her question.

"How long has this been happening, Yamato? How long has you wife been doing this to her? Has she done this to you?" The questions from Mrs. Hitachiin were aggressive and angered.

There was hesitation on the other end. "…Three years, for Umeko… Four for me…" The man admitted reluctantly.

"Neither of you can stay there any more!" Yuzuha snapped suddenly.

"I don't have a choice! I'll go down defending my company from this woman! But my daughter… Umeko needs a stable environment. She-" Yamato was saying.

"Is this why she didn't come to school today?" Kaoru cut in, cutting the man off.

"…Yes." came the sad reply. Yuzuha looked at her sons in surprise. She watched them grow upset, glare at the phone, and silently storm from the room.

"My sons befriended your daughter two days ago. They are worried. When will your wife be out of the house?" She asked.

"Tomorrow while Umeko is at school." he responded. "Why?"

"I will send movers over to your estate tomorrow to collect her things, your things, you, and any staff that is loyal only to you and bring you here. My husband will be home soon and I will tell him what is going on. Tomorrow, your daughter will come home with my sons." She stated, laying out everything.

"You are not giving me much of a choice but to come are you?" He asked in a half joking voice.

"No I am not. You were always good to have around weather you were sober or drunk. Heaven knows you will need drinking buddies after all this is over." She stated as her husband quietly entered.

"You are right. I will need them. I thank you again for taking my daughter in… as well as myself, Yuzuha. Though as for staff loyal only to me, we have one butler. He listens only to Umeko." Yamato stated.

Yuzuha looked at her husband, her eyes silently telling him she'd explain. "Inform him then and tell Umeko. Then from tomorrow and onward.. Your life will get better. We will get you a divorce, and a new girlfriend… a -FRIENDLY- one that is, and restart your company. Try to get some form of rest my friend. After you check on your daughter."

"I will. I wish you both and your sons a good night." Yamato Minako said softly as he hung up.

Later that evening, Umeko laid in her bed, a dull ache was felt all over her body. She was glad she had finished the picture requests before her step-mother had 'called' for her. Her dad did bring some good news to her night, however. They were moving in with the Hitachiin family tomorrow! She just hoped that Hikaru and Kaoru didn't make a big fuss about the situation in the morning. She didn't want to be fussed over. Though at the thought of the younger Hitachiin brother, she smiled softly and closed her eyes.

Her mind brought back a memory from long ago as she drifted to sleep.

"Hey! You want to make a snowman with me?" a little dark haired girl happily asked a pair of read-headed twins sitting on a bench.

"Which one of us are you talking to?" questioned one of them.

"To both of you silly!" She giggled.

"There is nobody here named 'Both of you'." stated the other.

"Ok then. I am talking to Hikaru and Kaoru." She stated with a smile.

"Oh really? Which of us is Kaoru? And which of us is Hikaru? Can you tell?" They spoke together.

"Well… I think.. You're Hikaru.." She said almost nervously pointing to Kaoru.

"You guessed wrong.." They stated together looking sad.

"I'm so sorry! …Please don't cry!" She said, alarmed by the saddened eyes of the boys. She was on the verge of tears herself just for guessing wrong. A moment later she ran from them, as she burst into tears, unaware of the twins that cried silently as they watched her run away.

Welcome to the end of Chapter 2! Hope you all like it so far! I have a tendency to… err… torture my OCs. To me I find a troubled character has a better happy ending. And to answer a question Umeko is half canon (little girl in the snow) half OC. Please be kind to her. :3 …OH! And please review! I like reviews! Flames I toss into the bonfire outback. I roast marshmallows on it.