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Chapter Two
Hikaru Hitachiin

Running, panting, tears streaming down his face. Ageha in his arms, screaming in terror as he sprinted as fast as he could.

"Don't worry, little sister, it'll be ok," he muttered, trying to comfort her through his gasps for air.

His lungs begged him to stop for air, but he knew he couldn't. They were right behind him, wanting to kill him. He had to protect his little sister, no matter what the cost. He'd already lost his parents and brother, he was NOT going to lose his baby sister! He could feel them closing in and…

…

"Wake up, Hika!" the young man was rudely awakened by his little sister screaming in his ear.

"What?!" Hikaru jolted and flew off the bed, glad he had just been dreaming. He was drenched in cold sweat but composed himself before speaking again. "Is the house on fire?" He looked around and just saw the little girl standing there innocently with her hands behind her back.

"No, it was just time to wake up!" she said, grinning widely with her eyes closed.

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "You're good," he smiled at her.

"Thank you!" she said, not noticing an all-too-familiar mischievous look come into her brother's eyes.

"But you're gonna have to do better than that, little sister!" Hikaru laughed, lunging at the girl.

She squealed in delight and took off down the hallway, her brother chasing after her. This was completely normal for the Hitachiins and it made Hikaru forget all his problems and his nightmare.

As Hikaru ran after Ageha, he turned a corner a little too soon and his right arm slammed into a wall. Almost in slow motion, he collapsed to the floor, cursing at the top of his lungs as he did so. He held his arm as Arisa, Fumio and Ageha came running.

"Hikaru, what happened?!" Fumio, his foster father, demanded.

Hikaru got up, smiling like it didn't hurt at all, when his arm was throbbing in agony. "Nothing," he shook his head. "I'm fine. Really. It was just a dumb mistake on my part."

"You don't just scream profanities when something doesn't hurt, Hikaru. Especially when there's a four-year-old in the house," Arisa folded her arms. "Let me see it." She reached out to grab his arm but he jerked away.

"Don't worry about it, Arisa. Really, it was just stupid and it's nothing to freak out about."

"Are you sure, Hikaru?" she asked, concern all over her face and in her eyes.

"Yes. Look!" He raised his arm and flapped it around. "It's fine. Now, I gotta get in the shower."

He ran to the bathroom to prevent his family from seeing the tears of pain coming into his eyes.

He took a quick shower, washing all the pain and bad memories down the drain. He refused to let that get him down. "Today is a new day," he told himself, repeating his mother's mantra.

He got dressed in the same hoodie he wore yesterday and a pair of stylishly tattered jeans, the pair that his mother had gotten him only weeks before. He looked at the mirror and put his hand next to his face. "Mom…Kaoru…" he muttered. He and his twin had taken after their mother in both looks, interests and personalities. Whenever he looked in the mirror, all he saw was his lost mother and brother.

"Hikaru?" Arisa knocked on the door. "Are you doing okay, hon?"

Hikaru realized he'd thought too much and tears had come to his eyes. "Dammit!" he cursed under his breath as he angrily wiped them away. "Yeah, Arisa!" he called to her. "I'm fine. Just…doing my hair!"

"Ok. Just be sure to hurry up or you'll miss the bus!"

Hikaru looked away from the mirror and ran his fingers through his long hair. He'd started growing it out and now it was down past his ears and sometimes covered his eyes. That's how he liked it, though. Ever since his parents had gotten divorced, he had stopped cutting it because he realized that having longer hair protected him. He didn't have to show his emotions and it prevented him from having to deal with concerned counselors.

He shrugged, said, "Eh, that's good enough," and then walked out of the bathroom.

"Sheesh, Hika, just take all morning in the bathroom," Ageha scoffed, her little hands on her hips as she looked up at her older brother.

"Hey, at least I actually take pride in my appearance, little sister," he smirked, ruffling her hair.

"Hey!" she pouted.

"See ya later!" Hikaru started to walk out the front door.

"Hikaru, you haven't even touched breakfast!" Fumio chastised his foster son. "You have to eat something!"

"Look, Fumio, I'm going to be late for the bus, and I don't want you to have to drive me to school," Hikaru said reasonably.

"It's no trouble, really," Fumio shook his head. "Breakfast is the most important part of the day, and Arisa told me you didn't even eat last night."

"That's because…" Hikaru sighed and went back in the house. No matter how hard he argued with Fumio, he knew that he'd lose. The man was a lawyer and was extremely good at what he did. "Never mind."

"Good," Fumio smiled, turning back to his paper. "Arisa made your favorite, by the way."

"How sweet of her," Hikaru put on a fake smile as he sat down, when all he wanted to do was get out of the house. He knew they'd bring it up sooner or later, and he had a feeling it would be while he was trapped eating breakfast.

"Hikaru," the older man said seriously, putting down his paper.

'Oh, hell,' Hikaru thought. 'Here it comes…'

"Arisa and I have been talking, and we're worried about you."

"Why would you be worried about me?" he wondered, shoving some toast in his mouth.

"Well…we've noticed you don't seem happy," Fumio sighed. "You've started to get distant –"

'Started?' Hikaru scoffed in his mind.

"–and we think it's time that you should go and see a counselor."

"Look, Fumio, I don't need a shrink, okay?" Hikaru said around the toast in his mouth. "I have plenty of friends and they help me get through anything. Just because my parents…got lost doesn't mean I get depressed and start cutting myself or turning to drugs. I'm fine."

"See, that's what I mean, Hikaru!" Fumio told the young man. "You're in denial!"

"No I'm not!" Hikaru shouted, slamming his hands on the table as he stood up. "My mother might be dead, but I know that my brother and father are still alive! So don't start acting all concerned for me because I know that you and your wife are phonies just trying to win me over so you can live in comfort for the rest of your lives because I'm the heir to the Hitachiin software company! Well, you know what I say to people like you?! Go to hell!"

He grabbed his backpack and sprinted out of the house to the bus stop, where the big yellow vehicle was approaching right then. The redhead pulled his hood down over his eyes to cover them so people wouldn't see the weakness he's shown. He climbed onto the bus and went straight to the middle seat where he hoped no one would bother him.

He would've usually put in his headphones to avoid conversation, but in his haste, he'd forgotten to grab his iPod. He rubbed a hand over his eyes and whispered, "Dammit. Hikaru, why are you such a dumbass?"

He looked up as the bus stopped and groaned inwardly. The girl from the day before and her blond friend walked on. He shrunk down more in the seat, hoping she wouldn't notice him and try to talk to him. He was really not in the mood, and he knew that he would just start cussing her out.

…

Haruhi sighed as Tamaki went on and on about the new tricks he was teaching his dog, Antoinette. He'd gotten her a few weeks ago, and he was totally obsessed with her.

The brunette girl looked around for someone she could sit next to without Tamaki. She spotted Hikaru and blinked. There were already two people in the seat next to him and in front and behind him. That'd work!

She quickly made her way to the middle of the bus where Hikaru was sitting and she plopped down. Tamaki immediately realized that she was trying to get away from him, so he went to go sulk in seat number two.

Haruhi breathed out in relief. "Thank goodness," she whispered.

She turned to Hikaru, who was just gazing out the window, as usual, it seemed for him. "Hey," she smiled, wondering if she'd be able to get him to talk.

He didn't reply.

"How are you today?" she asked.

"Do you really want me to answer that stupid question?" he wondered grumpily.

"Well, if you're going to have an attitude like that, I guess not," she shrugged and turned to talk to Momoka Kurakano, her friend sitting across the aisle.

"Haruhi, why do you even try talking to him?" the other girl whispered. "He's so distant and doesn't seem to care about anything."

"You know I can hear you, right?" Hikaru growled.

Momoka blushed and turned to the friend she was sitting next to.

Haruhi swiveled to face Hikaru. "What the hell's wrong with you?!" she demanded. "Why are you so cold toward everyone?"

"You already know!" he nearly shouted. "Or did you already forget that my mom is dead and I only have my little sister around?! I'm sorry I'm not all sunshine and rainbows, but I don't think you'd be either if you'd gone through what I have to deal with!"

Just then, the bus stopped in front of the school. Hikaru stood up on the seat, jumped to the back of the seat in front of them and vaulted over the five rows that stood in his way. He leaped out the door as soon as it opened and sprinted into the school before the rest of the students could even react.

'I remember being scared after Mom died, but I don't think I was that extreme…' Haruhi thought to herself. 'And where did he learn to jump that far without smacking his head on the roof of the bus?'

…

Haruhi walked into her English class, hoping Hikaru wasn't in that class, but there he was. He sat next to the window, the hood pulled over his eyes and staring outside.

Haruhi swallowed nervously and tucked a piece of her long hair behind her ear. She made her way over to the red-haired boy, who everyone seemed to be avoiding. "Hikaru, can I talk to you about something?" she asked quietly, sitting in the desk next to him.

He didn't respond, just continued to stare out the window.

"Listen…Um…I'm sorry about this morning. I…I guess I was out of line and I didn't mean to stir up painful memories. But I lost my mom about ten years ago. I can tell you that the hurt never goes completely away, but it will get better."

"Yeah, whatever," Hikaru sighed. "I doubt it."

"Hikaru, you can't just shut down!" Haruhi told him forcefully. "You have to open up to people or you won't ever make any friends!"

"Who said I even wanted friends?" Hikaru asked bitterly.

"What?" Haruhi wondered. "Who doesn't want friends? We're only human, Hikaru. It's built into us to want to belong to a group of people."

Hikaru looked over at her, his hood pulling up just a little bit so she could see his red-rimmed golden eyes.

She gasped and he yanked the hood back down to cover them. "Hikaru, have you been crying?" she asked quietly, knowing how sensitive a subject showing emotions was for all guys.

"Why do you care?!" Hikaru growled, looking like he wanted to just disappear.

"Because, apparently unlike you, I care about what happens to other people!" Haruhi told him. "But if you're going to act like such a child then I won't bother with you!" she got up and walked to the opposite side of the classroom.

…

Hikaru stared after the girl that had totally just told him off. She was right, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone. He really did need to get out and meet people, now that he didn't have his brother. They'd always been together, but he had had a hard time going to school without any friends.

He stared out the window and thought, 'Hmm…Mom, what do you think about this girl?'

…

After school, Haruhi had to deal with Tamaki going on about the tricks he was going to teach Antoinette that day.

She stopped when she saw Takeshi Kuze go past. He always spelled trouble. She tuned Tamaki out as she watched Kuze walk purposefully toward Kazukiyo Soga.

"Should we –?" Tamaki turned to Haruhi, concern in his eyes as he noticed the captain of the football team going toward the smaller boy.

"Come on, Tamaki," she shook her head, leading her friend away.

Kuze was the bully on campus, and no one dared interfere with him or his lackeys. They ruled the school and didn't let anyone up on their rung of the social ladder.

"You'd better watch where you're going, nerd," one of the other football players laughed, grabbing Kazukiyo's glasses and swinging them away. "You get in the way and you'll be in a world of hurt."

"Sorry…" Kazukiyo muttered, reaching for his glasses. He cried out in pain when Kuze stomped on his hand, hard. Tears reached the corner of his eyes but he refused to give the bully the satisfaction of humiliating him even further.

"Beg, Soga," Kuze whispered. "And I'll let you go."

"Yeah, right," the boy narrowed his eyes. He whimpered as Kuze pushed his foot harder into his flesh.

"Hey, dickweed!" a voice yelled, approaching Kuze and lackeys from behind.

Kuze facial expression turned murderous. "Who the hell –?!" He was cut off as his face met a fist. He spun in a circle and was out like a light.

"Anyone else?" Kazukiyo's savior asked, looking at the other football players, cracking his knuckles.

They looked at their fallen leader, surprised it had only taken a single punch by this guy to bring him down. Not knowing what to do, they shook their heads. Together, they hauled Kuze to his feet, put his arms around their shoulders and stumbled away, tripping over the captain's limp legs.

"Hey, are you okay?" the boy asked Kazukiyo, offering his hand.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" Kazukiyo nodded, grabbing his glasses and then accepting the boy's offer to help him up. "Thanks a lot."

"No problem," he nodded as Kazukiyo put on his glasses. "I just can't stand asses like him."

Kazukiyo's eyes widened when he clearly saw the face of his savior. "You…You're Hikaru Hitachiin, aren't you?!"

"That's me, alright," the redhead sighed.

Kazukiyo stuttered as he looked at the new boy. "I-I never thought y-you would've…"

Hikaru shook his head. "Look. Just forget about it, ok?"

He started to walk away, waving at Kazukiyo. The boy looked after him, wondering what school would be like now that someone was standing up to Kuze. And for a total stranger!

Haruhi and Tamaki could not believe their eyes. This kid had just kicked Kuze's ass! No one had ever been brave enough to stand up to him like that.

Perhaps having Hikaru around wasn't going to be so bad after all…

A/N: Hmm…Hikaru seems to have a nice side after all! Favorite scenes? Favorite lines? REVIEW!