It was dark and Kaoru was breathing hard as he clutched his throbbing arm tightly to his chest. He was sure that the bleeding had stopped, but it still hurt and was sticky to the touch. Leaning back into the door, Kaoru closed his eyes, trying to control his breathing and the ebbing sense of panic clutching at his heart. Dark, small areas… Kaoru hated it. He forced himself to breathe. He just had to make it through the night. So squeezed his eyes tighter, wishing for sleep to take him.

Hikaru woke immediately at the sound of his alarm clock and pulled back the covers enthusiastically before slamming his hand down on the beeping clock. Sparky shook his head from his perch on Hikaru's bed and stood warily. Hikaru whistled at the pup, waving him to him. "Come on you lazy dog! Don't you want to get fed?"

Sparky immediately flew to his paws and raced past Hikaru and down the hall. Hikaru chuckled and followed until he arrived in the kitchen where he quickly dumped a good portion of dog food into Sparky's bowl. The dog dug instantly, snorting as he ate.

Hikaru returned to his room quickly and grabbed some clothes from his closet and lumbered into the bathroom that he claimed as his own. His adoptive parents had their own master bathroom hooked into their room. Hikaru whistled to himself as he got ready for a shower but then paused, staring at the picture taped to the corner of his mirror. It was the photo of his family, his real family. Feeling a quick pang of sadness, Hikaru turned away and jumped into the shower. He didn't allow himself to feel sad these days.

Kaoru wasn't on the bus. That was the first thing that caught Hikaru's attention as he sat nervously on the edge of his bus seat. Then again, Kaoru didn't have his cell phone, so he couldn't just call Hikaru if he was getting a ride to school. "Where's Kaoru?" Hikaru asked Haruhi who had been looking out the window in the seat opposite from his.

She looked up with haunted eyes. "I haven't seen him," she said slowly. But then she leaned in towards him to say lowly, "But I heard a ton of yelling from their house yesterday."

Hikaru frowned at her before scooting into her seat so that they could sit together in a little more privacy. "I was at their house not too long ago and things seemed okay. Kaoru keeps telling me everything is fine over there."

Haruhi nodded slowly. "But… I just feel like more is going on over there than Kaoru is letting on."

Hikaru shook his head. "I don't think so," he said despite the creeping sensation of dread. "I think he's okay."

Kaoru didn't show to school that morning, not to lunch, not to anything that day. Then, when Kaoru didn't show up in the locker room for practice, Hikaru sat defeated on the bench, staring at his and Kaoru's sports lockers. Hikaru hadn't even bothered to change into his uniform yet.

Tamaki poked Hikaru in the shoulder. "Aren't you going to change?"

Hikaru rose from his seat but made no move to open his locker. "Do you think something is wrong with my brother?" Hikaru asked Tamaki.

Tamaki tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Haruhi was saying that she heard yelling from Kaoru's house last night."

"I don't think so. Kaoru's been really happy and talkative lately. I think things got better. You shouldn't jump to conclusions so easily," Tamaki replied, pulling his foot up onto the bench to tie the laces.

Just then, the door opened and Haruhi waltzed right into the boys' locker room in the midst of all the guys changing. Tamaki sputtered, turning pure red, even though he was completely dressed. "Haruhi! You can't be in here!"

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Don't mind me!" she called out loudly to the whole of the locker room. "Please continue!" She turned to Hikaru and gave him a good once over that had Hikaru heating up just like Tamaki. "Kaoru's not here."

"Yeah, I know." They stared at each other.

"Want to go?" she asked.

"Yeah."

Tamaki looked bewildered as Hikaru took a few steps toward her. "Where are you going?" Hikaru wasn't sure who Tamaki was referring to, him or Haruhi.

"We're going to check on Kaoru," Haruhi said flatly.

"I'll come with," Tamaki offered.

"No." Haruhi gave him a glare and strode out of the locker room without another word.

Hikaru gave his friend a sympathetic smile. "Sorry dude." He quickly followed Haruhi out of the room.

The two made their way out into the parking lot to a car waiting at the curb. "I called my Dad to pick me up early today," Haruhi told Hikaru as they walked. "I was going to check on Kaoru with or without you." Her voice was toned with stubbornness.

Hikaru smiled fondly. "Thanks," he said.

"For what?"

"For watching out for my brother," Hikaru said. "I'm glad he has someone other than me."

Haruhi looked away but said nothing. They made it to the car and Haruhi opened the back seat door and slid in before Hikaru. Hikaru settled in next to her.

"Hey Dad," she greeted as she put on her seatbelt.

"Hello," he said brightly. His high-pitched voice had Hikaru looking up startled. He looked normal besides a long brown ponytail. "And who are you?" he asked, looking in the rear-view mirror at Hikaru with a stern frown. "You are not dating my daughter, are you?"

Hikaru's eyes widened in shock but luckily Haruhi swept in to his rescue. "I'm not dating anyone!" Haruhi cried as the car pulled away from the curb. "I already told you!"

"Not even that Tamaki?" he asked in distaste.

"Not even him," Haruhi assured, sitting back with her arms crossed. "He scares all the guys away anyway," she mumbled quietly.

"The only thing he's good for!" Haruhi's Dad chortled.

Haruhi rolled her eyes and glanced at Hikaru. "Dad you know our neighbors, right? The ones that just adopted a teenage boy?

He nodded. "The loud ones?"

"This is his twin, Hikaru," Haruhi explained.

Suddenly the man's expression changed into one of sorrow but he kept his eyes on the road. "I'm sorry about your parents," her dad said quietly.

"Thanks, uh, Mr. Fujioka," Hikaru said.

"Please, call me Ryoji," he said. For a moment, there was a silence that settled over the car. It wasn't uncomfortable but Hikaru was a little anxious.

"Have you seen my brother at all?" Hikaru piped up.

Haruhi turned to him. "I've never seen him outside…"

"There's a lot of shouting over there," Ryoji said a bit absent-minded. "But I've never seen your brother, not once. Though it was a little quieter recently if you don't count last night."

Hikaru paled. So even Haruhi's dad noticed the yelling. Things weren't looking good and Hikaru did not know what to expect when he reached Kaoru's house. He wondered what he would find.

They pulled into the driveway next door to Kaoru's house and Hikaru looked out at it warily. He hoped his brother was okay. "Come on," Haruhi said, opening her car door and pulling Hikaru out with her. "Leave your bag here." Hikaru set his school bag down in the green front lawn, knowing he'd back for it. And if someone stole it, well, more power to them.

The two crossed the lawn to Kaoru's and stopped outside the door. They rang the doorbell. At first, all was silent. They rang it a few more times until they heard soft footsteps somewhere inside come to the door, stop, and they heard the lock being turned. The door opened, revealing Kaoru staring at them expressionlessly. "What are you guys doing here?"

Hikaru frowned, glaring at his brother. Just yesterday, Kaoru had been laughing and joking around with Hikaru at lunch, just like they used to. And now, today, Kaoru was back to his brooding self? Hikaru did not find this a coincidence. "You were gone all day," Hikaru said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

"I heard yelling yesterday," Haruhi interjected, peering at him with blatant concern.

Kaoru looked at her briefly but ignored her comment. "I'm fine," he said forcefully. "I'm just sick. Ryota called the office this morning to let school know."

Hikaru looked at Kaoru closer. Kaoru certainly looked pale but he also was upright with no other physical symptoms that he could see. Hikaru noticed his brother was wearing a long-sleeve shirt again, despite the hot weather. "Is the burn healing?"

His question got a shocked expression out of Kaoru and his hand flew to his arm to clutch it a little closer to his self. "It's getting there."

"Can I see?" Hikaru challenged.

"No," Kaoru said with tightened eyes.

"Kaoru," Haruhi interrupted. "Why is your hair parted the opposite way today?"

Suddenly Hikaru noticed too. Kaoru's hair was parted the same was as Hikaru's but it was messy. Kaoru glared at the two of them. "I just rolled out of bed. I didn't notice how my hair looked before I went to answer to the door! Would you guys quit interrogating me?" He looked down and away with dull eyes.

Hikaru didn't like this sad side of his brother. He leaned forward, aiming to press his hand to Kaoru's forehead but Kaoru flinched away, looking suddenly panicked. Hikaru froze with his hand outstretched. "I was just going to check for a high temperature…"

"I'm fine, Hikaru," Kaoru said forcefully. "I'm sick, same with Emi, and we need our rest. Now if you excuse me, I'm going back to bed." He made to close the door but Hikaru caught it halfway.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

Kaoru sighed, not looking at Hikaru. "Maybe." Then he shut the door.