A/N: here's the next chappie! enjoy!
Chapter 25: Sisters
"S-So you're adopted, huh?" Mariko sputtered, sitting between the twins again on the piano bench as they looked at her with wide, questioning eyes.
"Yes!" Sakura sobbed on the other end of the phone. "They sat me down at the table for lunch and told me I am adopted! Mariko! My parents are not my parents! I do not know who I am!"
"You want us to go?" Kaoru whispered, hearing Sakura sobbing into the phone and she looked at him with wide eyes, placing a hand over the microphone to keep Sakura from hearing her talk to the twins.
"Would you mind terribly hanging out in the guest room while I get Sakura through this?" she whispered, worriedly and Kaoru only smiled and nodded as he heard Sakura still sobbing through the phone. He kissed her forehead and tapped Hikaru on the shoulder to nod him toward the door. She smiled as Hikaru hugged her before standing with his twin and the two walked out as Mariko mouthed her thanks and let her hand down over the microphone as Sakura still sobbed.
"Mariko?! Are you there?!" she sobbed.
"I'm here, Sakura," Mariko replied, gently. "It's alright. It's not as bad as you think it is."
"But, Mariko, I do not know who I really am!" Sakura cried. "My real parents could be horrible people!"
"Trust me, they're not," Mariko smiled, knowingly.
"How can you possibly know that?!" Sakura wondered.
"Because you're not a horrible person," Mariko replied, though she wanted to say something else. "Surely you would show traits of your biological parents along with your adopted ones, wouldn't you?"
"I suppose so," Sakura sniffled, starting to calm down a bit and Mariko chanced asking a question she wasn't sure she wanted to ask at all.
"Did they tell you who your real parents are?" she wondered, cautiously.
"No," Sakura replied, and Mariko heard her blow her nose. "To tell you the truth I was in such shock, I did not even think to ask."
"Oh," Mariko replied, vacantly. "Do you think they'll tell you if you asked?"
"I am afraid to ask," Sakura confessed. "What if they do not know who my real parents are? Then I will never know unless I have it investigated. And if I wanted to do that, what if my parents tell me not to?! Oh, Mariko! I'm so upset and confused! What should I do?!"
Mariko gave a small sigh of pity and hopelessness at herself as Sakura began sobbing again. How was she to know what the girl should do? She hardly knew what to do about her own problems, let alone someone else's, even her twin's.
"Sakura?" she called gently, into the phone and she heard the girl hiccup then make a questioning noise. "Do you want me to go over there? I can if you want me to. Dad went to the firm, so…"
"Could you?!" Sakura hoped through her tears. "It would make me feel so much better if I could talk to you face to face!"
"Of course," Mariko smiled. "Let me just tell the twins---"
"Oh, if you have company, do not dismiss it because of me!" Sakura cut in quickly.
"It's fine, Sakura," Mariko smiled, her voice filled with sincerity. "They spent the night, so I'm sure they won't mind giving me up for a while. I'll be over there in a little while, ok?"
"You are sure it will be alright with them?" Sakura wondered with a sniffle. "I mean, Kaoru---"
"I can call him later, Sakura," Mariko interrupted, gently. "You are the one I'm worried about right now. I'll be over there in a bit, just hang in there, ok?"
"Thank you, Mariko!" she sobbed again. "You are so wonderful! You are like a sister to me, do you know that?"
"Y-Yeah," Mariko sputtered. "That-That means a lot to me, hearing that from you. I'll see you in a bit."
"Alright. Good bye."
"Bye."
Mariko hung up the phone and shot toward the door of the music room to tell the twins she had to leave. She wasn't sure what this was going to accomplish, but she thought that if it would make Sakura feel any better, she might just tell her who her family was, even if it got her in trouble later.
Maddock Mansion...
"Mariko!" Sakura sobbed when the girl walked into the door held open for her by a servant. The blonde threw herself into the other girl's arms and sobbed on her shoulder. "I am so glad you came! I do not know what I should do!"
"Well, first off, why don't we get out of here and go sit down somewhere?" Mariko suggested and Sakura nodded as she sniffled then pulled Mariko by the hand into a sitting room. She sat them both on the couch and Sakura pulled a handkerchief from the pocket on her pants and blew her nose.
"Now, what happened after you talked to me?" Mariko asked, wondering if she had asked her parents anything.
"Nothing," Sakura muttered, wiping her tears away. "I was too afraid to ask them if they knew my real parents."
"Do you even want to know?" Mariko wondered, gently.
"Of course!" Sakura replied. "But…at the same, I am afraid of what I might find out. What if, after all this time, my real parents do not want me? What if they hate me, and that was the reason they gave me up?! What if they are not even living?! Then I will never know who I am or where I truly came from!"
She began sobbing again, throwing herself at Mariko who held her tightly then shoved her at arms length to look her in the eyes.
"Listen to me," she urged when Sakura met her gaze, shuddering with sobs. "You are you. No matter what, you are, and always will be, you. Knowing who your real parents are isn't going to change who you are."
Sakura nodded and wiped her nose with the handkerchief again.
"If it's closer you're looking for, I'd ask my parents."
"I am surprised you are holding back, Mariko."
The two girls jumped to see a man standing in the sitting room doorway and Sakura shot to her feet.
"Father, what do you mean?" she asked as Mariko stood slowly as well.
"Tell her, Mariko," the man, whom Mariko now knew as Daniel Maddock, ordered gently. "She deserves to hear it from you."
Mariko nodded and sat back down as Sakura glanced between them in wide-eyed confusion and when her father walked away she looked back at Mariko and asked, "What are you to tell me, Mariko?"
"Sit down, Sakura," Mariko only replied and Sakura frowned at her as she sat next to her friend. "Remember when you told me that I was like a sister to you?"
Sakura nodded, deftly.
"That's probably because…because we are sisters. Twins, actually."
The blonde stared at Mariko with wide eyes the whole time Mariko began explaining to her what Saigo had told her. Once she was finished with the story, she waited for Sakura to say something but the other girl only stared at her.
"You…are…my sister?" Sakura breathed in total shock.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but your dad didn't want me to, and my dad…our dad was too scared to tell you," Mariko explained, quickly. "He's afraid you'll hate him."
Without a word, Sakura threw her arms around Mariko and hugged her tightly, taking the other girl aback as she stared ahead with wide eyes.
"W-What---?"
"We are truly sisters!" Sakura grinned, happily through her tears then pulled away so that Mariko could see her grin. "I am so happy! I always had a feeling, you know?! I always believed we were supposed to be friends from the first time I met you, and now I find out it is true! We are sisters!"
She hugged Mariko again who was still in shock at her reaction.
"And tell your---our father, there is no need for him to worry, because I do not hate him," Sakura continued. "He did what he had to do, and I cannot be angry at him for not telling me, or you for not telling me either. I am so happy now!"
"I-I'm glad, Sakura," Mariko sputtered and Sakura sat up to grin at her.
"Please, Mariko…call me sister, now!" she requested, giddily then thought for a moment and wondered, "Are you my older twin, or younger?"
Mariko opened her mouth to reply then closed it to think and said, "I don't know. I didn't ask. I have a feeling you might be younger than me, though."
"Really?!" Sakura grinned, though Mariko had a feeling she wouldn't have cared whether she was the older or the younger twin. "Oh, Mariko! This is so wonderful! Will you tell your father?!"
Mariko's eyes widened at her sister and muttered, "Oh, crap." She suddenly gripped Sakura's arms, firmly without hurting her. "You can't tell anyone about this, Sakura. Not that you and I are sisters. As far as anyone knows, you and I are just best friends, nothing more, ok? Nobody can know about this, got it?"
"Yes," Sakura nodded, seriously. "I understand. You need not worry, Mariko. I shall stay quiet about you and I being sisters."
"Thanks, Sakura," Mariko smiled warmly, lowering her hands then sighed, letting it out in a raspberry. "Now all I gotta do is tell dad about what I just told you. I have a feeling he's not gonna be too happy."
"Would it help if he heard it from me?" Sakura wondered sincerely. "Perhaps, he will be less angry if he knew I will be silent about the matter."
"Nah," Mariko smiled, pulling Sakura toward her, slinging her arm over her shoulders so that Sakura's head was on her shoulder. "It's alright. Besides, he won't be home for hours."
"Were the twins upset that I took you away from them?" Sakura asked, worriedly.
"No," Mariko replied, shaking her head with a small smile. "They spent the night, remember? They're still at my house, actually."
"Oh! Then I should not keep you here!" Sakura gasped, sitting up and pulling Mariko's hand to stand her up as she, too, stood. "I am sure Kaoru wants to dote on you alone."
"Sakura," Mariko scolded with a slight blush as they both stood, but thought quickly and smirked as they headed for the door. "And how is John?"
Sakura suddenly stopped, her smile dropping as she cast her eyes down at the floor and Mariko frowned, then felt her heart race in panic. Had she said something wrong?
"Sakura?" she murmured, facing her. "What's wrong? What happened?"
She looked back up at her sister with fresh tears in her eyes and without a word, Mariko pulled her into a hug as the blonde sobbed into her shoulder, silently.
"He was such a gentleman all night," she shuddered. "He even offered to drive me home. But, once we were in the car he tried to take unwanted liberties with me, and when I said 'no' and pushed him away, he told me to get out of the car! I had to call for a car to pick me up from home to get me here!"
"That bastard!" Mariko hissed, holding her sister closer as she began sobbing again. "I'll kick that little weasel's ass! Being all charming and attentive just because he wanted to---!" She sighed, trying to calm herself down, knowing that at least one of them had to be calm and said, "I could whoop his butt for you, ya know? Or I could get the twins to do it."
"No!" Sakura cried. "I could not bear it if you got in trouble because of me!"
"We won't get in trouble if it happens after school, Sakura," Mariko smirked, devilishly but Sakura only shook her head and Mariko chuckled. "Ok, ok. I won't make the twins pound him. I can't say what I would do if I saw him myself, but I'll make sure Hikaru and Kaoru don't hurt him." She suddenly had an idea and stared walking toward the door, her twin under her arm as she still gave little shudders and blew her nose with her kerchief. "Hey, Sakura? I know what might cheer you up."
"What?" the blonde wondered, nasally through the handkerchief.
"How about you come with me to my place to be doted on by a couple of handsome twins?" Mariko smirked. "I'm sure they'd be happy to entertain you and make you feel better."
"Mariko!" Sakura gasped, her eyes wide with shock and Mariko only laughed. "But-But the twins---! They are your hosts!"
"Sakura, it's Saturday," Mariko replied, flatly. "There's no school, therefore, no Host Club for the day. They're not hosts today, they're just boys. Besides, it'll be more fun to have two girls to entertain then just one. If it'll cheer you up, I'm sure they won't mind."
Sakura looked away from her to think for a moment and Mariko waited as they stopped at the front door. The blonde looked at her sister and nodded with a sniffle as she said, "Alright. Let me go ask my parents."
"Tell them dad's not there, though," Mariko added quickly and Sakura nodded as she walked away to find her parents. Mariko smiled, triumphantly as she waited by the door. She was about to kill two birds with one stone: Making her sister happy, and maybe making Hikaru happy as well. She hated seeing him so down after everything happened with Kristine, and she wanted to make it up to him for all the times he'd let her and Kaoru have their little moments. Well, it was time for her to pay up, and she was happy to do so. Seeing her friends happy always made her happy.
Later...
"Welcome back, Princess!" the twins grinned at the front door as Mariko walked in with Sakura trailing behind and when they spotted the blonde they smiled, "Oh, you brought Princess Maddock with you?"
"Yes I did," Mariko nodded as the twins along their arms over he shoulders. "And I want you two to be nice to her. She's had a hard day full of surprises, and that creep blew her off last night. So…" She looked at Hikaru who was standing on her left. "Hikaru, I want you to keep her company for today, ok? Cheer her up."
"What?!" Hikaru and Sakura both chirped as Kaoru only frowned down at his girlfriend.
"What's the matter?" Mariko smiled, glancing between her twin and Hikaru. "I'm not asking you guys to be boyfriend-girlfriend for a day, I'm just asking you guys to hang out with each other. Trust me, it'll be fun." She grinned and ducked from under the twins' arms to stand next to Sakura. "Hey! Maybe we can go somewhere?! How 'bout we go to the mall, or maybe even the beach just to walk along the sand?! Or maybe we can go out for some food?!"
"That sounds nice," Kaoru voiced, leaning an arm on Hikaru's shoulder who was still in shock at Mariko's request, as was Sakura as Mariko took her hand. "How 'bout it, Hikaru? You up for an outing with these fine young women?"
Mariko giggled and smiled, cutely at her boyfriend, realizing that he probably guessed what she was up to.
"W-Well…" Hikaru sputtered, trailing off in thought.
"I am not sure this would be such a good idea," Sakura mumbled. "After all, my parents think I am just staying at your house, Mariko."
"So text them and tell them there's been a change of plan," Mariko shrugged. "We won't go anywhere until your parents give the ok. But we'd better think of where we wanna go so you can tell them where we are."
"How about we just get something to eat for now?" the twins suggested.
"Sakura already ate lunch, though," Mariko recalled.
"Oh, that is alright," Sakura smiled, slightly. "Let me just tell my parents we're going out to eat. Excuse me."
Sakura walked a few paces away to make the call and Mariko and Kaoru crowded close to Hikaru who stared at them with wide eyes filled with wonder.
"Be attentive to her," Mariko whispered, quickly. "Not all, lovey-dovey, just pay lots of attention to her, ok?"
"Make her feel happy," Kaoru added. "Think of her as one of our designates."
"Better yet, act like Tamaki with one of his designates," Mariko corrected.
"Yeah! You know how to be Milord, don't you?!" Kaoru agreed.
"Why?!" Hikaru hissed. "Why me?!"
"Because Kaoru's mine!" Mariko shot back and Kaoru only slung an arm over her shoulders as she continued. "Look, the guy she was with at the Ball tried to make her sleep with him, and when she wouldn't, he blew her off. She needs somebody to cheer her up, ok? Do this for me, please, Hikaru?"
Mariko clapped her hands together and pouted with big eyes and Kaoru grinned at her, thinking she looked absolutely adorable then turned to his twin.
"Now, how can you say 'no' to that face?" he wondered and Hikaru glanced between his brother and his brother's girlfriend then gave a sigh of defeat.
"Alright!" he hissed. "But I don't think I'll be able to help."
"You will, Hikaru," Mariko grinned, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Trust me, you'll cheer her right up."
"Mother and father said it was alright," Sakura reported, heading back toward them as they came out of their huddle.
"Great!" Mariko grinned. "Now all we have to do is think of a place to eat."
"So, tell us, Sakura," Hikaru suddenly smiled charmingly, walking toward her and placing an arm over her shoulders he murmured into her ear, "Where would you like to go today?"
"I-I do not know," Sakura sputtered, a blush coming to her cheeks and Mariko and Kaoru glanced at each other in slight shock that after all his objecting he was really getting into it. "Perhaps, you three should pick, since you have not eaten?"
"But I asked you," Hikaru smiled, pulling her a little closer. "You haven't hung out with the three of us yet."
"W-well, I-I have wanted to try out a place near my house…" Sakura finally replied, trailing off and waiting for an answer.
"Alright then," Mariko smiled as Kaoru wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they started toward the door. "You can give the driver directions. It'll probably be great!"
"Y-Yes," Sakura sputtered, glancing up at Hikaru as he didn't let go of her and only smiled down at her.
"Something wrong, Princess?" he asked and she only shook her head, a slight blush staining her cheeks as the four headed out the door and Mariko turned back to look the door, Kaoru leaning next to her as Hikaru and Sakura kept heading for the car.
"Playing match-maker, are we, my little fox?" he smirked and she smirked back, glancing up at him. "Your twin and my twin?"
"How ever did you guess?" she wondered, turning from the door and he slung his arm over her shoulder as they walked to the car.
"I think I know you a little better than you think I do," he smiled, nuzzling the side of her head. "He may not take the hint, though."
"We'll see," Mariko shrugged, watching Hikaru open the door for Sakura.
A/N: i had to do it! i couldn' leave Hikaru all depressed and alone! it was too sad! Tamaki would never allow me to leave Hikaru hangin like that...he would have cried and cried for the poor guy! lol! boy, that was animated, wasn't it? anyway, John was too good to be true, ya know? had to ditch him. so, what you think? its not over just yet, so hang tight! reviews?