Author's Note:
It's getting messy and I know it. I want to write about the Hitachiin family and I suck at it. I hope when you people read this chapter, try to keep on track of the dialog. I hope it's not too confusing. Well, here it goes.
On the day of the annual Ouran academy's graduation ceremony, everyone was excited. As for High School seniors, they are quite sad for that would be their last memory at Ouran High school. Hosting the High School graduation ceremony wasn't Tamaki Suou since he is too busy handling other business related to the Suou Company. But as for his seventeen year old daughter who is going to be a second year student in the next term wasn't half as excited as her father who wanted to attend the ceremony so badly.
"Why did my Otou-san have to make me wear this dress?" grumbled Reina beside Kumiko who was holding proudly onto her certificate. She wasn't being as cocky as Reina is but she smiled calmly hiding the fact she wasn't that cool either but she likes the crowd. Reina was wearing a white patterned grown with trills. To others' point of view, she looks stunning as always. Kumiko who was wearing something more casual didn't mind at all.
"Reina, you are the Principle's daughter. Show some respect to the school's community on his behalf."
"Why should I?" Reina hung her shoulders low.
"You know when it's like when your father is disappointed. When he's disappointed…"
"… He be awfully depressed and sulk in a corner." Kumiko's sentences were finished by a dark and tall man who suddenly stood by Kumiko's side. He gave Kumiko a real surprised. She thought she wouldn't see him until next month when the next school term begins.
"Otou-san!" she said in surprised.
"Nice to see you again Mr. Ootori. Kumiko said you were on a business trip," said Reina regaining posture of how the way she was standing. Just like Kumiko, she was surprised that Kumiko's father, Kyouya was back in Japan and at the Ouran's graduation ceremony.
Still in shock, Kumiko bit her lip but calmed down afterwards. Kyouya started talking. "I know this is sudden but I came back just this morning and drove here from the airport because I had some business with some old friends. I got a feeling things can get really interesting."
'And I didn't have to ask when or why he came back. Kumiko's father is something,' thought Reina to herself. She seems to always be surprised by Kyouya Ootori's enormous aura he has. Some how, it can be really creepy.
The sounds of hands clapping in the first hall made the Ouran academy roared with cheer. Because most of the students cheered with joy for graduating from senior year of high school. Most students will now move on their studies to over seas or will be trained personally into being the next heir to their families company. That was the pattern of these rich students in Ouran High since from the start.
Tamaki, who have just arrived at the Ouran high school grounds, ran over to Kyouya and the girls. He was very glad that he could make it in time to join them. It wasn't everyday that Tamaki gets to spend time joining one of the events of the school. Besides, knowing Kyouya was back in Japan made him more determined to come to the academy.
Reactions of a father, Tamaki gave a big hug to Reina who was expecting this. Can anything get more obvious? "Reina! You look so cute in the gown I bought you. If you just smile…"
"All right, all right!" replied Reina pushing her father away. She tried her best to smile. "Look, I'm smiling okay? Are you satisfied yet?" Even though Reina was smiling, Tamaki always have a high sense quality of one's smile. He could tell Reina wasn't smiling sincerely. But since she got into the mess getting dressed like the way he asked, Tamaki understand that Reina didn't want to let him down.
Rather than saying anything, Tamaki hugged Reina again but this time it's a different feeling. It was more of a mature feeling and Reina could feel calmer with her father although she thought all time her father was trying to embarrass her. When Tamaki let go of her again, he smiled to her. "Thank you Reina. You look beautiful today." This time, Reina smiled fro real.
Some how, everyone in the hall paused about in the commotion. After seeing the lovely relationship between father and daughter shown by Tamaki and Reina, the crowd especially the ladies cheered and clapped. Some even shed a tear or too. "That was lovely Principle Suou!" "What a lovely bond you two share!" Those were the few comments Kumiko and Reina froze to hear all of a sudden.
"Good job Tamaki, as always," said Kyouya readjusting his glasses smilingly slyly. Tamaki stood up proudly and smiled to the crowd. What a proud Principle.
'How could you? You were using me in a show, Otou-san.' Reina's felt like crying and screaming only it's in her inner mind.
In the second building, the Middle scholars were graduating and the third years are the most excited since they will be moving up to High School. The boys are excited because they believe in High School they believe there will be more chances to gain fame and the girls believe that in High School they will get better chance becoming a true lady. But what they didn't know, in High School the seniors will get much better attention and they will be busier with much wok to be done than Middle School. That fact was only realize by two identical girls who were apart form the crowd leaning against the wall outside the building. They exchange glances.
"High School is going to be a drag."
"You think? Hope there will be more losers to play with," one of the girls looks up and sighed while the sister stared at her. "Losers tend to bore me sooner or later."
The other girl lean back against the wall and grinned to herself. "Let's just see what happens. Come on!" she said pulling her sister along.
"Where are we going Kara?" asked her twin sister. Kara smiled. She pulled loose the lace that tie a small part of her hair on the left and slipped it into her pocket. She did the same to the lace that tie the right part of her hair.
"We are going to have a little fun Sakuya," she answered mischievous.
It was in the second building where a young girl about sixteen graduates as she ran up to her father and mother proudly. She was really glad that her father always had time to come and see her at school. She liked the attention but she was out standard by her twins sisters maybe because they were a bit older than her. The young girl in sandals smiled as she holds onto her certificate and showed it to her father.
"Congratulation Mika. You'll be entering high school very soon, aren't you? I hope all the best from you," those were the words that Mika, the cute timid girl received from her father. And her mother did the same. Congratulating her with all her heart.
As the small happy family gets together, shortly after, they were intruded by the Principle and his party. "Yo! How it's going Kaoru?" Tamaki recognize Kaoru from afar. After his older brother Hikaru has dyed his hair darker, Tamaki and the others never missed sight of them again.
"Nice to see you around Suou-senpai," answered Kaoru in reply. Since they graduated, they noticed the difference in their alias when they call each other but it's not like they always meet each other very often. They had all grown up into fine men and have families of their own. They had chances of meeting like this because they have children going to school in Ouran.
"Lemme' see. So is this your daughter Kaoru?" asked Tamaki bending down to get a better look at Mika. She was quite short to be sixteen but it was also a factor she looks very cute so no one ever complained. "She's adorable."
"Otou-san is acting weird," said Reina in the background. Kumiko agreed.
Given a one shot, Mika was pushed forward by her father and tried to speak up to Tamaki. Remembering her manners, she smiled softly and said out her words clearly. "Hello, my name is Mika Hitachiin. Nice to meet you Principle Suou. Please treat me nicely next year too." Knowing that Tamaki was the Principle who takes mostly good care of the High School division, Mika hopes that she will be taken in properly. She wasn't a very confident young lady herself.
"Mika Hitachiin is Kaoru Hitachiin's daughter huh?" said Reina to Kumiko who was getting a glass of water to drink.
"You seem to know them already Reina. I'm surprised you picked up really fast," said Kumiko very dryly. "But it's really awkward to see Mika-chan is Karou Hitachiin's daughter."
"Why you say that Kumiko?" asked Reina giving a serious look.
"Back in the old days, Kaoru is very out going in high school. Otou-san told me that. Seeing Mika just now, she is so not like her father. Timid and shy, I got to say she makes a total difference." Kumiko's comments were very frank but true. Kumiko has a lot of nerve. She guesses that Kumiko knows something about the Host Club after all.
"Ahaha, I'll just get some snacks. This building seems to have a better variety than the high school build…" Reina's sentence was cut off when she was paying attention to where she was looking at. She suddenly bumped into a lower classmen who was pouring a drinking into her cup but it all spilt back out.
"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" asked Reina to the girl.
The lower classman seems to be mad but she held her head up high and gave Reina a smile. "Don't worry, it's nothing. I didn't get clothes wet but I do need to wash my hands." Kumiko helped the girl but she was fine by herself as she turned away.
"Can you please do me a favor? I wanted to give that drink you spilled to my younger sister. Can you please bring her one and give it to her? I believe she is waiting at the other side of the building," the girl requested such an awful long one to Reina but Reina said she will take care of it but Kumiko was worried. After confirming it, the girl left.
"Reina, you don't even know who's the student's younger sister," said Kumiko following Reina.
"Don't worry about it. When we get to nearer to the other side, we will recognize the younger sister without a doubt. Trust me," Reina smiled as she brought the glass of water across the building proudly. Kyouya who was still with the Hitachiin family noticed Reina and Kumiko from afar and wondered what they are up to.
After getting to the other side, they still haven't figured out who should Reina give the drink to. "This would be easier if I know their names." Reina hung her head down low feeling awfully depressed. As she wanted to help someone, it never turns out. Soon, Kumiko nagged her sleeve and gave her a pointer.
"I think I saw the younger sister," said Kumiko.
"Where? Where?" asked Reina excitingly. Kumiko pointed to the crowd.
"Or maybe it's my feeling." Finally she's giving up as well. But when Reina look again to the noisy talking students in front of them she saw some one familiar. Reina ran up to them and asked them.
"Hey you!" she called grabbing her arm. The lower classmen girl turned around. To Reina's surprised, she was the girl who she met back at the snack counter. "Hey, what are you doing here?" The lower classmen looked at Reina blankly and saw the glass of water.
"Hey, you said to give this drink to your sister and I've been searching for her. You didn't tell me who she is or who you are," said Reina. She explained the difficulties of searching for the younger sister and told the student she was tired but no matter how, the lower classmen was still expressionless.
The girl stood firmly on her feet even after Reina finished nagging her and told Reina, "I already gave my sister a drink so please don't bother anymore."
"Really?" asked Reina happily.
The student clapped her hand again in thought of an idea. "Oh, can you go a get my older sister a piece of cake instead? I'm sure she'll be glad to have one."
Reina looked confused but willing accept her request. So she went back to the snack corner and got a piece of cake for the lower classmen's older sister. To be quite frank, now she was quite confused. "Did she say older sister just now?"
"Probably," replied Kumiko who noticed as well. "Maybe they are twins?"
"Twins?"
Back to Kaoru and Mika Hitachiin, Kaoru was slightly worried for some time. Kaoru couldn't stay still. His eyes were looking everywhere even though they were standing in one position. "Otou-san, what's the matter?" Finally Mika asked.
Kaoru shook his head. He felt slightly dizzy but he kept a smile. "Have you seen your sisters anywhere?" he asked in a low voice to his daughter.
"Kara and Sakuya?" They were the least of Mika's troubles and she hates to get involve in their naughty tricks up their sleeves. She wanted to tell her father that but she can tell that her sisters have a special place in her father's attention. Shortly after a while, Reina and Kumiko joined them.
"Reina, where have you been?" asked Tamaki in a worried tune. "Is that for me?" Seeing Reina bringing a piece of strawberry short cake and a glass of water made Tamaki turned into one of his childish states and this turns into one of his inner theaters.
3… 2… 1…
"Otou-san!" called Reina excitingly to her father who was handling some professional business. Reina was happily skipping bringing a piece of cake and a drink for him in a childish manner. He thinks it looks cute.
"Reina-chan! What do you have there?" asked Tamaki.
"Nee, otou-san. Reina brought you a nicely cut strawberry cake and a glass of cool refreshing water just for you," said Reina all lovely-dovey. Her red cheeks say it all.
Tamaki kneeled down to his daughter and kindly accepted his daughter gift. "Arigatou, Reina-chan. Thank you for being such a kind daughter."
"Otou-san, thank you for always being there for me…"
End of Mind Theater.
Reina gotten used to her father illusions and kept her poise in front of his friends. Reina can tell, both Kyouya Ootori and Kaoru Hitachiin were something more than old friends to her father. At least now she knows, they belong to the same club during high school.
"Ano saa, why are you still bringing that drink around?" asked the lower classmen Reina met before. She looks displeased. "Haven't you given it to my younger sister?"
"I thought you have already given one earlier," said Kumiko backing Reina. Reina nodded.
"Tch…"
"What are you still doing with the piece of cake I ordered?" said the other. As she came into the scene, Reina and Kumiko stood still. It was true, they were twins.
"Ara, I guess you met my twin," said the older sister.
"And you met mine," said the younger twin. They both got together and gave Reina a deceiving smile. They had plotted another trick.
"Who are you?" asked Reina.
In the moment of silent, some naughty boys above the girls were joking around and accidentally dropped their bags towards Kumiko and Reina were standing. The twins noticed that and quickly took action. "Look out!" shouted the boys below.
Everyone's eyes were rooted to them while Reina and Kumiko looked above. Too late to react, each of the twins pushed Reina and Kumiko out of the way. Everybody was shocked.
"Suminasen! We are sorry for that," called the boys over to Reina and the others. Tamaki and the other adults broke into the crowd that circled around them.
"Reina! Reina, are you all right?" asked Tamaki holding her child.
The cake she was holding splatters onto her white dress and the drink spilled everywhere. Other that that, Reina looked into her father's eyes giving a sign of okay. "I'm fine. It's only cake." When she looked back at the twins, they were both helping each other up. They look so close. "Are you both all right?" The twins nodded.
"Thank goodness," he said wiping of the bits of cream of Reina's left cheek made him feel better. Kumiko was also helped getting up by young little Mika and stood by her father's side. Tamaki then turned to the three boys who cause such a fuss.
The middle school graduates look awfully nervous as Tamaki appose them. The three boys bowed in forgiveness and promised that it won't happen again. Tamaki let the boys go and forgive them for what have happen but now when the crowd had their attention to him, this could get worse for Ouran's academy Principle's image.
"Why are they all staring at us?" asked Sakuya. "Things happen, don't they?"
"Don't you know? This is because the Principle's daughter was involved," said Kara.
Kaoru ran over to the twin sisters. "Sakuya, Kara. What are you two doing? I was so worried about you two." Kaoru was panting and breathing heavily because of the accident involving their daughters. Mika held tight onto her father coat.
"Gomen yo, otou-san," said the twins together.
"Otou-san? You mean, Kaoru Hitachiin is your father?!" Reina was totally shocked, again. Too many incidents happened today. Twins really deceived her a lot in such a short amount of time.
"Sakuya Hitachiin is the older twin and Kara Hitachiin is the younger twin. They are my twin sisters," said Mika from beside Kaoru. Reina stared at the innocent looking girl. Such suspicion. But Reina remembered what the twins had done today and want to get to know them just a little more. Besides, she ruined her own dress because of them.
When Reina walked up to them the twins both glanced back at her. The timing and the way they act and talk makes them so identical. Wondering which one is who confused the parents and the students. "Nee, sorry that didn't make it on time to give you the cake and drink. You two look so identical."
"Of cause they do. They are twins after all," said Kyouya from behind.
"I'm really sorry," said Reina again.
The twins stared at Reina who sincerely apologize but they were wondering why? All this time, they were trying to trick Reina into their plots. They knew Reina was the Principle's daughter and it would sound interesting to play around with someone like her.
"Don't you get it?" "We were just toying with you."
Tamaki and the others exchange glances. Kaoru wasn't half as confused in what the twins meant since he used to play on other people with his twin Hikaru. He was much more focused in this situation than everybody else.
Reina's eyes were unreadable and the twins wondered if she was okay. The tricks they played on her weren't that harsh although they had an accident at the end. Reina looked at them again. "No, it's not what you think. I apologize because I didn't identify you two correctly. I'm sorry."
The twins were surprised by the way Reina clarify what she meant. She was sorry because she mistook them wrongly? Yes, the twins were always mistaken for the other and that would irritate them a lot. Only the twins knew how bad it would feel but at least for that moment, somebody realized and apologize for their mistake. The twins were speechless. Kaoru's eyes soften and pat the twins head.
"Hey, why don't we go home now? You two must be tired," said Kaoru. Sakuya and Kara nodded and followed Kaoru from behind.
"Matte!" they both stopped and turned around to Reina. "Let's be friends."
"Be friends?" the twins looked at each other. "With who? Sakuya or Kara?"
"The both of you of cause. I want to get to know you both more and more so that next that I won't call you by mistake," said Reina determined.
"What if we don't want to?" "What if, you'll get our names wrong again?"
"Not only you mistook us by our looks, we haven't truly introduced ourselves to you so you don't know who we are," said Sakuya.
"Besides, we are twins. Being twins meaning we are two in one. We as one but are two separate identities. Can you figure us out?" asked Kara.
Reina had the same feeling when she looked at the picture of Hitachiin brothers in her father's year book but now she is dealing with twin sisters. She couldn't tell Kaoru and Hikaru apart, how could she figure out Sakuya and Kara? Kaoru whisper into her ear, "It's all right. Even though they are similar, if you really care for them, you will notice even the simplest details that would separate them from their similarities."
"Otou-san, you aren't allowed to help," said Sakuya.
"That would be cheating," said Kara.
"I was just giving some useful advice to Reina-chan. Besides, up until now, no one has figured you two out yet." Kaoru returned to join Tamaki and Kyouya.
"What are you trying to do Kaoru?" asked Tamaki. Kaoru just asks Tamaki to watch.
Clutching her hand, Reina thought for a while. If she notices even the smallest detail to tell them apart, if would make the twins open up to her even more. She tries to remember what happened between her and the twins today. One of them ask her to bring the other twin a drink and that twin asks her to bring a cake to the other twin. That was truly confusing. What was different about that? When was one of them ever so different from the other? The time when the boys dropped their bags by accident, one of them saved her and the other saved Kumiko. "Wait a minute."
The twins exchange glances. Has Reina figure them out? As Reina went up to them, she took the twins' hands and look at them carefully. She smiled. "What?" asked the twins.
"The one I'm holding on my left is Sakuya and the one I'm holding on my right is Kara. Am I right?" asked Reina. Everyone paused while the twins eyes rounded. At the same time they released their hands from Reina's grip.
"Your reasons?"
"Sakuya Hitachiin is the older twin, isn't she? You told to get a drink for your younger sister while you go wash your hands since you spilled some juice on your hands. Kara Hitachiin is the younger twin who wants me to get some cake for the older twin but in order to save me from the accident, you pushed me away. If you noticed, some of the cake did cover you sleeves." That was how Reina explained it.
"So you guess by looking at our sleeves?" asked Sakuya.
"How did you know I saved you?" asked Kara.
"Not your sleeves but your hands. After washing your hands, Sakuya's hand would feel naturally soft and Kara's hands would feel sticky after touching some cake," said Reina.
"Hmph, well you guess is just because you held our hands. If you didn't, you can't tell us apart, can you?" said Sakuya. She gets bored easily by unreasonable proof. "Let's go Kara. Let's just stay together through High School too." Kaoru was saddened by that statement. It was a similar statement that Hikaru and he once made as well.
"But wait!" called Reina. The twins look back. The fact that Sakuya is Kara's older sister is still true right?" asked Reina.
"Yea."
"I sensed that you two really care for each other but you two never thought both as equals, haven't you? That's why Sakuya called Kara her younger sister right?"
Sakuya's eyes widen. "I wanted to give that drink you spilled to my younger sister. Can you please bring her one and give it to her?"
"Sakuya…" Kara sensed that Sakuya wasn't acting normally. Sakuya never had shown any sad expression in front of anyone except for her. Has she lost her mind and can't stand being figured out right by a person she just met? "Sakuya, let's go home."
"Hey, is she all right?" asked Reina. Mika who was right there couldn't believe her eyes. Anyone couldn't understand what was going on. Was Sakuya crying?
Finally Sakuya snapped. "How can you ever understand?"
"What did I say?" Reina was hopelessly confused. It was the twins who challenged her to figure them out but when Sakuya in a total state of shock, she wasn't sure of things anymore. Was Sakuya mad at her? What was the problem?
Sakuya's eyes began to fill with tears. She hasn't lost in her emotions before. Being awfully confused she cried with all her heart without any restraint. Kara who calmly stood beside her twin hugged her with a tender sisterly affection. "Don't cry."
"Don't cry. I am here and I will always be here with you." Kara is my twin sister; a loving younger sister. I always had her by my side. But there were sometimes I faintly hear a voice calling me. That person said that 'he' will be there for me.