Disclaimer: I dont own Ouran ( dang...although the characters are frequently finding my dream-place somehow...) I do however own Kaori, Hikari, Hideo
I woke up with a start as I heard a huge bang! sound. With a look outside my window, I stared, my fears getting the best of me. Soon enough, another clap of thunder and a quick stroke of lightening appeared, and I screamed in fear and hid under my covers. Obviously, my scream had alerted Hikari, because seconds later, she came into my room.
"Kaori-chan, whats the matter?" she asked worriedly. I was about to answer, when another clap of thunder barreled through the stormy sky, and I jumped while a little whimper came from my throat.
"I see you got your mothers fear of thunderstorms," Hikari said softly; I heard her walking away, and moments later, she came back," Here." I poked my head over the covers a little and saw a CD player in her hands. I understood instantly, and accepted to CD player.
"Thank you Hikari-chan," I replied weakly.
"No problem dear- night," she smiled.
"'Night." I put on the headphones, and turned on the CD player- I realized it was loud music, but it drowned out the thunder, so I was happy. I turned up the volume, put the player on the bed next to me- turned my back to the window- and fell asleep soon after.
--
"Hey Ranka-kun," I heard Hikari greet someone who had knocked at the door. The front door closed and I heard some voices.
"Kaori-chan!" Hikari called for me, and I came out of my room, reading a book while I walked- not the smartest thing to do, but I never learned. As soon as I got to the living room, I fell over one of the cats, and landed with an 'oomph' on the floor. Quickly I stood back up, and brushed myself off.
"I'm ok!"
"Oh good lord- that from your mother as well I see," Hikari laughed," Kaori-chan, these are our neighbors, Ranka-kun and Haruhi-chan."
"It's nice to meet you," I said politely, and noticed that the one she called Ranka-kun looked like a woman- which slightly confused me.
"Hikari-chan said you're trying to go to Ouran Academy," Haruhi said, looking at me.
"Yes, I am trying to get accepted there- but if it doesn't work, I'll just go to the local high school."
"The best thing is to just be yourself at all times," Haruhi told me and I nodded, making a mental note of that.
"Well, I must get to work," Ranka said, and his voice through me off- mans voice… women's features…Otaku. That explained it- this guy was a cross dresser. But I didn't judge him, because I didn't know him.
"It was nice seeing you again Ranka-kun," Hikari smiled, and he nodded, and then walked out the door.
"I have to go to the store, so, if you'll excuse me," Haruhi said, about to leave.
"Um, Haruhi-chan?"
"Yeah, Kaori-chan?"
"Would it be alright if I came with you?" I asked, kind of nervously.
"Sure," Haruhi shrugged, but smiled at the same time. I sat my book down on the table, and went with Haruhi.
"May I ask, why your father dresses like a woman?" I asked.
"It's kind of complicated- but he says that its because after mom died, he wont fall in love with another woman," Haruhi explained as we walked down the street.
"Oh."
"Um, Kaori-chan?" Haruhi said.
"Yeah?"
"If you do come to Ouran Academy- there is something you should know," Haruhi told me, and I nodded, so she continued," I have to dress in the men's uniform and keep my real gender a secret."
"Why?"
"Simply put- I was blackmailed into joining this one club that is there, and so," Haruhi told me.
"Ohh," I nodded," What does the women's uniform look like?"
"It's a yellow dress." That stopped me in my tracks, and caused her to look at me. My shoulders slumped, and my head fell back.
"I hate dresses…I hate yellow," I cried," A yellow dress in the ultimate evil!"
"If you want, you could probably do like I did at the beginning and still do- dress and pose as a guy." I considered this for a minute, but then a breeze blew past and a lock of my hair came into view.
"But what about my hair?"
"You'd probably have to cut it," Haruhi said, and my eyes widened in terror.
"It's taken my eight years to grow this out," I said, my eyes completely sad.
"Hmm," Haruhi said, thinking, and then she brightened up," I got it! You could wear a wig."
"Perfect!" I exclaimed happily, holding my hair protectively as we passed a barbers shop.
"So, have you sent in your papers yet?"
"Yeah- Hikari-chan took them there this morning."
"Then you should know real soon if you are in- Hikari-chan and Hideo-kun are well known caterers- and work for way less then others do," Haruhi told me as we walked into the store. I felt a nagging feeling as though someone was following us- or me- and I became slightly paranoid. What if it was my father?! Had he really actually found me? I looked behind us, and looked around- but no one was in sight. My attention went back to Haruhi, who was busy picking out certain cold foods- meats and what not. We continued on through the store, and I picked up a soda for myself- and of course I paid for it…with the money I had left from my adventure. At the airport I had exchanged American money with Japanese- so now, I didn't have to use my currency knowledge when I bought something. We walked back to the apartments, and talked about the school, scholarships, and what not.
"Well I guess I'll talk to you later Kaori-chan," Haruhi said, both our hands on our own door knobs.
"Yep- see you later Haruhi-chan," I nodded, but before I opened it, she stopped me.
"Hey, if you want, you can call me by my first name," Haruhi said, and I smiled.
"Really?" – she nodded, so I continued," And you can call me by mine." She smiled slightly this time, and then we went inside the apartments.