I gazed at the blackboard but saw nothing. I was simply exhausted and mentally, emotionally, and physically drained. My aunt Aikido had Kino and her "seven" back to back sessions until five this morning. I didn't fall asleep until six. My alarm woke me at seven. I tried to drink some coffee before I left but not being an avid drinker made the taste and even the smell unbearable. It was bitter. Even when I added packages of artificial sweeteners, it did not do much good.

I blame my aunt. She screamed and moaned all evening to the point where even my headphones could not drown her out. She kept calling for me every few hours, asking me to run errands to the 24 hour convenience stores to grab everything from a new box of condoms to various snack foods. She reasoned with: "I need to keep my clients happy. They need to be entertained as well as properly taken care of." I went out three times last night, the walk to and from being an hour each trip. I was bad enough we did not live in the best part of Tokyo, but it was worse when she made me walk the streets at night, alone. A few cars drove by, holding money from the car windows mistaking me for a street walker while a few men tried to take what little money I had left. Law enforcement was pretty strict around there so they backed off pretty quickly whenever they heard a familiar siren. When I returned home, my aunt would routinely snatch the grocery bags and send me back to my piss-filled mattress. Moments later, she began her screaming.

I rested my head on my palm, lazily looking at my instructor as I tried to pay attention. I was in math class, one of my weakest subjects. I knew I needed to pay attention, but my mind would not agree with me. Instead, it kept wandering deep into my thoughts. My memories. Today was the seventeenth, marking the ten year anniversary that my mother passed. Normally in the Fajhoka household, on this day my father and I would spend the day primarily in silence, paying respects to my mother through her shrine we had built in his office. Afterwards, he would prepare all her favorite dishes for dinner and we would enjoy them, quietly. Miso soup, bento, yakimono, tamemono, and sashimi. I looked at the clock mounted above the board, it was only twenty-minutes into class and time seemed to drag on forever.

"Fajoka" I snapped up at the sound of my name. Every student in the classroom turned in their seats to look at me, stunned. I inwardly groaned.

"Hai?"

"This is the second time this week you have stared off into space in class. Is my lesson not interesting enough for you?"

Not really, but I could never say that. "It is. I do apologize. Gomen."

"Maybe a trip to the water fountain will clear your mind, ne?" She sighed loudly, rubbing her temple. Her voice grew a bit softer. "I understand you have a lot on your plate at the moment so I will not be too rough on you. Take a moment to collect yourself. I do not want to send you out, but I will if need be."

"Onegai, do not do that." I stood up from my chair, carefully pushing it back under my desk, heading towards the door. "Arigato." I forced a smile.

She nodded and snapped her teaching staff roughly on one of the spare desks, getting back everyone's attention. She went back to teaching and I hurriedly went down the long corridor to find some water. I felt dizzy and numb, almost lifeless. My feet felt heavy, as if they were filled with nothing but lead, slowly dragging along the carpet. I could barely walk, I felt myself beginning to stumble. I grabbed onto a marble pillar for support. I could feel my breath become ragged as my body slowly began to give out. I felt light-headed. I leaned against it to regain my balance, my back now roughly smashed against the cool texture as I slowly slid down to the floor. My head began to pulsate as my blood began to boil. Sweat was now forming atop of my forehead and slowly dripping down my face; my hair clinging to the salty sting of water and becoming perfectly molded to my cheeks. I looked around and saw that the room was beginning to spin. Lounge chairs were now dancing across the ceiling as the beautifully painted walls were now floors, the long, red-carpeted stairs now becoming a zigzag passageway to no where as the stone cherub statues that once graced every corner down the hallways began to soar. Suddenly, everything went black.

"Will she require professional hospital care?"

"No, sir. She simply fainted and is suffering from dehydration. Aside from those minor complications, she will be fine."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. We checked all her vitals and did an MRI and CT scan to detect if there was any brain injury. She is clear on both." I heard the sound of a clipboard, papers erratically being flipped through. "We also started her on IV fluids to replenish her system."

"With what?"

"A saline solution, sir."

The sound of fingers repeatedly tapping against cool metal echoed loudly throughout the room. There was a momentary spell of silence. "I would feel more comfortable if I had my family's physicians take a look at her. Just to be on the safe side. Call an ambulance immediately."

"Yes sir."

Feet hurriedly scurried over the tile floor, the sounds of rubber soles hitting freshly waxed tile making a squeaking sound that rang through my ears. I felt myself flinch. There was a small pain in my right hand. I felt myself move but I still couldn't open my eyes. There was a small tugging. That must have been the IV the doctor was talking about.

"Calm down, Haruhi. You will be fine." It was Kyouya. "You are in the school's infirmary."

I finally found the strength to look up. I was faced with a large bright light, the special kind used in medical offices that really hurt if you stared directly into them. I looked around and saw I was on an examining table. Next to it was the pole that held my IV fluids. I finally saw Kyouya, sitting in a chair across from me. I sat up and rubbed my head. I didn't remember coming here.

"Are you alright?" He asked. His voice calm. His face was emotionless as he sat back further into the chair. "You aren't light-headed are you, Haruhi?"

I shook my head, unable to speak. My mouth was so dry and it hurt to even swallow. I watched in silence as Kyouya got up and walked over to me, looking down, studying me. "You gave everyone quite a scare there. Tamaki damn near went into cardiac arrest while the twins and Mori and Honey-Senpai all began to panic." He stared into my eyes, reaching a hand to the side of my face. He moved a piece of damp hair that had stubbornly clung to my skin. I felt a small tint of hue creep along my cheeks. I still could not speak. "Even I was concerned."

"Senpai-" I spoke lowly, my voice sounding raspy and dry. Kyouya turned around and retrieved a bottle of water from the infirmary's refrigerator. I looked at it worriedly before he assured me they were for patients only. I took a cool sip. "Thank you."

He nodded. "An ambulance should be here shortly."

"I think I am okay, senpai." I took another sip. This time, it was more like a gulp. I never knew water could taste so good. "I feel a lot better than I did this morning."

"Are you sure? I would feel more comfortable if my family's physicians took a look at you." He placed a hand atop of my forehead, "You have a fever as well."

"My aunt would not like that."

He raised an eyebrow skeptically. "She is your aunt, Haruhi. She would want you to get well."

"But-"

"Ma'am, please, you need a visitor slip!"

"FUCK THAT! Where the hell is she!"

"In the infirmary. She will be fine. She is getting the absolute best care available!"

"I NEED TO SEE HER!"

"Ma'am, please slow down! You cannot go in there without proper authorization!"

Aunt Aikido.

The infirmary door violently swung open, hitting the wall behind it. My aunt Aikido stood in the door way as Ouran security began to request backup for the 'intruder'. She was dressed in her usual attire, a brightly colored corset that painfully pushed her breasts up to infinity, a short leather mini-skirt, fishnet stockings, six-inch heels, and a black trench coat. She reeked of alcohol, sex, and cheap cologne, her artificial blonde hair in a messy ponytail as her over-dramatic makeup was smeared aimless along her face from one of her morning "sessions".

"Ma'am!" the security personnel tried to place a hand on her shoulder. "You are-"

"Fuck off!" she spat viciously, stomping violently towards me. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm fine." I quickly replied, wanting her to go away. Kyouya never took his eyes from me. "They said I was just dehydrated and fainted."

"Why the hell you fainting? You have nothing to faint about. Get your stuff, we are going home."

"Excuse me, if I may politely interject." Kyouya put on his "host" smile and gently bowed at my aunt Aikido. " Haruhi, was just about to be escorted to the hospital. She is running a high fever and she may have an infection."

"Infection! Fever?" she dismissed it with a flick of the wrist, grabbing my arm. "She will be fine. Nothing a bit of rest, soup, and sake can't cure."

"I would feel much more comfortable if she were taken to a hospital." Kyouya's voice was unusually calm, much more cool than normal. He faked a smile. "Just to be sure she is alright."

"And who the hell are you!"

"Ootori, Kyouya. I am the third born son of Yoshio Ootori, the affluent zaibatsu owner specializing in hospital management."

My aunt studied him, scanning him like a hawk as she circled him. "You must be pretty rich huh, Ootori boy. Your father married?"

"Twice divorced."

"Really?" she wickedly smiled, "You don't say."

I interrupted. "Aunt Aikido, I am fine. Really. Let's go before the security come and arrest you." I glanced at Kyouya. "Can you have a doctor remove my IV please?"

"No, no, no!" My aunt shouted. Kyouya and I both starred at her. "Haruhi, if this fine gentleman wants to take you to the hospital, we shall let him."

Her demeanor suddenly changed when hearing the words "Twice divorced" from the son of a very wealthy bachelor. I cringed at the thought. Though I knew just by judging from Kyouya's disposition, his father would surely turn down the advances of my aunt. She would be considered a low-status yariman not worthy of even being in his presence. But the thought of Kyouya's father even entertaining the idea was enough to make my stomach knot.

"Aunt Aikido, onegai-"

"It is settled Haruhi. We will be going to this hospital. I am sure this fine young man is willing to foot the bill, seeing as you…I mean we have no money to spare on such extravagances."

Kyouya could only bow. "Of course."

A/N: I almost forgot about this story! Sorry for taking so long. I am back though ^_^