Kodo almost didn't come down to eat breakfast, and when she'd finally went down almost turned around to go back up the stairs. The entire foyer and front hall was filled with bouquets that stood taller than her father. The term 'pity flowers' came to mind. "Dad?" The tags on them indicated they came from most of the people she'd met at that dinner party.

"Pum- mh.. there you are." His voice came from the living room.

"Dad, what is all this?" Entering the room, she had to sidestep a particularly large arrangement that took up half the entry way.

"People paying their respects to you for your mother's passing."

"Well spending tens of thousands of yen on flowers that will die too just seems insulting!"

"Pumpkin!" He looked up quickly from his seat and it was then she noticed there was company in the room. "Excuse her rudeness."

"Not a problem. I have four children of my own, so I understand, although it's a pity to see her react so harshly." It was Kyouya's father.

Face paling, Kodo looked down from his face to her attire; she'd yet to change out of her night clothes. "I'm so sorry! I'll be right back!" Stupid, stupid, stupid! Heart throbbing in her throat, she dashed back up the stairs and changed quickly into a dress with a jacket, hoping it didn't look too.. childish. Once she returned back down the stairs, she entered the room again and bowed to their guest. "I apologize for my rudeness."

"Not at all, Sagano-san." He sounded apologetic, though she couldn't tell why. "My health care centers and hospitals are in your mother's debt." Oh, that's why. This was Kyouya's father after all.

Keeping her bowed form, she spoke again. "I'm also sorry for running out at the business party. Your family went through all that work and even had me sit at your table and I didn't even take the time to thank you. So, thank you for the wonderful opportunity of meeting everyone there, and for coming personally to pay your respects to my mother."

"She will be missed by us all, and I hope she finds peace. But, to be honest, it isn't the only reason I'm here."

"Huh?" Standing back up, she looked at him questioningly before glancing at her father. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure now is the best time. Your mother's official ceremony will be held tomorrow, perhaps we should talk more after that, hm?" Iwao tried to look sullen for her benefit.

The full weight of the situation hadn't sunk in yet, she knew this, and knew that once the realization finally came through she'd be in shambles. If she was going to make any sort of sound decisions, now would be the time. "No, it's okay. Mom's not all that traditional in Japanese culture, I'm sure she won't be insulted if we discuss.." She wanted to say 'business matters' but wasn't sure the actual situation. "Whatever it is that needs to be talked about."

The men looked at each other before nodding slowly. "Ohtori-san has offered his business services to us." Iwao started before slowly looking to her. "Ah, I suppose I should start from the beginning."

"Please, do." Kodo crossed her arms as she rested against the arm of the couch. She had a bad feeling. The empty coffee table though caught her attention. "Dad!" She hissed, leaning in to whisper in his ear. "You didn't offer him tea! Practically everyone is above you in the business world and you couldn't even bother with a cup of tea for him?"

"Please, don't bother." Ohtori raised a hand. "I'm not here for tea drinking."

"Sorry." Iwao bowed his head before he glanced at Kodo who stood back up, arms still crossed. "In your mother's will, she left you half her assets and worth."

"Okay.." She already know that was a lot of money, but something was fishy here.

"Her stipulation was that in order to receive that amount, you'd have to marry by your sixteenth birthday."

"Okay.." She repeated herself. "What does this have to do with Ohtori-san?"

"He has offered his help with rebuilding the Sagano company line, if you marry his son."

"And- and what has his son to say about this proposal?" After their blowup, she doubted Kyouya wanted anything to do with her, though she had apologized.

The men exchanged glances again before Ohtori spoke. "My son is not an unwilling man in regards to the Ohtori name. As unfortunate as circumstances are at the current time, your father has informed me that your birthday is about two weeks away. That is not a lot of time to prepare."

She looked at her father. "Didn't you go out of town for several days? May I ask what happened to that person you were so willing to hand me off to?" Those kinds of statements had a habit of coming out of her mouth when she least wanted them to, but her filter was turned off as she felt almost numb to everything.

"He wasn't the person for you, my dear."

She couldn't muster the thought process to think of an insult back.

"Shall I call to have the arrangements set up for a formal meeting three days from now? I do not mean to sound insensitive." Ohtori seemed to be pushy, but something about gaining something went through Kodo's head.

"Sure." She spoke before her father could. "It's a date."

-x-

The actual trip to school was a haze, and when Kodo got there found the gates were closed tight. "A weekend?" She thought out loud as she pressed against the golden bars. "It's time for school. Isn't it?" Looking up at the sky, she stared for a good long time at the clouds slowly rolling overhead. Somewhere up there in the blue a tiny speck of gray flickered the morning sun's light as it flew. "Airplane.." She whispered.

It was then it sank in. Watching it from so far below, that tiny speck as it flew, made her realize so suddenly how fragile life is. She couldn't depend on her mother now. Her decisions would affect everything in her life from now on. She'd have to take responsibility for all her own actions. So marrying Kyouya.. "Selfish." She muttered softly. "I'm so.. selfish!" Sinking to the ground, she stared blankly at the pavement in front of her. Everything was wrong. Reaching into her bag, she grabbed her cell phone and flipped it open, dialing her mother's number. The voice who answered was unfamiliar, speaking in German.

"This is Vogel's phone, her lawyer here. If this is a business inqui-"

"M-mom?" Kodo whispered.

"Oh! Is this Pumpkin?"

Her mind couldn't comprehend this other voice. "Mom, I had a terrible dream, that you'd died in a plane wreck! Isn't that terrible?" Her voice hiccuped as she spoke, and her sinuses stung. "Oh, my chest hurts. Mom, why am I crying? I know you're there since you answered, but.. why is my throat restricting? Why does it hurt to think about you? Mom, why are my tears not stopping? Mom, can you hear me?"

"Pumpkin, go have a cup of hot chocolate with a cinnamon stick. You remember how much she- er- I like that. Have one, for me. Okay? I have to go. I love you." There was a click.

"Wait, mom? Mom, I'm not- I'm not ready, I'm not- I can't do this by myself, please don't leave me alone.." Trembling, Kodo realized she was talking to the beeping phone and stared at it as it shook in her hand. "Don't go.. I love you."

"Kodo. You're not alone."

"Huh!" Looking over her shoulder, she turned her body as she sat on the pavement. There, the host club had gathered, standing before her. "What- are you doing here?"

Tamaki squatted down and smiled, offering his hand to her. "You're not alone, as long as you have us."

Glancing over the each of them, she remembered something about them all. This was a family, in their own sense of the word. Feeling the corners of her mouth go up a little she pushed herself forward and reached for his hand to stand. "You idiots are turning me to mush, you know that." Playfully she pushed her shoulder against his before passing him up to hug Haruhi. It was the kind of hug that meant, 'I know your pain now'. "Please tell me how to get through this." She whispered in her ear.

"You never really do." The smaller girl's arms wrapped around her. "But I guess it helps knowing she's watching from beyond, listening to what you have to say."

It made sense now, when they were at the cemetery and everyone went silent. They were speaking to Haruhi's mother. "Yea, I guess so." It was a comforting feeling, if a bit strange, like she knew somewhere deep down it wasn't really true. But that was a thought process for later.

"Group hug!" Hikaru and Kaoru shouted as they wrapped their arms around the two girls.

"Hey, me too, me too!" Hani laughed and jumped up, wrapping his arms around Kaoru and Hikaru's shoulders.

"Wait, let me in too!" Tamaki shouted as he tried to pry though.

"Back off, Tono! You don't want to get Haruhi's uniform wrinkled, do you?" Hikaru and Kaoru called out at the same time.

"Ah!" He took a step back. "Mooom, those two are leaving me out again!"

"Tamaki." Kyouya's arms crossed.

"What?"

"Don't refer to me as that any more."

"Wh- but it fits in this-"

"Ah!" Kyouya froze as arms wrapped around his waist from behind.

"It's a little strange, but, can I call you mom?" Kodo looked up at him as he peered at her under his arm.

His cheeks appeared slightly flustered for a quick moment. "Wouldn't that defeat the purpose?"

"Not really." She smiled a little.

"N-no." His glasses glared over as his throat cleared. "Now please remove yourself from my person, you'll leave wrinkles in my jacket."

"No way!" She squeezed tighter. "This is what you get for not joining in on the group hug."

"Then it's my turn, too!" Tamaki laughed as he excitedly ran up, but the twins stopped him.

"But Haruhi isn't there."

"So if you hug her, won't Haruhi get jealous?"

"Oh!" Tamaki turned quickly and looked in Haruhi's direction, a pathetic puppy look on his features.

"Fine." She gave in. "One hug."

"Haruhiiii!" Tamaki laughed as he gathered her up in his arms.

"T-Tamaki-senpai- you're- squeezing."

"Haha! You didn't say how long this hug could last!"

"Come on Tono, that's enough." Hikaru tugged at his sleeve before leaning in whisper in his ear. "You keep smothering her like that, you'll push her away."

"Oh!" Tamaki let her go finally. "Sorry Haruhi."

He sounded so sincere, it was difficult for Haruhi to reject him. "It's alright, senpai.."

"But you must know how much your daddy loves you now, right!"

"Aaand the gates are open, I'm going to class." Haruhi pushed him away to enter the school grounds.

"By the way, Kyouya-kun?" Kodo had her face pressed into his back.

"What is it."

"I'm looking forward to three days from now." With that, she let him go and turned around quickly so he wouldn't see the flustered look on her face.

"Three days?" His brow wrinkled as he stared at her walking away. "Hey, Tamaki."

"Yea?" Tamaki joined him in his walk.

"Next time don't wake me so damned early just to meet Kodo-san. We can always just talk to her after class." He struggled not to yawn.

"But, we had to cheer her up, otherwise she wouldn't be able to keep up in class, and then she wouldn't be able to perform her hosting duties to her fullest!"

"I hate when you're right." Tiredness was affecting his proper thought processes. "We still need to give her our proper condolences."

"Of course! We'll do it in club today!"

"Please don't over exaggerate it, it's a death not a party."

-x-

"I hope you aren't insulted, Ohtori-san."

Sagano was saying something as Yoshio was putting his shoes back on. "Insulted how, Sagano-san? Your daughter was unaware of there being anyone here."

"No, not for her. For treating this as a secondary option for my daughter to marry your son. I am indebted to that other family, but after thinking things over after your proposal, I think it will work out for the better this way."

It sounded as if Iwao was trying to reassure himself. But today Yoshio was not a psychiatrist, and certainly not one to someone like Iwao. He only had that girl's assets in mind. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, but it is wiser to keep your business matters to yourself. This official meeting will be held at the Ryoken hotel. Don't change your mind on me, hm?"

"N-no, of course not, sir." Iwao bowed at the waist. "My daughter would be lucky to have Akito-san as a husband."

"Mh." With that, Yoshio left. That bothersome person, he thought to himself, talks too much.

A/N: Shorter chapter this time, sorry. I wanted to make sure I got something out for you guys. (As I am working on short stories for class as well)

Please enjoy!