Just a reminder, I still don't own Ouran. Only the Quints and Kyle. Plus a few more OCs...

(Unknown POV)

"I'm sorry, but I just don't know what to tell you." The woman said with a frown. "I never thought to ask where the money is coming from exactly, but I can assure you that it is legitimate if that's what you're worried about."

I shook my head quickly. "No, no, no. It's fine. I suppose I only got curious." I paused for a moment to gather courage for my next question. "It's still...coming right?"

She nodded slowly, staring at me as if I was crazy. "Yes. Why wouldn't it? Your mother's account will continue to receive benefits until you are twenty-one. And if you continue to work for the company you will as well. Is there a problem?"

"No! The Kobayashi Corporation has been kind to my family, why would there be a problem when they are so generous?" I said, trying to convince myself more than the woman behind the desk. But considering how she was nodding, I was guessing she was satisfied with my response.

"Good. Now here is your weekly check. Remember to cash it in."

As if I would ever forget to cash in Min Hee's meal ticket. But instead of giving a sarcastic reply, I only smiled and took the check from her hands. "Thank you very much."

"Take care," were the parting words I heard as I made my way to the exit with questions still unanswered.

Why couldn't I have left the subject well enough alone? I was living happily, wasn't I? And I was able to feed Min Hee and myself without too much trouble. I couldn't buy her the best toys or dolls, but at least I could give her some toys. And she couldn't ride horses but maybe when she was older she could work at a stable and get an opportunity. If she didn't grow out of her horse obsession first, that was.

I tried to rid myself of those kinds of thoughts. At least she has stopped calling herself Mini Kobayashi Sara. But she still wouldn't take off those damned earrings.

Kobayashi Sara.

Against my better judgment, I looked her up on the internet at the local library. She seemed to be a perfect child in a perfect family. Her siblings, apparently they were quintuplets, were all as beautiful as she was. They all looked exactly alike, I wouldn't have been able to tell who was who if I didn't see that emotionless expression of hers I couldn't seem to forget.

If I remembered correctly, she was the middle child and her brother was older than her. I would have guessed that he was much older than her, but apparently, they were the same age. It's strange to see her in pictures. Her aura of frostiness does not translate through pictures, though her beauty does. All the magazines in Japan feature her or her sisters in their 'best dressed' pages.

They all attended a very fancy school called the Ouran Academy where the outfits were so terrible I doubted even she looked good in them. But that picture of the gala...she had on such a beautiful ivory dress that I could only dream of having. An expensive wrap was draped over her shoulders and she looked almost regal. I completely understand why they feature her in the magazines.

Why on earth would someone like that come to my home?

Why did she seem to care so much about me and what the money coming to my home meant? Why would that matter to her? If she was that worried about her inheritance, she must be a spoiled brat.

But she didn't seem to be looking down on me. At least not at first, but then she brought up the money and she was making me question everything I knew! Why!?

I hated her.

I hated her and all this-this stuff that I couldn't figure out! I was so upset that I stopped walking and huffed in frustration. I was going to be late, but I was frozen in place due to all this stress!

It was keeping me from getting to my other job at the bakery! Sighing heavily I glanced at my watch. It was almost time for my shift. I had better start moving before boss gets upset. Usually, he was a nice man, but he valued punctuality to the point where he would fire someone for being five minutes late.

At that reminder of how I might not keep this job if I was late, I broke into a run.

"I thought you were going to be late!" My friend Hyun Ae said with a smile. "You shouldn't be working so hard!" She scolded lightly.

I merely shook my head and went to the back of the store to grab an apron. I would answer her once I got my breath back. She was constantly worried about how much sleep I got, and how much I hated going to work, but the bakery was the only work place I actually liked going to.

At the dojo, I worked until my muscles were sore so that when I go to work at the Kobayashi Corporation I wouldn't be so jittery sitting at the desk all day. But the bakery helped me relax because baking really wasn't that bad. I actually liked baking with Hyun Ae and sometimes I got to bring Min Hee here and everything smelled great.

One day, maybe I would open my own bakery. And then I could bake all day long.

"Hellllloooooo?" Hyun Ae waved her hands dramatically in my face. "You need to listen to me!"

"Oh, sorry." I replied sheepishly. "I suppose I was just thinking."

"About the Ice Queen?" She guessed and once my expression soured she nodded with understanding. I had told her about the Ice Queen's visit but never told her exactly who she was. "Don't worry about her. She'll probably never bother you again."

"No, but today I asked the lady that gives me my weekly allowance about it. It was stupid and all because I listened to the Ice Queen." I groaned and then pulle out some dough from the pile she was getting ready to roll out.

She bit her lip thoughtfully. "And what happened?"

"The lady knows less than I do. I shouldn't have asked." This topic was beginning to annoy me. What if that lady really didn't like my answer? What if the money did stop? What if I ruined everything for Min Hee?

"Stop worrying!" She took the rolling pin from my hand and looked at me disapprovingly. "You need to calm down. Min Hee will be here soon and she can't see her big sister looking so worried."

She was right. I had to pull myself together. "You're right. Give me something to do so that I can finally get my mind off of this mess."

Hyun Ae smiled and started to tell me what we needed to do today. Maybe there really was nothing wrong and everything will be fine. For Min Hee's sake, I'd better not have messed anything up.

(Kyle's POV)

"That sounds better than what you suggested before," I said casually as if I was really bored with speaking with him. "Get the details to me by email and I'll look them over again to see if it's worth our time."

I hung up before waiting to hear the confirmation and sighed. Damn this. The Tokyo branch of the Kobayashi Corporation was completely loyal to the head of the family. I even used Sakura-san's name, but they didn't take her seriously since she had never once spoken to any of them.

Fortunately, my asking questions didn't raise any alarm bells about our plan to transfer power from Mr. Kobayashi to Sara and her siblings.

My cell phone rang again, but I checked the number before I answered. Hmm, it was an unlisted number.

"Hello?" I answered.

Silence.

"Hello?" I repeated slipping some impatience in my tone so that the person on the line would be encouraged to speak faster.

"Yes, hello." A female voice replied. "You asked me to inform you when the girl got curious about her allowance?"

I did what? Oh, was this a Sara thing? Because if it was a Sara thing then I had better play along and act like her douche of a father. "Remind me again of who this girl is?" I said in a demanding tone.

Julia walked into the room with Mia dragging her arm. "Daddy!"

I quickly placed a finger to my lips and strained to hear the woman say a name I couldn't catch. "-? Your ward?"

My ward huh? Definitely Sara's latest work. And it seemed that she was finally attempting to find out the truth. "Ah, yes that one. Thank you for telling me. You know what to do now, correct?"

In the background, I could hear Julia softly telling Mia not to bother me when I was on the phone. I wished they would leave so that I could continue my charade without them being worried. But I had to play along and I didn't know how long this would take, so I stood to leave.

"I told her the money would continue to come." She replied in a meek voice. "She is a very nice girl-"

"Did I ask if she was a nice girl?" I demanded raising my voice. "No, I asked you if you knew what to do."

Julia's head snapped up and she gave me a strange look. I was definitely going to be interrogated tonight. And from the look on Mia's face, I was also going to have to explain to her that I wouldn't talk like that to her ever. I frowned and shook my head, entering our bedroom and closing the door behind me. Hopefully once I was in the bathroom, Julia and Mia wouldn't be able to hear me act like a jerk.

"No sir. I'll give her the rest of her allowance for this year and tell her that the money dried up."

Oh, that bastard. "Good," I replied. "This information is not to be repeated to anyone, is that understood?"

"Yes. But sir will you reconsider? She has a younger sister to care for-"

"Your opinion was not asked for." I snapped, but really I was impressed with this lady's gall. Not many people take on Mr. Kobayashi. "But I will consider both your position and hers." Wait, that seemed too scary. I didn't want to frighten her... "On second thought, you called me promptly I presume? That behavior will be rewarded in you keeping your position. Don't worry about the girl. I'll take care of it."

"Oh thank you, sir!" She sounds relieved.

Julia came into the restroom looking pissed. Was my leaving the room not enough of a hint to her? I really need to end this conversation soon. And call Sara. I quickly hung up and started dialing Sara's number.

She was going to want to hear about this.

"What the hell was that about Kyle?" Julia demanded with a deep and disappointed frown. "No one deserves to be spoken that way! Who were you talking to anyway?"

Ah damn. I didn't have time to do damage control right this second. But my wife appeared to be determined to speak to me about this.

"Look, Jules I can't talk about this now I really need to-" But I was unable to finish my sentence because the dialing tone stopped going off and suddenly I heard Sara's standard greeting.

"This is Kobayashi."

"Sair-sair, she asked about the funds! I told you it was a bad idea to talk to her." For this conversation, I am definitely going to have to leave the room. I give Julia a helpless look and then go back to scolding Sara as I walk out of the bedroom and hopefully out of hearing distance. "She says that she'll give her the allowance for the rest of the year and then tell her the money dried up."

"Hmm." Sara paused for a moment before speaking again. "You played along to whatever she said right?"

"Of course I did." I huffed and then walked into her office so that I wouldn't be disturbed by Julia. "And my wife thinks I'm a jerk so you got me in trouble with her. Plus my little girl heard me acting like your bastard of a father!"

All I could hear was silence that stretched so long I started to think maybe she hung up on me. "Sara?"

"Next time take the call in the study. I doubt you sounded too much like him. Trust me, you couldn't possibly come close."

Ah damn it to hell. No, damn me to hell. "Sara, I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated with your seeming lack of good judgment. I don't know what you're trying to accomplish and it's stressing me out. You don't think I know he's a monster? I'm terrified that he'll forget your agreement with him and lash out at you when he's feeling stressed."

Wow, was that supposed to be me apologizing? I was really bad at it.

She sighed heavily. "You just need to trust me, Kyle. And I'll explain everything to Julia if we get to that point. And I am sorry that Mia or Kiki overheard you."

"No, Sara I am an asshole. I should have been more..."

"I believe the word you're looking for is kinder, but I understand your frustration. I promise I'll explain as soon as she calls."

"As soon as who calls?"

"Well, I need to confirm something before I know what to call her."

Sorry for the wait, but I've been busy. I hope the next one will come out quicker but no promises.

Same issue as always, tons of work especially for all these exams I thought would be a good idea to take. There's just not enough time for writing, so don't expect more soon.

Tell me what you think in a review! :)