TATSU

She'd spent a good deal of time comforting Rini before deciding to explore the house. With the staff caught up in the murder they claimed was a freak accident, no one was paying much attention to the Maki sisters.

She'd explored the attic, a place she hadn't been before. There, she found the first major clue to what her aunt and uncle were hiding... A leather-bound notebook.

"This is Dad's handwriting..." She realized. The journal was written in Japanese. Tatsu began to read the first entry. The date told her that her father had barely been sixteen when he'd written it.

Today, I met her... The woman I will marry. She's the sort of girl that inspires a boy to start keeping a journal. Her name is Ogawa Hanako. Her family has business ties to me, but until this afternoon, we had never been in the same place at the same time. She is beautiful. Her smile makes my heart happy. I know it is fate that I will marry her one day, no matter who or what might stand in our way. She is perfection.

Tatsu smiled at her father's words. This might not be what she'd been looking for, but it felt like she'd been given her father back for just a moment. She could imagine him as a teenager, writing his thoughts down in secret and knowing even then that he would marry her mother. It was sweet. It hurt a little bit, but in a good way.

She flipped through the notebook, reading later entries. That was how she stumbled across one from when her father was a bit older.

Sadao and Sumi were wed today. The ceremony was beautiful. My brother is very happy with his new bride. I am not sure what to make of her. Maki Sumi (previously Akiyani Sumi) does not speak often. She does not smile unless a camera is snapping photos of her or she is in the public eye. There is something strange about her. I know her family is another "business affiliate" of ours, but she seems terribly cold. I suspect she has deep secrets she keeps. Of course, we all do. This is the life of the Yakuza.

Tatsu nearly dropped the journal. There it was, in her father's own handwriting... Her family really was Yakuza. It wasn't that she'd doubted it, especially after coming home to a dead body at the gate, but it was strange to see it on paper.

"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. It was hard to realize that she'd never really know who her parents were. Had everything been a lie?

"They loved us," she told herself. "I know that much. And they left for a reason. They weren't bad people." She closed the journal, not ready to finish reading it yet. She needed to absorb what she'd already discovered before she continued. She carried it downstairs with her, slipping into her bedroom and hiding it in the locked trunk that sat beside her bed where she was fairly certain it would be safe until she was ready to try to read more.

MORI

He had never paced so much in his life. Mitsukuni watched him anxiously as he moved back and forth. "Takashi... Are you hungry?" Mitsukuni asked. "You must be... You're making me hungry with the way you're pacing!"

"I'm fine," Mori said automatically.

"Takashi... I'm not sure you are," Mitsukuni said gently.

Mori sighed. "I'm worried... About the sisters," he admitted.

"Me, too... But they'll be okay, Takashi. It'll all work out, I'm sure of it."

Mori wished he could share his cousin's optimism. He wanted to believe everything would be fine, but the Maki sisters had nearly been abducted, and they were in constant danger, and they'd discovered a dead body on their property. None of that was okay.

"It's time for school, Mitsukuni," he said.

"Okay," Mitsukuni said as he grabbed a piece of cake and shoved it into his mouth. "I'm ready!" He proclaimed with his mouth still half full of food.

They headed to school together. He looked around the campus, hoping to see Rini and Tatsu, but there was no sign of them. Mori's mind started running through a thousand worst-case scenarios.

You're as bad as Tamaki, he scolded himself. They're fine. They're probably already in class. You'll see them later.

He didn't see them even when he made his way toward his classroom, but he did see Kyoya. He noticed he was limping slightly and seemed to be struggling to hold onto his textbooks. Mori quickly walked over to him as Mitsukuni settled into their classroom.

Mori immediately took Kyoya's textbooks from him. Kyoya jumped in surprise before regaining his composure. "Mori-senpai..." He said in confusion. He seemed to think better of asking why Mori had taken his books. "Thank you," he said softly. Mori followed him into his classroom.

"Kyoya..." Mori hesitated. He could tell something was wrong with his friend. Kyoya was clearly in pain, something that seemed to be happening more and more often.

"Yes?" Kyoya asked as he cautiously sat down.

Mori placed the books on Kyoya's desk. "Never mind," he said softly. He put a gentle hand on Kyoya's shoulder to reassure him. Kyoya flinched away for a split second before he relaxed. Mori knew something was wrong, but he couldn't exactly ask Kyoya with so many people around. Besides, he had a feeling he wouldn't talk about whatever was going on even if Mori did ask.

As he left the classroom, Tatsu rushed inside. Relieved, Mori nodded at her. She flashed him a quick smile before sitting at her desk. Mori walked back to his own classroom, taking his seat next to Mitsukuni. He tried not to focus on anything besides the lesson.

HIKARU

He was beyond relieved to see Rini sitting at her desk with her hands folded neatly in front of her. Kaoru's face wore an identical expression to his own.

"Are you okay, Rini?" Kaoru asked.

"I think..." Rini replied softly.

"It's crazy what happened," Hikaru said.

"I'd really rather not talk about it," Rini said with a sniffle.

"That's okay," Haruhi said as she joined the conversation. "We're just glad you made it to school safely today."

The class began. Hikaru got bored pretty quickly. He stopped paying attention until a man walked into the classroom. He only looked up because Kaoru froze at the sight of him.

What the hell is he doing here? Hikaru wondered. He hadn't seen Asaki in three years, but he'd know the monster anywhere. He'd been part of his family's security staff for fifteen years before taking a new job. Hikaru and Kaoru had been grateful when he quit.

"I'm here to check on Miss Maki," Asaki told the teacher.

"Of course," the teacher replied. He motioned for Rini to come forward.

"Hikaru..." Kaoru whispered.

"I know, Kaoru..." Hikaru whispered back. He squeezed his hand. He wanted to stop sweet, innocent Rini from going anywhere near Asaki, but he knew he needed to control himself. They couldn't make a scene. Besides, they were in public. Asaki couldn't do anything to her in that moment.

Rini was still standing outside of the classroom with Asaki when the class ended. "Your aunt and uncle just want your safety monitored for a bit, Miss Maki," Asaki was saying.

Rini nodded. "Thank you for checking on me," she said sweetly.

"Haruhi... Take Rini and Kaoru to our next class," Hikaru said.

"Sure," Haruhi said, looking a bit confused.

"Hikaru, no-" Kaoru protested.

"It's okay, Kaoru," Hikaru said. "Go."

He waited for the three of them to leave before he approached Asaki. "Mr. Hitachiin..." Asaki said with a cruel smirk playing at his lips. Hikaru forced himself to meet his gaze as he looked him up and down. "My... How you've grown..." Asaki added in a way that made Hikaru want to kick his ass.

"I don't know what you're playing at, but stay the hell away from Rini," Hikaru said firmly.

"The Maki girls are my current assignment," Asaki replied. "Are you friends? Then it looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"If you so much as breathe in mine or Kaoru's direction, I'll kill you."

Asaki laughed. "Of course you will, Hikaru," he said skeptically. "You may talk tough, but I'm sure you're still just a scared little boy deep down... One who'll do anything to protect his brother..."

"Shut your damn mouth, Asaki!" Hikaru shouted.

"What's the matter, Hikaru? Didn't you miss me? I certainly missed our time together." Asaki reached toward him.

For a split second, Hikaru froze. Then, he heard a voice. "What are you doing here, Asaki?" Tatsu asked.

"Your aunt and uncle sent me to verify your safety," Asaki replied.

"I'm safe. There, it's verified. Leave us alone at school, okay? We need the distraction." She took Hikaru's arm and led him down the hall. Only when Asaki was out of sight did she ask, "Are you okay? You look pretty freaked out."

"Don't trust him, Tatsu," Hikaru said. "Especially not around Rini. Do you hear me? I mean it."

"Listen, um..." She paused. "Hikaru, I'm guessing... How do you know him?"

"He used to work for my family. Promise me, Tatsu. Promise me you'll protect her, no matter what. As the older sibling, it's your job. Promise me."

"Okay, fine, of course I will..." She looked at him with concern in her eyes. "Hikaru... What did he do to you?"

"It doesn't matter," Hikaru said firmly. "It's ancient history. Just keep Rini safe. I have to get to class." He ran off before she could ask him anything else.

KYOYA

He was starving. His father had beaten him so severely the previous night, he hadn't been able to hold down his dinner or eat breakfast. He had a horrible headache.

Tamaki obliviously tried to engage him in cheerful, meaningless conversation. Kyoya could barely understand what he was rambling about over lunch. He stared at his food, trying to work up the strength to attempt to eat it.

"So then, I said, pardon me, Ma'am, but your roses appear to be on fire!" Tamaki proclaimed, laughing as though this was the funniest story he'd ever told. Kyoya did not respond. That was when Tamaki paused. "Kyoya... Are you alright?" He finally asked.

"I'm fine," Kyoya replied.

"You haven't touched your meal... Aren't you hungry?"

Kyoya managed to get some food onto his fork. Slowly, he raised it to his mouth. The motion hurt, like everything else, and he couldn't hide a small wince of pain.

Tamaki frowned in concern. "What happened?" He finally asked softly.

"Nothing, Tamaki," Kyoya insisted. "I'm fine." He tried to open a bottle of water. His hands were visibly trembling. The bottle fell out of his hand.

"Kyoya... Here," Tamaki said with forced cheerfulness meant to mask his concern. He opened the water bottle for him and gently handed it to him with a reassuring smile on his face.

Looking into Tamaki's kind eyes, Kyoya sighed. "Thank you," he said softly before drinking some of the water.

"There, that's better!" Tamaki said. "Now, go on and eat. You need your strength, after all." He smiled at him in his usual goofy way, but Kyoya knew how worried his friend actually was.

Get it together, he scolded himself. He'd always been able to hide the signs of what was going on at home before, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. He didn't know how much more of this he could take.

He noticed Tatsu watching him from nearby. He could tell she was worried, too. That surprised him a bit. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of her. She wasn't the easiest girl to figure out. He had to admit, her casual attitude and rampant sarcasm were a refreshing change of pace from most of the girls at Ouran Academy.

As Tatsu offered him a quick smile, Kyoya felt a little bit calmer. There was something comforting about her presence, although he couldn't really understand why. It was a bit intriguing how she affected him. It defied reason, yet he enjoyed how the sight of her made him feel. For just a moment, he forgot about his pain.

Tamaki followed his gaze. A fresh smile lit up his face. "Kyoya... Do you have feelings for our Miss Tatsu?" He asked.

Kyoya rolled his eyes. "She's our client, and I was simply being friendly," he said.

"Oh, of course you were." Tamaki laughed. "She's really quite unique, isn't she? You'd make a lovely couple."

"Tamaki, I have more important things to focus on than romance," Kyoya said firmly.

"Nonsense, Kyoya! Nothing is more important than matters of the heart!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes before finally managing to successfully eat. He felt slightly more stable once he was done, and he managed not to immediately get sick, so he took that as a good sign.

RINI

The Host Club felt like the safest place in the world to Rini as she arrived after school. She hadn't really slept the night before, so she put her head down in exhaustion.

"Coffee?" Mori asked sweetly.

Rini opened her eyes in surprise as she inhaled the heavenly aroma coming from the cup in front of her. "Thank you, Mori-senpai," she said with a smile. She gratefully drank some of the coffee. It warmed her up and was strangely comforting.

After a few minutes, Rini decided to play the violin while Tatsu trained with Mori and Honey in an area they'd set up behind a curtain. Tamaki, Haruhi, and the twins entertained the other guests who showed up. Everything was going well, and Rini lost herself in the comfort of playing music.

When the girls finally left, Kyoya noticed Rini yawning. "We have a bed set up for Honey-senpai," he said. "I'm sure he'll be okay with you using it for a bit. You look exhausted, Rini. It's safe here. Get some rest."

She was surprised by the kind offer. "Thank you, Senpai," she said. She followed him to the area he'd described. The moment her head hit the pillow, Rini passed out.

She was dreaming of her old house. Her mother was running around looking frantic. "They found us, my darling," she said to Rini's father.

"I know, my love," her father replied.

"We are no longer safe here. We need to leave."

"I'll arrange for us to get out tomorrow... I can get us set up quickly."

"What will we tell the girls?"

"I'm not sure... They're older now, but the truth may be too much, especially for our sweet Rini..."

Rini wondered what her parents were hiding. Who was after them? Should she keep snooping or mind her business? She'd never seen her mother so frightened before.

The scene shifted to later that night. They were in the car... And then...

Rini awoke screaming as she felt herself flying through the air. She frantically swatted as she felt someone trying to grab her.

"Ouch! What's the big idea, Rini?" Hikaru demanded. He was clutching his left arm in his right one, but Rini saw blood where she'd apparently scratched him.

"Yeah, we're trying to help," Kaoru added. He looked terrified as he examined Hikaru's injury.

Tamaki was on the ground beside the bed shaking. "You were screaming," he said softly. He had a small scratch on his cheek.

Kyoya arrived with a first aid kit and immediately set to work on patching up the others. "Are you alright, Rini?" He asked.

Rini wanted to respond, but she was still too terrified by the dream. She couldn't think straight. She didn't feel safe.

"Rini, calm down," Haruhi said gently. "It was only a dream." As Haruhi tried to get closer to her, someone else stepped into view.

"Step away," Mori said firmly.

"Mori-senpai..." Haruhi began.

"Everyone, back off. Give her space," Mori insisted. That didn't seem real. Mori rarely spoke that much...

Haruhi backed away. Tamaki and Kyoya followed the twins, who had already gone to the opposite side of the room.

"Rini..." Mori said softly.

Rini was trembling. She whimpered slightly, caught up in the flashback even though she was awake. She nearly slipped into it completely, but then strong arms wrapped around her.

"You're safe, Rini," Mori said soothingly. He held her close to him. She could hear his heart beating. She focused on that until the flashback fell away. Then, Rini sobbed against his chest. Mori simply held her, stroking her hair and letting her get it all out.

"Rin... Are you okay?" Tatsu asked, finally breaking the silence as she sat on Rini's other side.

Rini looked up with tears still in her eyes. "I... I had a nightmare," she said softly.

Mori gently wiped her tears away before releasing her. "Here," Honey said. "You can hold Usa-chan."

Rini smiled at him gratefully, clutching the stuffed bunny to her chest. She was starting to feel much better.

Kyoya returned with a cup. "No more coffee, thank you," Rini said softly.

"It's tea," Kyoya said. "To soothe your nerves."

Rini gratefully accepted the tea. It helped her calm down completely. "Are Tamaki and Hikaru okay? I'm so sorry," she said in horror.

"They're fine," Kyoya promised. "It was nothing serious."

"What scared you so badly, Rini-chan?" Honey asked.

Rini clutched the bunny tighter. "Was it the crash again?" Tatsu asked.

Rini nodded. "But... There was more... A memory, I think, from earlier in the day," she said. She paused. "Mom and Dad were scared, Tatsu... Mom said someone had found them, and Dad was planning to take us and run... He said he just needed to make some arrangements... But then the crash happened."

"It wasn't an accident..." Tatsu said with a sigh.

"The men I dreamed about... The one who kept kicking me... It was all real, wasn't it?" Rini asked.

"I'm starting to think so," Tatsu admitted.

"What is she talking about?" Kyoya asked.

Nervously, Rini explained her previous dream as Tamaki, Haruhi, and the twins rejoined them. The twins exchanged nervous glances. Haruhi looked worried. Tamaki looked downright horrified.

"Men... Now more than ever, we must protect our dear friends," Tamaki proclaimed. He smiled at Rini reassuringly. "You shall be safe in our care, Ladies!"

Rini melted at his dazzling smile and comforting words.

"No," Tatsu said. "It's too dangerous now.. It's bigger than we thought. This is our fight."

"Tatsu... You can't fight this battle alone," Kyoya said softly.

Tatsu looked like she wanted to protest, but Haruhi said, "We already told you we're in this with you two. You're not alone anymore."

"Yeah, I'm not letting those meanies hurt you ever again!" Honey chimed in.

"We're already involved anyway," the twins said with matching casual shrugs.

"We're with you," Mori said.

"We're all with you," Tamaki added grandly.

Rini looked at Tatsu with wide eyes. "Tatsu... We need all the help we can get," she said with a sniffle.

Tatsu sighed. "I just don't want them to get hurt. Someone killed our parents and tried to kill us... It's all getting so crazy..."

"You'll find that we here at the Host Club excel at crazy!" Tamaki declared.

Tatsu cracked a smile. "That, I believe," she said with a laugh. "Okay, fine. You guys can help... But what the hell are we going to do? Where do we even start?"

"I can assign some of my family's private police force to watch over you when we can't," Kyoya said after a moment.

"Will your father mind?" Rini asked softly.

Kyoya tensed slightly, but Rini wasn't sure why. He covered it with a smooth, detached smile. "I don't see why he would. After all, the Ootori family tries to ensure the well-being of our businesses' clients at every turn, and you are clients of the Host Club," he replied.

"So it's settled!" Tamaki said.

Surrounded by their friends, Rini felt better already, especially with Mori sitting beside her. His arms had made her feel safer than she'd felt since before the accident.

HARUHI

She was pretty relieved to get home. It had been a long day. Once again, Tamaki had insisted on walking her there. He'd just walked away when Haruhi sensed someone watching her.

"I'm fine, Senpai. You can leave, really," Haruhi said, rolling her eyes.

When Tamaki didn't answer and the sensation didn't stop, Haruhi tensed. "Is someone there?" She called.

I wish my dad was home, she thought. He was working that night.

She hurried to her front door and unlocked it. As soon as she was inside, Haruhi slammed the door shut. She crept toward a window and peaked outside, hoping she'd catch a glimpse of whoever was watching her without them seeing her.

At first, she saw no one. She was about to write the whole thing off as being in her head when she spotted three tall, ominous figures hiding in the shadows.

Haruhi sank to the floor, not sure what else to do. She was positive now that she was in danger, and she was alone. Calling one of her neighbors might put them in harm's way.

Call Tamaki, she thought. He was probably still close by, but if he came alone, he could get hurt. She sighed. She couldn't do that. She could call Mori and Honey, but what if these men were Yakuza? What if they had guns? She's never forgive herself if her friends got hurt because she'd panicked and called them.

She'd faced everything else that scared her on her own... She could face this, too. Haruhi crept into the kitchen, careful to hide from the windows in the house, and grabbed a knife. Then, she grabbed her phone and called the police.

"My name is Haruhi Fujioka. There are three men outside watching my apartment. I think they're dangerous," Haruhi said.

"Are you alone in the house?" The man who answered asked.

"Yes. My father's at work and won't be home for hours. Please hurry."

"Remain calm. Stay hidden. We'll send someone to check on you right away."

"Thank you, Sir..." Haruhi hung up the phone. She curled up in a ball in the kitchen, too scared to dare to move as she clutched the knife, praying she wouldn't need to try to use it.

Suddenly, someone banged on the door, frantically and loudly. Haruhi felt tears in her eyes as she clutched the knife harder. She was trembling.

"Haruhi! Haruhi, open up!" A voice called desperately from the door.

"Tamaki-senpai?" She whispered as she recognized the voice. She crawled toward the door. "S...Senpai?" She called softly.

"It's me, Haruhi. Open the door," Tamaki replied urgently.

Confused but kind of relieved not to be alone, Haruhi opened the door, pulling Tamaki to his knees as soon as he stepped inside and closing the door.

"Are you alright, Haruhi?" Tamaki asked as he looked at her in the darkness. He noticed the knife and his eyes went wide.

"There are three men watching the apartment," Haruhi explained. "I called the police. What are you doing here, Senpai?"

"I had this awful feeling, so I decided to come back to check on you, and I was worried because all of the lights were out," Tamaki replied. "I knew something was wrong."

Haruhi hugged him, needing to feel safe. "I think they're Yakuza, Senpai," she said softly.

"It's okay," Tamaki said soothingly. "Daddy's here. You're safe now. I'll protect you."

"You're not my father, Senpai," she said firmly. "But I appreciate you coming back to check on me."

"I'll always protect you, Haruhi... With all that I possess," he replied grandly. She believed him. She allowed him to continue holding her, finding comfort in his arms despite how scared she was.

A little while later, there was a less frantic knock on the door. Haruhi and Tamaki cautiously approached it together. "Miss Fujioka?" Someone called. "This is Officer Akima."

Haruhi stood up and opened the door. The officer had his gun out. She jumped back automatically. Tamaki moved protectively in front of her.

Officer Akima looked surprised. He quickly lowered his weapon. "I was told you were alone," he said. "Are you alright?" He added as an afterthought.

"We're fine. This is my friend from school. He came by to check on me," Haruhi explained.

"I see... How thoughtful of him." The officer looked oddly frustrated. "Everything is fine, Miss Fujioka. My partner and I found no one lurking. Perhaps your friend scared them off."

"Thank goodness," Haruhi replied.

"You can turn on the lights. There is no reason to worry," he said. "Good night." He tipped his hat to them before leaving.

"Haruhi..." Tamaki began. "Maybe you should come stay with me tonight. I'll call your father and explain."

"Don't worry him. I'll leave him a message that I'm spending the night with a friend studying," she replied.

"You'll come?" Tamaki asked in relief.

"Yeah," Haruhi replied. "I have a feeling I shouldn't stay here alone tonight. Thanks, Senpai. I'll pack a bag quick."

She ran off to prepare to spend the night away from home. For some reason, she didn't trust the officer. He had been acting too suspiciously. Haruhi was convinced that if Tamaki hadn't come back to check on her, something very bad would have happened when she answered the door alone.