Sooo, I've been wanting to write for this fandom for a long time! I've always been a huge fan of Ouran, so I'm hoping to do it justice! Let me know how you enjoyed the chapter and if you would be willing to read more soon :D
This story has no beta at the moment, but I'm open to anyone who would like to do some proofreading!

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Miss Sunflower

"No! No! No!" the shout broke clearly through the delicate music playing in the dance studio, making her break her pose and stumble. She directed her blank gaze at the slight woman next to the stereo system. The lady in question was short, even shorter than the girl she had just shouted at, dressed in a black getup that showed off her clearly former dancer body. However, the cane which she held in her right hand, leaning onto it heavily, immediately told everyone that she had no more choreographies in her slight form. Just pain when she attempted a pirouette. "I feel nothing when I look at you, Seo-yeon. Absolutely nothing!" The cane tip slammed against the hardwood floor with the last word, emphasizing it.

"What do you mean, Seonsaengnim?" The petite girl in the middle of the dance floor asked in a soft tone.

"You are empty!" the older woman shouted again, her cane slamming onto the hardwood. "Stop dancing! Stop thinking about dancing! Start becoming!" When the woman saw the teen's eyes still showing confusion, she slammed the tip of her cane against the floor yet again. "You aren't Seo-yeon anymore when you're on the stage." Her voice lowered in volume and her eyes softened. "You mustn't be the dancer thinking of the next step, you must become the character you are portraying." There was a short silence which seemed to buzz with tension. "Who are you trying to portray?"

"Cinderella."

"And what is she feeling at the moment?"

"Anguish over her step-sisters' torment."

"Then! Why is there none of it?!" The teen cringed at the sheer volume of the yell, combined with the familiar smack of the cane against hardwood. "It's a pity. You could be a great dancer, Seo-yeon. One of the best." Her teacher shook her head. "But all you do is dance with precision. It's perfect, but there's nothing behind it. You are empty." With that, the teacher threw her hands up in exasperation and, picking up her bag and shawl, limped towards the exit of the studio. "I have taught you all I could. The rest is up to you."

The door slammed, leaving the teenage girl standing completely alone in the silent room. The air didn't have that tension from before, though. It was empty. Like her. The teen let out a sigh and walked to the bench, pulling a light cardigan and sweatpants over her leotard. She didn't have the heart to go to the dressing room to properly change. After letting her hair loose, to cascade down to the small of her back, she quickly changed her shoes and grabbed her bag, stuffing the ballet slippers into it as she was leaving. She didn't spare any more of her time to the dance studio as she simply turned the lights off and closed the door. There was nothing else there for her.

The bitter memory of her teacher's disappointment vanished from her mind in the following month, though. She found herself on a plane heading to Japan, all of her belongings packed into two suitcases. Everything had changed in that past month. Her life had been singlehandedly turned upside down by a simple piece of paper. There, in that document, her granduncle had left her everything he owned. That decision of the elderly man had shocked the whole family. After all, the only thing which she shared with him was their last name, Hara, through the paternal side of the family. She had met him a few times in her life, she could recall. He hadn't been a very nice man, from what her memory told her.

His words had always been curt and to the point. He had always held onto his possessions as if he would be buried with them, like an old Pharaoh of some sort. Yet, she could also recall that he had played games with her when she had been younger. Hide and seek, where he would jump out and scare her, had been his favorite. But, she hadn't had an inkling about just how much he had valued her. Until that day, that was.

The reading of Hara Junichiro's will had been a huge family affair. People had flown in from all across the world to hear whom the prestigious restaurant chain would be handed down to. Granduncle Hara had had two daughters and a son. Logically, his fortune was expected to go to them. However, the rest of the family was hoping to at least get a small piece of the humongous profits that the infamous business had amassed in the past fifty years. Yet, all the cousins and aunts and uncles, along with her own parents, were shocked when small pieces of the fortune were handed to the granduncle's children, followed by her name being listed as the next CEO of Hara.

This whole ordeal had her right where she was at that very moment – on a plane bound for Japan. After all, a CEO must be available at all times at the office. The only comfort she had at that moment was the fact that her granduncle hadn't left her all alone in the unfamiliar business. A panel of trusted associates, heads of their own departments and regions, had been set up to help her run the restaurant chain. Due to her being just fifteen, all the legal papers would be signed by the CFO, Amai Toki, until she was of age. Even that small comfort didn't help her current predicament.

The teenage girl had a book in her hands, running her fingers across the letters of various Japanese names meant for girls. She had decided, if she was to run a Japanese company, live in Japan and become the heir that her granduncle had envisioned, she would do it fully. From that day on, she would adopt a proper, Japanese given name, instead of her Korean one. As the pilot's voice came across the loudspeakers, her fingers settled on the letters she was satisfied with. Hara Himawari. Yes, that would be perfect. Hara Seo-yeon was to become Hara Himawari as soon as the consent forms for the legal alias were through.

"Will you need a guide throughout your school day?" The man who was taking her up the numerous steps at the academy compound asked. He had a rather nice tone of voice, deep, but not too much so. Himawari would estimate him to be in his late forties, a little underweight, from the sound of his steps.

"Perhaps some guidance in the first few days," she supplied as they turned a corner. "I found my way around my middle school without too much trouble after the first week."

"Alright, we will assign you a student companion who can give you a hand," the man stopped, the sound of a door opening breaking the silence and echoing off the walls to the right. "It will be a good way to introduce you to academy life, as well. I'm under the impression that you aren't accustomed to luxurious schooling?" Himawari's hand on his shoulder led the way into the classroom.

"That would be perfect. I haven't been a member of the high society for a long time, I just inherited the company which allows me to attend this school." Himawari could tell that they were in a smaller space by the echo. It was more muted. Her cane hit the edge of something right in front of her.

"This will be your classroom, 1-A," the man led her up a small step and then guided her hand to a flat surface. "This is the teacher's desk. There are twenty-four student seats here, positioned in four rows of six. You may choose any you wish at this point, and we will keep that seat reserved for you throughout the semester, so you won't have any trouble."

"That would be a lot of help." Himawari tentatively went down the step, letting her cane lead the way forward. She followed the closest row of desks and chairs towards the back, counting how many her hand slid over. Finally, she stopped in front of one which felt somehow right. "Would this one be alright?"

"Absolutely." There was a moment of tapping as the man entered the information into his tablet. "Hara Himawari, wall row, seat four." She could tell by the tone of his voice that he had a polite smile on his face. "You will be able to find it without too much trouble on your own?"

"I will if there is a sign in front of the classroom or if you could count how many doors there is to this one from the staircase?" She politely replied, walking back towards the teacher's desk and then finding the door on her own.

"I see that you are already familiarizing yourself with the classroom." Himawari tossed him a quick grin over her shoulder. "This is the fifth door from the staircase to your right. Are there any other rooms with which you wish to be familiarized before we end our tour at the guidance office?"

"Is there a dance studio here?"

"Yes, on the third floor." The man was next to her again. Her hand found his shoulder and he led her back towards the staircase, going further up. "You take dance classes?"

"I'm a dancer."

"Oh, that is a very nice hobby." Himawari didn't get the chance to correct him, as a set of footsteps stole her guide's attention. "Yonamine-sama," he greeted. "I trust that you are finding everything to your liking?"

"Yes, Kurasawa-san." It was a girl. Her voice had a nice, melodic tone to it and it seemed just the perfect amount of breathy. "And this is?"

"Oh, isn't this perfect?" Kurasawa smiled and then introduced. "Yonamine Aimi, this is Hara Himawari, your classmate in 1-A. She just moved here." Himawari offered a polite bow in the direction of the girl's voice.

"Hara-san, welcome to Japan." The girl greeted.

"Thank you, and please, Himawari."

"Just Aimi as well, then, if you would." There was a small giggle. "Oh, are you blind?"

"As a bat." Both girls giggled, making Kurasawa cough to get their attention.

"Then, Yonamine-sama, would you like to guide Hara-sama to the dance studio and finish touring with her?" He offered, much to the both girls' delight.

"That would be perfect, thank you Kurasawa-san!" Aimi's hand grasped Himawari's and the girl pulled her away from her guide. "So, how will you find your way around the school? Are you going to have one of those interpreters?"

"No," Himawari shook her head. "I don't need any help after a week or so. Except, I might have to smack a few feet with my cane." Aimi giggled at that, making the other girl smile. There was a sound of footsteps ahead of them and Himawari's new acquaintance greeted them.

"Good morning!" The footsteps split, going on both sides of them. Himawari gave a small bow in both directions, hoping that she wasn't offending anyone due to their lack of response. The footsteps slowly passed them, going down the stairs. "Oooh, how peculiar, they're twins! Pretty cute ones, too!"

"Ah, that explains the similarity in their gait." Himawari nodded. "Maybe we will be in the same class with them…" Aimi hummed, pulling her along.

"Oh, this is just perfect! I was a bit anxious to go to a school so far away from home, where I don't know anyone from my middle school, but this way I already have a friend!" Himawari could tell that she would like Aimi immediately. The girl smelled like roses and she felt around her height, by the pull of their hands and the source of her voice. Besides, Himawari had always thought that people who talked a lot were generally likable. It suited her own personality, which wasn't as talkative among strangers.

"I'm glad that I won't be starting school in completely unfamiliar waters, as well." Aimi pulled her to the left this time, around a corner and then to the first door on the same side of the wall. "Which middle school did you attend?"

"I went to the South Girl's Academy for the Talented. Mostly it's called Saino Middle in our circles, for convenience. It's very well-known." Aimi stopped letting go of Himawari's hand. "This is the studio here." Himawari tapped her cane on the floor, feeling it. It seemed to have marley rolls of supreme quality spread across it, making it the perfect dancing surface for all types of movement.

"Can you tell me what is where from where we are standing?"

"Oh, right," Aimi laughed. "I forgot that you were blind, silly me! There is a mirror on the wall to the left and a bench right in front of you, against the wall." Her voice told Himawari that she had moved to face the other side. "Behind you there is one of those wooden bars, going across the whole wall, and there is a stereo system right next to the entrance, to the left." After a short silence where Himawari started walking around, Aimi asked tentatively. "Does that description work?"

"Yes, it's perfect, thank you."

"Oh, good." Aimi let out a breath of relief and then giggled. "For some reason, I'm really nervous around you."

"I'm sorry if my blindness is making you uncomfortable," Himawari said in a low voice. Ever since she'd gradually began losing her sight, and then finally lost it at the age of seven, she had been aware of how uncomfortable it made people. She had been avoided by many in the past because of it. "I promise that if you stick with me, you will forget that I'm blind soon enough." She giggled. "I've been told that I have great deceptive powers when I get comfortable in a space." Aimi joined her with a small laugh.

"I'm curious to see how you will do your schoolwork, to be honest." She admitted. "It must be tough."

"It is, but I've found it increasingly easier with the years." Himawari wandered over to her new friend with surprising precision for the girl and reached out with her hand. Aimi took it.

"Shall we go explore the rest of the good spots I've found at the school? I've been here for a few hours, getting the stuff for the drama club ready." With a nod from the blind girl, Aimi led them towards the door and in the direction of the stairs once more.

"You enjoy acting?" And Aimi became increasingly more comfortable in Himawari's presence as their exploration continued.

Himawari had about a month to get used to her new home. It was surely much more luxurious than what she had been accustomed to. Her granduncle had rented out a flat near the company headquarters, which the girl had decided to use as her residence. It was by far the most grandiose space she had been in regarding living quarters. With over five hundred square feet, including a myriad of rooms, a kitchen, and two bathrooms, it was more than sufficient. Of course, the property caretaker she had met with on her first day in Japan, a fairly nice woman called Nana who oddly reminded her of her granduncle's deceased wife, had suggested that she live at their country estate, using a town car to get to and from the Academy. Yet, Himawari had wanted at least a bit of independence. She had promised to come to the country home often, though.

Hence, she was now settled in at the large apartment with a single maid coming to clean and fix anything and everything around the place from morning until afternoon. Himawari had asked Nana if they could turn one of the guestrooms at the apartment into a small dancing space, and the woman had immediately explained how the trust fund the girl now had worked. It would be more than possible. The workers to start on it would be coming within the next few days.

In all honesty, Himawari was looking forward to a bit more noise at the flat. She was used to living with her parents and her younger sister, which meant that there was always someone doing something in the house. Himawari missed this noise. After Michiko, her maid, left every afternoon, she would find herself playing any kind of music or letting the TV run in the background, just to fill the silence of the space. Time, apparently, was a fiend when one lived alone.

Yet, Himawari hadn't had that much time to feel trapped by. Amai, the CFO of Hara, had come to visit her with multiple legal documents within the first month of her transfer to Japan. He had also taken her to the company headquarters. There were numerous decisions to be made, despite her being a newbie in the business world. Luckily, Amai had proved exactly why he had been chosen by Junichiro to steer the prosperous ship until Himawari came of age. He knew every single thing about the business and he explained it to the teen in simple terms, so that she could make up her own mind about the best course of action they were to take.

So far, however, Himawari had found that the Hara was mostly self-sufficient. Every chef owned their own kitchen, managed their staff and altered the menu according to their artistic tendencies. She has spared some time to go around Japan and meet the different culinary masters, promising to work closely with them in the decision-making process and giving them all her phone number, so that they could reach her at any moment. Amai had been her guide through those moments, as well. They had found that, despite the large age gap, they were quite compatible regarding their personalities.

Amai Toki was in his thirties, and he had been a chef in his prime. Yet, after an accident which had left him with frequent back pains, he had retired from the tedious job of managing a kitchen. Instead, he had been employed by Junichiro as a trusted advisor and a master regarding culinary knowledge. With him, Himawari had shared numerous games of poker and chess. They had discussed everything from popular sports to music, finding many similarities in their preferences. Much to her delight, he hadn't shied away from her because of her disability not had he tried to coddle her. Instead, Amai had allowed her to make her own way in the business as his new boss.

"Ready for school, miss?" Michiko's voice came from the doorway, making Himawari jump a bit. She turned around, grabbing her bag off her desk chair in the process.

"Yes," the girl smiled. "How do I look?"

"If I may be blunt, as good as you can in that atrocious uniform." Michiko was honest, which Himawari loved about the slightly older girl. The two had become fast friends during their month together.

"Well, as long as everything is in its proper place, I'm satisfied." Himawari's hand found her cane and she headed towards the door of her room.

"Here are your shoes, miss." Michiko waited for her to sit down before handing her the shoes, one by one. Himawari put them on, struggling with the clasps for a second. Michiko didn't offer her a hand, though. Himawari had told her that, while it may take a bit of time, she could handle most of her own daily routine without trouble. "I've prepared you some mint tea for school. Do let me know if you will be needing anything else ready before your classes in the future."

"Michiko, you are amazing." Himawari took the thermos and placed it in her bag next to her books. Michiko's shoulder was there when she extended her arm and the maid led her to the elevator, going down with her. They left the building, the security guard greeting them as they passed.

"Here is the car, miss." Michiko's steady hand guided her to the open door, and soon Himawari was settled inside the luxurious town car. "Have a good day, miss."

"Take care, Michiko." Himawari smiled as the door closed. The car began moving. It was a fairly short ride to Ouran Academy. There were multiple turns and stoplights, but they still made it there within thirty minutes. The driver opened the door for her, telling her where they were on the property. Himawari thanked him and then let her cane find the way to the main entrance. By the time she reached the tall doors, her legs were fully warmed up for a dance session.

"Himawari!" Aimi's voice made her stop and wait. The girl in question took her hand as soon as she was in range to do so. "How was the rest of your holiday?"

"Pretty good, yours?" Himawari replied, tuning out the buzz of the students entering the school and mulling around in the foyer.

"Oh, we went to Fiji in the end! A week of beaches and virgin cocktails is exactly what I needed to relax." Aimi giggled. "By the way, those twins we met, they were the Hitachiin twins!"

"Hitachiin? That sounds vaguely familiar…"

"Of course it does! Their mother is a famous brand designer and their grandmother is an Ikebana master." Aimi giggled. "I heard that they were a bit antisocial in middle school, though. Maybe we could hang out with them? They are perfect marriage candidates!"

"Marriage?" Himawari frowned to herself as the two girls joined a moving crowd on the stairs. "Why would you need a good marriage candidate?"

"Well, I'm a girl, for starters." Aimi shrugged, the motion transferring through their clasped hands. "My elder brother is going to inherit my father's business. So, all I have at the moment is a good dowry and my last name. I need to find a suitable husband and make sure that I'm set for life." She didn't sound eager to do so, but Himawari could understand the notion.

"Well, you have a few years to find the perfect candidate."

"Indeed." Aimi tapped her shoulder in excitement as they neared their classroom. They had passed two doors already. "I heard that there is a host club here, some kind of entertainment for the girls. Do you want to go check it out?"

"Hmmm…" Himawari mused about it for a second. "That really isn't my scene… I'd rather go to the dance studio after class and practice."

"Oh, can I watch?"

"Did I hear that you dance?" Another voice joined in their conversation from behind the two casually. Aimi stopped and turned around.

"Kaoru!" She greeted, letting go of Himawari's hand to hug the newcomer. "I had no idea that you go here?"

"My parents moved abroad for business, so I'm stuck with the best academy they could find in Japan until they return." The newcomer was taller than them, Himawari could tell, and had a nice, almost tenor voice. "Miyagawa Kaoru."

"Hara Himawari." The blind girl extended her hand towards the general direction of the voice. It got accepted and the two shook. Kaoru's palm was soft and delicate, but it had pronounced marks from a pencil and a brush. "Do you paint?" Himawari couldn't resist asking.

"We have a psychic here," Kaoru laughed. "Yes, I've been painting since I was little. How could you tell? Do I have paint on me?" Aimi laughed.

"Handling a brush leaves specific marks on a hand." Himawari smiled.

"Aimi, dear, we will be keeping this one. Imagine all the possibilities of her talents!"

"Endless!" Aimi agreed, taking Himawari's hand again and pulling her along. "So, Kaoru, do you want to check out the host club after school?"

"I'm in," Kaoru replied from the other side of Himawari. "I heard a ton of good things about it from the upperclassmen. Himawari, do you want to come as well?"

"Not unless it is mandatory." The two girls laughed at her statement.

"I dare you to go with us!" Aimi grinned as Himawari headed for her own desk in the classroom. "I really want to hear what you think of the hosts, miss psychic."

"I wish I could decline, but I really can't resist a dare." Aimi's laugh told Himawari that she would regret sharing that bit of information with the girl.

Hope you liked reading!

Glossary of less familiar words:

Seonsaengnim – Korean for teacher
Legal alias – A name one chooses for oneself in kanji in order to more easily function in Japan as a foreigner
Marley rolls – The most popular type of flooring for a dance studio, easy to clean, prevents slipping and helps avoid injuries. It's a good flooring for all types of dance.

Omake:

"What do you think?" Hikaru didn't need to look at Kaoru when he asked his twin the question. They were walking side by side through the numerous hallways of the enormous school building.

"It's nice." Kaoru shrugged half-heartedly. Hikaru glanced at his twin with a smirk.

"Not like it matters."

"Not like it matters." His twin agreed. They walked down the hallways, glancing passively into different classrooms which they passed.

"Do you want to take his offer?" Hikaru was the first to speak once more. It was a familiar dynamic for the two. Hikaru was always the one who would voice their mutual thoughts, making Kaoru come out of his shell. While the two were very similar in their temperament and tendencies, it was always Hikaru who was the conversation starter.

"I don't know," Kaoru replied as the two kept walking. Silence stretched between them as they walked, each lost in their thoughts about the peculiar offer to join the host club which had been extended to them.

"-smack a few feet with my cane." The twins caught the end of the sentence coming from in front of them. They shared a glance before looking at the two girls who approached them. One was a pretty brown-haired girl. She had a nice blue dress on, which would definitely pass their mother's standard for acceptable casual wear. The other one was a tad shorter with long black hair in a ponytail. She, though, would be judged severely due to her black tights and loose long shirt. She even had cheap converse on her feet.

"Good morning!" The brown-haired one greeted as they split up to pass around the girls. Kaoru nodded at her, while Hikaru inspected the black-haired girl's cane instead. The latter girl gave them a small polite bow as they passed, in complete silence. The twins shared another glance between each other, walking away from the odd pair. They heard the brown-haired girl gush to her friend in a low whisper.

"Perhaps, we should join?" Kaoru asked as they came to the staircase.

"We can always leave." Hikaru agreed.

Now, I'm actually done!

Do let me know if I've made any mistakes, spelling or timeline-wise. I'm rewatching the show as I'm writing this :)