DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN OURAN IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM

"Hello Mrs. Hitachiin, thanks for seeing me," said Mrs. Settou.

"Yuka, how many times I have told you, you can call me by my first name," said Yuzuha as the two ladies sat down.

"Sorry, but I figured I should address you properly since I called you here on business," said Yuka.

"What kind of business?" asked Yuzuha.

"Well it's just that I've been doing some thinking after my last show was so terrible," said Yuka.

"What, you mean the Eclipse line? I thought it was wonderful! I even wrote that in the review for the paper," said Yuzuha.

"Yuzuha, your review was the only good review I got," said Yuka holding up a few other magazines and newspapers, "Everyone else hated it."

"Oh, oh dear, I'm so sorry," said Yuzuha as she read some of the reviews, "That one seems a little uncalled for."

Yuka sighed.

"I haven't been getting any good reviews other then from you, and after this last show, I don't know, if I want to go on," said Yuka.

"But it's a good line!" said Yuzuha.

"You're the only one that seems to think so, which was why I wondering would you be intresting in purchasing the line?" asked Yuka.

"What?" asked Yuzuha.

"Would you want to buy the line?" asked Yuka, "You said you like it and if anyone can help turn it around you can!"

"But what about your daughter?" asked Yuzuha.

"I don't want Akane to feel like she has to continue with this line just because she's my daughter. I want her to find her own way, her own path in life, to make her own name for herself, not just handing onto the rings of her mother's name," said Yuka.

"Hmm that's very noble of you Yuka. My sons may still work with me, but they've been able to make their own name for themselves. It wouldn't matter if we were related," said Yuzuha.

"How's your granddaughter doing by the way?" asked Yuka.

"Asami, she's doing well, she's growing up so fast," said Yuzuha.

"How old is she now?" asked Yuka.

"Three and full of energy!" said Yuzuha, "Just like her dad."

"Oh that's nice to hear," said Yuka, "So are you interested in buying the line?"

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't, but I just don't want to steal your hard work like this," said Yuzuha.

"Oh I don't see it as stealing. I see it more as willing to carry on for me," said Yuka.

"Well if you say so," said Yuzuha as she pulled out her check book, "How's this?"

Yuka eyes open wide.

"Oh that's more then generous!" she said.

"Well to maybe on of these loser who don't realize how great the line is, but for me I see it as possibly a way help you being able to live a life happily and maybe start new line if you wanted to," said Yuzuha.

"Oh thank you so much for this," said Yuka. Just then the two heard the door open and shut.

"I'm home," called out Yuka's daughter Akane walking into the room.

"Hi honey," said Yuka, "I see you went and got your hair dyed pink like you threatened."

"I think I have a new idea for the Eclipse line," said Akane.

"Honey, how many times do I have to tell its over. That's why I invited Yuzuha here," said Yuka. Akane looked over at the woman sitting across from her mother.

"Mrs. Hitachiin, why is she here?" she asked.

"Honey I told you I'm going to sell the line to her," said Yuka, "And she accepted. Look at the check she gave us for it." Akane grabbed the piece of paper and looked it over.

"We can't accept this Mom!" she said.

"Yes we can," said Yuka, "This will support us and help start up any other business we wanted to."

"But I want to work on the Eclipse Line!" said Akane.

"Well if you want to really want to still work with fashion you can come work for us," said Yuzuha.

"Like I'd lower myself like that!" said Akane.

"Akane!" scolded her mother.

"What?" said Akane, "Just because she's made one few good looking dresses she thinks she's better then anyone! Well here's a newsflash for you, you're not!" At that Akane started to tear up the check.

"Oh no!" said her mother. She looked over at Yuzuha, "Please, my daughter doesn't know what she's talking about it!"

"Yeah I could have guessed that," said Yuzuha as she wrote out a new check, "Here."

"Wow, double," said Yuka looking over the check.

"Mom, please tell me you're not serious!" said Akane.

"Yes I am. Yuzuha is one of my best friends and I trust her with the line. Plus she wasn't trying to be rude when she offered you a job. She was giving you a nice offer! But if you don't want it then fine. This along with your father's inheritance is enough to help us live happily for a long time. Thank you Yuzuha," said Yuka.

"You're welcome," said Yuzuha as she stood up.

"Mom how could you do this?" asked Akane.

"Do what, save us from bankruptcy, giving us a new start? You're such a spoiled brat," said Yuka.

"But Mother, she just stole our future! Yes we can live rich but this line was able to put our name out there," said Akane, "You just let Hitachiin steal out future!" Her mother sighed.

"You think what you want. With this money, I'm sure you can find another way to make a new future for yourself," she said walking out of the room with the check.

'Yeah make my own future,' thought Akane, 'I will, maybe by taking those stupid Hitachiin's future!'

Aina Iko looked up in the window of a store that had a self filled with delicious cupcakes in them.

"Afternoon Aina," said the shopkeeper walking out of his store smiling at her, "Are you going to by yourself a cupcake today?" Aina shook her head no.

"I'll just take an apple as usual today. They're healthier for you," she said. The shopkeeper merely laughed.

"Very well," he said walking back into his shop and coming out with a nice looking green apple, "I always save the nicer ones for you."

"Thank you," Aina said politely.

"Was there anything else you needed?" asked the shopkeeper.

"Just my normal list," said Aina walking into the store with the nice old man.

"Oh I see," said the shopkeeper as he started to help gather up her stuff, "You know for a girl who likes to eat something healthy things as her snacks, you should seem to buy a lot of junk food."

"These aren't what I want, they're what my aunt wants," said Aina.

"Oh I see," said the shopkeeper, "You should tell her she should look into eating healthier. That includes to stop smoking."

"I'll try," said Aina as she paid for her things and headed out.

"See you later Aina," called out the shopkeeper. Aina waved to him before walking out towards her apartment building, one of the worst buildings in the neighborhood. She made her way down to the lowest floor at the far end of the dimly lit hallway to her apartment. As usual when she came in the only light came from the TV in her living room that was also a kitchen where her Aunt Wattan Kosodoro sat watching the TV laughing her head off about whatever was on.

"I'm home," said Aina as she walked in putting away her things quickly. Wattan looked over at her.

"Oh hey, about time, I was actually starting to worry a little," she said, "Did you get my stuff?"

"Always do," said Aina handing her the smokes, beer and magazine her aunt always asked for.

"Thanks," said Wattan, "Hand me some chips too. I'm hungry."

"Yes Aunt Wattan," said Aina. Wattan wasn't her real aunt. She was some sort of distance relative of hers. But after her mother died she was the only family Aina had so she was forced to go live with the woman. They didn't even look alike. Wattan had raggedy long black hairs and grays eyes, while Aina had pretty red hair and browner, almost golden eyes herself. Wattan started to flip through the magazine looking at the different articles.

"Oh god not them!" Aina suddenly heard her shout out.

"What, who?" Aina asked.

"Those stupid Hitachiins," said Wattan god who cares about those little fuck-tards?" Aina shook her head. Her aunt never seemed to like the Hitachiins for some reason. She didn't understand why really. They were just fashion designers. What did it matter to them?

"You think these assholes had something better to do then talk about those freaks of natures, especially those twins!" said Wattan throwing her magazine onto the table. Aina glanced over at the picture and saw it had a picture of the twins with their mother announcing something about reinventing something called the Eclipse line. It also had a picture of one of the twins with a woman and a child that were labeled as his wife and daughter. There didn't seem to be anything really wrong with the family. If anything they seemed like a really nice family. Just then there three hard knocks at the door.

"Better go to your room dork," said Wattan as she got up and headed to the door. Aina did so in a hurry, taking her backpack and apple with her. She tried pulling her door shut but as usual it would only go so far letting Aina hear and see everything that was happening outside her room.

"Who is it?" asked Wattan.

"Just a concern citizen," said the voice one the other side. Wattan opened the door and in walked a really big guy.

"Come on in," said Wattan as the two walked over to the table and sat down, "So what do you want?"

"What do you got?" asked the man. Wattan smiled and pulled out a big box.

"I got anything you ever wanted," she said.

"You got some of those uh ipods?" he asked.

"What color?" asked Wattan.

"Red," said the man.

"Here you go," said Wattan reaching into her box and pulling one out.

"Where do you get this stuff?" asked the man.

"A good magician never reveals her secrets," said Wattan, "Now then about the payment."

"I'll pay you $75 for it," said the man.

"Only 75 come on! I got a kid to look after," said Wattan.

"She's not yours though," said the man.

"So, I still got to feed her. Now come on, give a little more here!" said Wattan.

"Fine, 85?" said the man.

"Keep going," said Wattan.

"100, final offer," said the man.

"Deal," said Wattan as the man paid her and she handed him the ipod. That was how Wattan got her money. She peddled stolen goods to people. Aina hated it. She couldn't help but feel that it was wrong and wish that her aunt would get a real job for once. She looked out at her aunt counting the money after the man had left.

"Man how did I ever get along without that kid?" she heard her aunt say as she counted. That was all her aunt cared about, using Aina to get more money for her stolen items. She didn't care about Aina at all. She looked away finally as she went and started eating her apple. Maybe that was what Wattan hated about the Hitachiins; they had more money and had more things they could use to get it. Well in either case it didn't matter what the Hitachiins meant to her aunt. It's not like they would ever get involved with her life. As far as Aina could tell her future was looking really bleak.