Chapter One: I Have always been a Shadow

They say that every light has a shadow and every shadow supports the light. With out one the other may not exists. Being a shadow is all Tsubaki Yuto has known to be her entire life. She's been cast out be her family and brought back several to a family of wealth, but there were also times when she left herself, hoping to find someone who would cast a light on the life that was in front of her that cast a giant shadow.

"Tsubaki! You must stop this, this instant. You're causing your father and I grief with the way you've been acting!" Tsubaki's mother lectured her eldest daughter for whet felt like the millionth time. "Why can't you be more like you sister, Mai?"

This was one reason why Tsubaki would act out sometimes. Her younger sister Mai was the one that her parents always wanted her to be like. Mai was perfect at everything she did while Tsubaki could do nothing right by her parents. She would try so hard to please them, but the harder she tried the harder she failed. But this time she had enough of it.

"Mother, I am not Mai. You and father need to stop asking me to like her. I am me and she is she. If you wish for me to no longer cause you and father grief then please cast me out of this house and send me to live with grandmother and grandfather. With my absences will this house truly be happy."

Tsubaki's mother suddenly slapped her eldest daughter across her face. "Never speak to me in that kind of manor young lady! You are the next heir of this family and you will act like it."

Tsubaki was slightly stunned by her mother's slap. When she looked over to the doorway she saw her Mai standing there watching. When their mother saw that Mai was standing there watching she quickly rushed over to Mai and tried to remove her from the room.

"We'll talk more about this later Tsubaki. For now, go to your room until someone comes to get you."

Tsubaki stood up from the chair she was sitting in, walked past her mother and Mai and made her way up the polished marble staircase that connected to a hallway that led to her room. When she opened the door to her room and closed it behind her years suddenly poured from her eyes. Her face was still stinging where her mother had slapped her. Sliding her back against her door and sliding down to the floor she pulled her knees into her chest, buried her face in her knees and started to cry. After a few minutes of crying Tsubaki took her cell phone from her pocket. There was one person she knew she could call for help.

Tsubaki flipped open her phone and pressed the #1 button for her Speed Dial for her grandfather. After listening her phone ring three times she finally heard the voice of her grandfather.

"Hello? Tsubaki?"

"Grandfather," Tsubaki said through little whimpers. "can you and grandmother please come over to the house?"

After her phone call to her grandfather, Tsubaki waited in her room. She had packed as many pages as she could with things that she would need and or thought that were important to her. As Tsubaki was finishing up she heard the sound of car doors shutting. Her grandparents were here. Tsubaki locked her last suitcase and waited for the eruption to start down stairs.

"Where is that eldest daughter of yours Misaki?! Where is Tsubaki?!" Tsubaki's grandfather yelled is bewildered daughter.

"Father!? Mother!? What are you doing here?" Misaki asked her father bewildered.

"Tsubaki called us! She told me what you had done and asked me to come get her. She wants to stay with us for a while. Now, where is Tsubaki?!"

Tsubaki threw open her door and went running down the hall to the foot of the polished marble staircase. Her grandfather saw her and the still red mark on her face.

"So, it's true. You did strike your child. Your mother and I didn't raise you like that Misaki."

"B-but father...."

"There's no buts Misaki. Your mother and I will be taking Tsubaki with us. Sometime away from each other will do you and her some good."

Misaki was just about to object to her father taking her eldest child when her husband stepped into the room with Mai following behind him.

"Let it go Misaki." Misaki husband told her.

"But Don..."

"I said let it go! Tsubaki has been nothing but trouble for the past couple of years. After her last stunt I was planning on having her go somewhere for a while and her title as being the next heir of this family striped from her. Mai will be the next heir of the family. Tsubaki will pack up her things and leave this house until I decide to have her return."

Tsubaki's father looked up at her from the lower levels. His eyes looked at her like she was an unwanted guest in his home. With out a word he walked away, leaving his eldest child. Tsubaki's grandfather and grandmother helped load her bags into the trunk of their car. As Tsubaki loaded her last bag into the car she looked back to see Mai standing in the door way. It looked like tears were about to spill from her eyes. Tsubaki walked up to her young sister wearing a smile and wiped the tears that were streaming down her sister's face. Tsubaki wrapped Mai in a tight hug, trying to comfort her younger sister.

"T-Tsubaki...I-I'm sorry..." Mai mumbled.

"Hey, it's not your fault Mai, it's mine with the way I've been acting and it's like father said. He was thinking of sending me way anyway."

Their grandfather called for Tsubaki, it was time for her to go.

"Listen Mai, you are the light of the Yuto family. I have always been a shadow, but I'll be your shadow and support you anyway I can, and you'll be my light."

Mai nodded and watched as her sister was leaving her life, for how long, she didn't know. As Tsubaki and her grandparents made their way home Tsubaki was looking out the window, just observing the scene that was zipping past on the over side of the glass. As Tsubaki was observing a crowd of people at a crosswalk one person seemed to catch her eye. A young boy who had to be about her age. He had a fragile outlook and was very small build for someone his age. He had light blue hair that was styled to his left. His eyes were blue, and from what she could tell he had a blank gaze as he stared down into his book. His skin was fairly pale.

"Tsubaki, what are you staring at?" Tsubaki's grandfather asked. Noticing that his granddaughter was staring out the window quite intensely.

"That boy, he's quite..." Tsubaki went to point out the boy who caught her eye, but when she did he was gone.

"What's wrong Tsubaki?"

"I-it's just... I thought there was someone there that looked quite interesting, but I guess I was mistaken."