The moment I stepped out of their car, eyes settling on the front door of the famed Morinozuka estate, I knew that there was no going back from this. Reality finally seemed to click into place as I stopped short, hand reaching up to brush the bandage still wrapped around my neck. The crutch beneath my free arm seemed to be supporting my entire weight in those seconds. A memory swept through my mind, the driver stepping up to retrieve my other crutch from the vehicle.

"The damage was severe. We did the best we could, but you'll most likely never speak again."

I shook my head, casting off the doctor's words. This wasn't the time to be gloomy. I should be viewing this as a fresh start-- a new beginning. No one knew me here, with the exception of my... father. He'd come to visit me in the hospital several times over the past two months. He'd said, however, that there would be others here, and that he wouldn't return to the estate until sometime the following week. My siblings would be the ones to greet me when I entered.

Taking a deep breath, I accepted the other crutch and began hobbling my way to the door. I'd nearly arrived when it suddenly swung open, a black-haired boy standing in the entrance. For several heart-beats, neither of us moved. It gave me a chance to study him. He appeared to be at least two, or three years younger than me, with clean-cut hair, but bangs that hung a few inches down the center of his face. His eyes, wide with excitement-- I hoped, anyways-- were the same dark-gray I'd seen on Morinozuka Akira, my father, and his skin the same, tanned shade as my own.

The only difference between us, I realized, was how my eyes were more similar to my mother's, a dark, dark chocolate brown that was nearly black. Then there was our hair, I supposed. My mid-back length locks were closer to a dark-brown than the coal black of the boy before me. Still, most viewed it as black...

"Taka-kun!" the boy suddenly shouted, spinning around and darting back into the house. "Taka-kun, she's here!"

I stared blankly at the now abandoned, but still hanging open, doorway. Even with my mind slightly dulled-- not nearly as sharp as usual-- by pain medication, I could match the boy's appearance to what I'd heard of my... family. Most likely that'd been the younger of my two brothers.

The word sounded so strange in my mind. For as long as I could remember, I'd been an only child. I hadn't belonged to a fancy estate like this one, but to a small, two bed-room apartment. My mother was a hard worker, but there was only so much she could do with her salary as an upcoming mangaka. The idea that I had now belonged to this house, let alone had brothers, felt so foreign I could barely summon up the courage to take another step forward. Knowing that standing there with a dumb look on my face when the boy returned with "Taka-kun," however, would make for a poor first impression, I forced myself past the shock of it all and swung my crutches forward once again.

My actions put me just inside the doorway when he reappeared with another stranger in tow. This one was nearly identical, but clearly more around my age, and quite a few inches taller than the first. There was also how the younger's face was lit up with excitement, but the older's betrayed nothing of his own thoughts.

"See, I told you," the younger was saying.

"Satoshi."

The single word, the younger's name most likely, seemed to do the work of several given that Satoshi's face suddenly gained a faint blush as he spun back to face me. He raised a hand to rub the back of his head, embarrassment plain in his expression.

"Sorry, I probably shouldn't have run off like that," he admitted. "I should've at least introduced myself first."

The older boy dropped his hand on Satoshi's head and ruffled the hair, a sign of approval I imagined. It did wonders, as Satoshi's face seemed to light up again, this time in utter delight instead of embarrassment.

He's kinda adorable, I thought as I shook my head, hopefully conveying that I didn't mind his actions.

Satoshi handled, 'Taka-kun,' stepped forward, gaze focused on my crutches. Before I'd even begun to wonder about what was going through his mind, I found myself being lifted up into the air by my armpits. My legs, both the one with the brace, and the uninjured, dangled in the air as I simply stared at him in bewilderment. The crutches the hospital had given me hit the ground with an audible clatter. My face flooded red the moment the situation clicked in my mind and Satoshi poked his head around 'Taka-kun' to beam at me.

"Taka-kun wants to help," he explained.

For a moment, I dangled there in the air, uncertain of how to respond to this. In turn, the person in question didn't move me anymore, his dark, unreadable eyes studying me. Realizing that despite everything, he might be asking for permission, I slowly nodded. After all, it seemed rude to reject his offer when we'd already come this far. Seemingly satisfied with that, 'Taka-kun' somehow-- the method lost on me-- managed to maneuver me around in his arms so that I was being carried princess style to the sitting room. Satoshi seemed to bounce behind us in excitement, my crutches held in his hands.

They certainly know how to make a first impression, I mused.

When we made it to the sitting room, 'Taka-kun,' placed me-- his movements gentle, as if I might break with anything more-- on the couch. Offering a smile as thanks, I adjusted myself till I was rather comfortable, then looked to the two boys with interest. If the exchange had taught me anything, it was that my new brothers were quite kind, if not a bit strange. Of course, that was only my initial impression. Whether or not this was right would be seen with time.

"So we should probably introduce ourselves, huh?" Satoshi mused.

He stood just a few feet away from the couch, looking as if he weren't certain whether staying there, or taking a seat was his best option. It was amusing, and backed up the idea that he was honestly quite adorable. 'Taka-kun,' however, had taken up an almost-guarding stance at the end of the couch, as if he were prepared to launch into action if his help was needed. Strangely, this guardian-like behavior was comforting, rather than unsettling like it probably should have been.

"I'm Morinozuka Satoshi. Um... I don't know what Otousan said told you about us, so I'll just give the basics of it. I'm fifteen, and a third year, junior high student. I go to Ouran Academy as well, though, so if you need anything I'll be on the neighboring campus!" Satoshi paused in his introduction, obviously giving time for a response, before his cheeks went red again. "Oh, right. We got--"

He cut off as 'Taka-kun,' suddenly left the room. I frowned, watching him go. Had I done something to upset him?

"Don't worry," Satoshi said, tone reassuring. "He probably just went to get it."

It?

Satoshi seemed to go into deep thought after his words, once again raising a hand to rub the back of his neck. Whatever was going through his mind, he seemed satisfied with it a moment later as he nodded to himself and then took off for the hall as well.

"I'll be back in a second," he said. "I'm going to go get your present!"

They got me a present? I wondered, a bit overwhelmed at this point. I didn't get them anything...

Maybe I should have. What did you get your younger, and... twin brother when you meet for the first time in fourteen years? The thought was a difficult one, and I was still rolling it around in my mind when 'Taka-kun' reappeared, a notebook and pencil in hand. Offering a smile as thanks, I took it from him when offered, and studied the notebook curiously. The style was rather cutesy, what with the outer side being a bright, glittery pink and decorated with a bunny icon in the center.

Did he pick this out? I wondered, flipping open the notebook. Well, I might as well ask.

Jotting down the question, I held it up for 'Taka-kun' to see. He glanced at the page, then shook his head.

"Mitsukuni picked it out."

"Mitsukuni?"

"Our cousin."

A bit frustrated with the short responses, but uncertain if pressing for more information might be considered rude, I found myself relieved with the more talkative of the two reappeared. The jacket he wore was now bulging with whatever he'd hidden inside, and there was a beaming grin on his face.

"We thought you might be lonely, suddenly moving here," Satoshi explained. "So, we got you a friend!"

I could only stare as he suddenly revealed the 'gift.' A tiny black kitten, that was little more than a ball of fur, sat in his hands. It began squeaking in protest as he cradled it in the nook of his arm and squirmed around, obviously not content with being held. When my shock faded, I abandoned the notebook and held out my hands eagerly. Satoshi was more than pleased to hand over the present, his happiness seeming to have grown when met with my obvious enthusiasm.

"We weren't sure if you liked cats," he admitted, scratching his cheek as I nuzzled the protesting kitten. "Chika said it was a stupid idea, and Mitsukuni thought we should get you a baby chick to match Piyo-chan. It was my idea to go with a kitten! I thought it was the better choice, and Taka-kun agreed."

Overwhelmed by all the unfamiliar names, I merely offered Satoshi a thankful smile before dropping my gaze to the kitten in my lap. Seeming to have decided to stop protesting over being held, it had begun kneading my skirt, claws pulling at the soft fabric, before turning around and dropping down with an adorable yawn that showed off all of its tiny teeth. Far. Too. Cute.

Reaching for my notebook, I did my best not to disturb the kitten as I jotted down a thanks, then held it up for the brothers to see. Then, after a moment of thought, I wrote, 'Taka-kun?' and turned it around to be seen. Satoshi, seeming to realize the introduction that had been left out, laughed.

"Right! That's Takashi. By the way, Otousan said you two would be attending classes together. He made sure you got the same teacher. Oh, and Taka-kun's also the kendo captain! And he's one of the top students..."

I watched, amused, as Satoshi began a long-winded description of his brother, every single bit of it dripping with appreciation. Obviously, he held a lot of respect for his older brother. Everything from Takashi being a kendo captain, to his favorite food was something to be praised.

"Oh, and he's also part of something called the 'host club,'" Satoshi announced. "I've never really been there, but it's gotta be cool if Taka-kun is in it."

I blinked, a bit startled by the news. Takashi was in a host club? They had one of those in a high school? Looking to the person in question, he seemed no more put off by the announcement than anything else that had gone on during the meeting. From what I knew, host clubs weren't exactly... well, school appropriate. They consisted of a lot of drinking and paid-flirting. I couldn't imagine a prestigious academy like Ouran allowing such a thing, but Satoshi didn't seem to be lying, either.

Well... I mused. I guess I'll find out on Monday.