Chapter 4

Anniversary

"That was two years ago, huh?" Rei said emotionlessly as she stared at her parents' portrait just above the hallway.

It was two years ago when Rei's parents died in a car crash. It was painful yet seemed very common in some ways. Rei guessed it was because she got over it after all those time.

Rei paid no attention to her parents' altar and headed straight towards the door.

"You're not gonna pay your respects to your parents?"

Rei sighed and turned around.

"I will, at the cementery."

Her grandmother smiled sadly at her. "You're very much like your father."

"I know."

Rei bid her grandmother goodbye and rode the limo.

Her grandmother sighed. "Sometimes I don't know what's going on in your head."

~*****~

The hosts watched as Rei walked out of the club room hurriedly.

"What's up with Rei-chan?" Honey asked to no one in particular.

"It's his parents' death anniversary today," Kyoya answered from behind, scanning Rei's page on his notebook curiously. "And it's also his birthday."

Honey's face lit up. "Birthday? What kind of cake do you think Rei-chan likes?"

"Wait, his parents' death anniversary and his birthday?" Hikaru and Kaoru questioned.

"We should follow him!" Tamaki beamed.

"Isn't that invasion of privacy?" Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Let's go!" Tamaki and the others head out with their ridiculous didguises. Haruhi sighed and followed them.

There they go again.

~*****~

Rei hopped out of her limo and stood near a lamp post as if waiting for someone. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. The Host Club watched in a distance as Rei's limo sped away, leaving him alone.

A few minutes later, a girl with the same shade of white hair as Rei ran towards him. She instantly hugged her tightly.

"Rei-nii!" She squealed.

"Ri-chan, let go." Rei shouted, squirming from her. The girl pouted.

"Aww, don't be so mean."

"Let's not waste time and go now." Rei walked away.

"Oi! Wait for me!" She ran up to him and walked beside him, cheerfully having a conversation.

"Eh? Does Rei..." Hikaru started.

"...have a girlfriend?!" Kaoru finished.

"That is his little sister, Mashida Rika. She's a year younger." Kyoya explained.

"Oh, so that's why they looked close." Haruhi stated.

"Anyway, let's go follow them!" Tamaki exclaimed.

"Roger!" Honey, Hikaru and Kaoru responded.

~*****~

They ended up in a cementery. Rei and Rika stood in front of two tombstones with the names 'Mashida Divon Serene' and 'Mashida Rino' written in silvery cursive letters.

Rei hung her head low as her bangs fall over her eyes, her face still expressionless as she hugged Rika, who was hugging her for comfort and was sobbing. Rei's hand was around Rika's shoulder.

"Dad, Mom..." Rei whispered. "I'm sorry... it was my fault that you... died... my stupid request... you couldn't have died..."

Rika looked up to her 'brother' with her tearstained face. She held Rei's cheek softly and used her thumb to remove the tears that Rei himself didn't notice.

"It wasn't your fault, Rei... stop blaming yourself..."

"But it was! They couldn't have died if I didn't ask for a stupid pack of cookies!" Rei kicked a rock that was on the ground angrily making it fly across the lake near their parent's burial.

"Please, brother. We've been over this..." Rika pleaded as she felt her 'brother' start another one of her storms.

"I... I'll go." Rei muttered quietly, leaving Rika standing alone in front of their parents' tombstones. Rika sighed and wiped her tears.

"I need to be strong... right, Mom?" She smiled. "I miss you. Dad too. I'm doing great. Rei's been a little... gloomy. But I promise I'll help bring the old him back. Oh, I'm gonna treat Nii-chan today! It's his birthday after all. Thanks for everything."

Rika paid her respects and put the bouquet Rei had a while ago in front of the tombstones. Then she ran away.

The Host Club stood there speechless. They just saw Rei's sister, followed them in secret to a private cementery and saw Rei in tears.

"I think we're invading privacy," Kaoru said quietly.

"I've been telling you that." Haruhi sighed. "Let's go back."

~*****~

"Happy birthday, Rei-nii!" Rika shouted as she burst into Rei's study holding a blue and white three layer cake. Rei barely looked up from her documents.

"Uh-huh, thanks," she muttered. Rika stared at her and puffed her cheeks.

"Wow, after my effort of baking such a good cake!" Rika complained, putting the cake on top of Rei's files. Rei sighed in what seems like annoyance.

"Fine, I'll eat the cake with you."

"Yay!" Rika hugged Rei and pulled her out of the study, ordering a maid to bring the cake to the dining room.

"Oh, I almost forgot! You're friends are here!" Rika said cheerfully.

"Huh, friends?" Rei questioned.

"Happy Birthday, Rei-kun!" The Host Club exclaimed as Rei and Rika opened the dining room door. Their Grandmother was also there.

Rei blinked. "What the...?"

"Kyoya saw it was your birthday so we came here to celebrate with you!" Tamaki cheered.

"Sorry if we're disturbing you," Haruhi apologised.

"No, don't apologize." Rei sighed. "Rika already disturbed me so might as well don't."

"Hello everyone! I'm Mashida Rika, second sucessor of the Serei Corporation." Rika smiled cheerfully. "I'm also Rei-nii's little sister."

Hikaru and Kaoru were whispering behind.

"They're polar opposites."

"Agreed."

"Since you are all here," Rei and Rika's grandmother spoke up. "Let us now eat."

"Yay! Cake!" Honey exclaimed jumping up and down as they all made their way to their seats.

They had a lot of fun. Rei had a lot of fun too but she wouldn't dare admit it. It was by far the most happiest birthday she had since her parents died.