Honami Ichinose's Past

It was just the three of us. Me, my mother and my little sister. We where a low income household as my mother is the sole earner. My father left us when my little sister was 3 years old.

It was sad at first but we moved past it, at least I did. My sister was too young for it to effect her and I sometimes heard my mother crying at night holding the framed photo of the whole family taken when my sister was just born. I can tell my mother is just pretending but it made it easier for us all if we reject the memory and don't bring it up.

Due to my mother picking up multiple part time jobs to keep us afloat, I was the one who usually looked after my little sister, Her name is Hinami. She is such a good girl, she never asks for anything. She's smart too, she knows that our situation is bad but she is the motivation that keeps me going.

Despite all of this, life wasn't too bad. There was one reprieve from all of the sadness, school. I loved school, I had so many friends who where always kind and helpful. We never had any fights and we all joined the gardening club, the one club that was free of charge at my school.

Of course in order for me to join that club I had to find a club for my little sister too, she ended up joining the drama club. Usually that club costed money but the teacher who ran it was extremely nice and allowed free entry for little Hinami.

Life was overall not that bad, that is until we got a bit older and all my friends started going out and doing things together. I could never go due to having to look after Hinami or not having enough money to join them.

This ultimately caused them to think that I didn't like them and only used them at school for popularity, of course that wasn't true but children have a one track mind and are surprisingly unwavering in their decisions. This led to me being lonely at school and relying on other sources of entertainment; studying.

I had an epiphany by the age of 12, if my family had more money we wouldn't have so many problems. So I would have to help earn some money for my family and so I dedicated my life to studying so I could get a good job and help out in the future. I couldn't get a part time job myself as I was too young.

From there I spent my life staying at home so my little sister could go out, someone needed to be at the house so Hinami could be looked after. In that empty house I studied until Hinami came back and cooked us dinner. After dinner I would play with Hinami until mother got home to put her to bed.

I didn't resent anyone for my situation, sure I was angry at mother sometimes but I knew she was doing her best. There was never a moment, not one second that I ever had a single thought of hatred toward Hinami. She was just living her life as an 8 year old.

Her being an eight year old, she began wanting things that costed money, namely one expensive hair clip. It costed a lot for just a hair clip. Obviously we couldn't afford it so there was only one other way to get it; by stealing it.

One day after school I skipped gardening club and went to the store that sold the same hair clip and stole it. That whole day and the next few days leading up to Hinami's birthday I had this burning hole in my stomach, I had so much built up anxiety and guilt after stealing and it made me feel horrible.

I confided in my mother one late night, "Mom?" I stood at the doorway to her bedroom, with my head down.

~Sigh~ she released a tired sigh, "What is it Ichinose?" She didn't even look over to me and carreid on getting ready for bed.

I stood there for a few more seconds in silence trying to build up the courage to tell her what an awful thing I had done, "So erm, you know how it's Hinami's birthday soon right?"

She responded with an acknowledging nod, "I err, I got her a present," At this she looked over at me, her crows feet beside her eyes prominant in the lighting of the room and her tired eyes looking directly into mine as if telling me to continue, "I ... it"

She gained a confused look, "What did you say honey? I couldn't hear you."

I realized that I mumbled the words as if to stop myself from telling her, "I... I stole it." My voice had gone up an octave and a tear began to form at each eye.

"I see... come here." She patted her lap. Slowly, oh so slowly I walked over to her and sat on her lap, my head pushed into her chest as she stroked my hair. My tears picked up, as did my breathing and crying, "Do you feel guilty?" I nodded into her chest as I couldn't find it in myself to verbally speak in the middle of crying.

after 10 minutes of that she spoke up again, "Leave what stole on my bed and I will return it tomorrow after work, they will understand okay?" Once again I just nodded my head, this time due to exhaustion.

The next night my mom spent 12 hours in a jail cell while I looked after my sister by myself, that was the beginning of the end for me. She lost both of her jobs and struggled to find another one, no one wants a part time worker who is a thief. She ended up getting all our food from homeless kitchens and such.

It was a very difficult time for our family, and it's safe to say Hinami didn't have her best birthday.

All of a sudden it was the end of school and I was 16, I had to look for a collage to get into but that was when problems came in. We couldn't afford the entry fees nor the expensive uniforms, my mother was depressed and tired all of the time, then I asked my math teacher to try and help me find a collage that I could get into for little money.

She had found one and had recommended me to it, it was called ANHS. I was required to go to an inteview where I would take a test as well so I studied all day every day until the fateful day.

After a few months of waiting a decision was made by the collage and I was rejected, ANHS had rejected my application. The reason was: we believe that your personality does not fit the criteria for our standards.

// Hinami's POV //

~RING RING ~ ~RING RIN-~ I groaned as I switched off my alarm, I checked my phone as I saw a message from my friend Sakuya, she was asking me to go out later and I responded with a : Yhea sure, I meet you at the park at 12

As I got out of bed and climbed down the metal ladder to me and my sisters bunk bed I saw Honami sleeping, with a frown I tried to wake her up and was received with a groan and a "Go away".

She has been like this since the second week of summer, she only leaves her bed to get her food and even then it's clear she's not eating enough. Her skin is pale and she's getting skinny.

I go down stairs to see the door closing, mother must have gone to work late and I just missed her. I went to the fridge only to see it bare besides a pint of milk and a few vegetables. Grabbing the milk, I poured it into one of the two bowls that was sitting on the counter filled with cereal.

"Oh my god!" It was all of a sudden. The shout was loud and unexpected of Honami, as I ran upstairs I could hear crying and the repetitive phrase "Thank you, thank you so much."

I walked into our room and hugged her, "what happened?"

With a beaming smile I hadn't seen in months Honami said, "I got in, someone pulled out of the offer and I was recommended by another person. They accepted me, look!"

Her phone was shoved into my hands and a message was on the cracked screen: Under careful consideration and another recommendation, you have been selected to replace a student in class B who has declined our offer to join ANHS. Congratulations.

// Ichinose's POV //

Thank you whoever you are for rejecting the offer, I vow to never take anyone for granted ever again. I vow to never steal again. I vow to always try my hardest to be kind to others.

// Japan, tokyo //

In a dojo a girl with short brown hair and wearing a yukata emblazened with the words michi no oni on her back sat. She was alone in the center of the fighting area, behind her stood a girl with blonde highlights and a boy with purple hair. There where two more people in the room, both men in suits and headsets to talk to others stationed around the building.

"This is unacceptable! I'm pulling out of collage!" The girl in the middle of the room shouted into the phone.

A panicked voice shouted back in outrage, the girls face was filled with anger "Well how about this, if you recommend a girl by the name of Honami Ichinose I won't pull out."

A few seconds passed before her face relaxed slightly, "I don't care if there is the maximum number of pupils at the school, i'll figure it out. Just do as I asked."

She pressed the red icon at the bottom of her phone and spoke up, "Get me a limousine ready, We are paying a visit to one Hayato Yuuki."

After a half hour of travel, four people stepped out of the car; Lucy Hall, Ryuen Kakeru, Miyu Abe and one man in a business suit. They walked up a flight of stairs to access the door in a run down apartment complex and knocked.

A minute later the door opened slightly and a man peeked through the gap, "I don't know what you want but you better get out of here if you know whats good for you." The voice was gruff and slurred, an obvious indication of alcohol consumption.

Lucy spok before he could close the door on them, "I am willing to give you an exceptional amount of money to withdraw your son from entering the ANHS collage."

This stopped the man from slamming the door, "How much are we talking?"

Miyu was the one who spoke next, "let us in and we can negotiate."

"No, you're not coming in!" The man got defensive and closed the door abruptly. Perhaps having the soldier with them was not such a great idea.

Ryuen was getting impatient and kicked the door, "You either let us in to negotiate or we kick down the door, beat you to a pulp and force you to pull the kid out. How does that sound?"

A few seconds and they where seated at a table opposite the gruff man, he had a dirty beard and old clothes on. The apartment smelt disgusting and was dirty but the group didn't say anything about the matter.

"Mr Yuuki, I am willing to offer you five million, six hundred thousand Yen under the condition that you withdraw your son." Lucy said gently.

The old man looked shocked but he had a hungry look in his eyes, "Well my sons education is very important to me, that's not enough."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, "Fine, I am willing to pay you 2 million yen every year for three years to exclusively pay for his education at a different establishment."

"Tch" The man didn't seem happy about those conditions, "No, I want something out of this not just that bastard!"

~eeeeeerrr~ It was at that point that a malnourished 16 year old opened a creaking door. The bot had green hair and was extremely pale. "D-dad, who are these people?"

"Tch, shut up and get back into your room or-"

"Or what? What are you going to do Mr Yuuki?" Lucy dropped all politeness and showed obvious anger and a promise of pain in her tone.

"N-nothing, fine I'll accept your first deal. Please give me the money and leave." The man looked shocked as if being caught in the act of something bad. It was obvious that things where turning bad for him so he decided that the best course of action was to give them what they want and get them out.

The man looked at his son in anger and Hayato Yuuki flinched back at the look. "Hayato is it?" Miyu asked in a soft tone. The boy nodded at her. "Hayato, will you come here please?"

The boy looked at his dad the whole time as he slowly walked over toward Miyu, The gruff old man looked at Lucy in confusion but she only returned a look that said she didn't know what was happening by shrugging her shoulders.

Miyu noticed that the teen, the same age as her, was smaller than her, an obvious sign of not eating properly for years. "Can you please take your tee shirt off for me? I promise I won't hurt you."

The boy looked at his dad and was received with a hard look, "I can't."

"I see..." Miyu spoke quetly.

// Lucy's POV //

"Hayato~!" That is the only thing i've been hearing for the last two hours, she's been mothering over the boy the same age as her since we took him under the 'organization'.

Miyu proposed an offer to him, drop out of collage and join us or go to collage for the next 3 years and return to his father afterwards.

The benefits of joining us was that he wouldn't have to go to school and would have a secure future, this way he would not have to see his father ever again. it's a win-win scenario.

it's especially a win for me, as I have been trying to get Ichinose Honami a spot into class C and I didn't even have to do anything.

Now it can begin, the planning stage for 'project: obtain #1 waifu'

I can't wait!

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Please let me know any other characters backstory's you would like to see!

:)