Yuuto Sohma's Story

Yuuto Sohma

Another day, another glob of glass that glowed as bright as the sun on the end of Yuuto's pole as as he pulled it out of the furnece and rolled over the steel table some ways away from it. It was something that he was good at, something that calmed the storm of the mind and crated beauty out of something that was deemed functional only. An art that glowed like the smile on his face.

It was like working with taffy for the faun leg wearing male, as well as quick. It was only a matter of minutes that he created something that looked like it was preserved inside the glass and put inside another kiln for cooling. The purple haired male made his way inside, flopping off gloves and goggles onto a near by table. The couch itself looked like a nice place to plop down for a small nap, with the tail of the pants moving as he breathed and lulled off into lala-land.

He didn't live at the Sohma estate, actually some ways away from it for the sheer reason of keeping his sanity for him and everyone else. It was peaceful having his own place, even with all of the computer parts and cases everywhere. Working from home wasn't all that it seemed to Yuuto though, the near constant called of some of the others to check on due to his habits and reoccurring bouts of depression. At least people were looking out for me... he thought to himself as he finally fell into an afternoon slumber session.

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Hiiro's short legs swung off the side of the thin, front patio. She would of brought a chair, but it was too much work. So, there she was with her legs dangling. She was wearing an old-fashioned sundress. A cornflower blue one, in fact. The short sleeves clung to her shoulders and a small section clang to her chest before it was loose all the way down to her knees. It was made of soft and thin fabrics, the kind of fabric Hiiro loved to wear on days like this. Her thick, red hair was tied up into a ponytail, all sorts of clips and bobby pins sticking out of it so it will hold all her short strands of hair together so they wouldn't fall out and make a mess.

Her stomach, well....it was there. And you could defiantly see the small bump under the thin layer of dress. It was very noticeable to Hiiro. Too noticeable. And she was only just four months along. Does that Head of the Family ever go for walks? She's never seen him outside, so she's guessing he doesn't. Just so he won't see her. It's better to be safe then sorry.

Hiiro stretched her legs out to take a look at her painted toenails. She wasn't wearing any shoes, seeing as she hates wearing shoes anyway. They were painted orange, just like a sunset. She sighed, a scowl reaching to her face. She was waiting as patiently as she could for all the younger ones to get home from school. Haruji, too...whatever he was doing. She was pretty sure he wasn't in school anymore. He had told her what he was doing today before he went off, but being Hiiro, she didn't really pay attention.

Hiiro stood up slowly, with the sudden urge to do something. She was over at Yuuto's house...just from being bored at hers and wondering what he was doing all alone in this house. She liked keeping people company, even if they didn't want any people there. As soon as she was up, she stretched her arms out and gave out a yawn before running inside the house. She didn't even bother to close the shoji doors, seeing as she liked seeing the scenery whenever she was inside.

"I'm bored!" she called out to Yuuto, whom she thought was working in the backyard doing his painty-those-window-things-they-have-in-churches thing. She had no explaining to do. She just said she was bored so if he wondered what she was doing, he'd know she's doing it because she's bored.

She headed over to the small pantry and looked around for a package of rice. She had decided that she was going to make a small snack for everyone. Hopefully Haruji would see her sandals on the front patio at Yuuto's house before he heads to her house or his. If Haruji decided not to come, Yuuto and her would have extra rice. She spotted a raw rice package sitting in the corner and picked it up and brought it over to the small, silver rice maker sitting on the counter top.

She opened the lid of the rice cooker and then opened the package. Usually, she'd have a container of raw rice somewhere in that pantry. It was just the extra rice they wouldn't use, but that was all gone now. They had eaten it all. She made rice a lot...

She gently poured the rice into the bowl. She closed the lid, then pressed the small yellow "white rice" button before pressing the small "cook" button below it. The rice maker quickly heated up and a small puff of steam began coming out of the cooker.

"Yuuto?" She said as she ran over to the backyard....which had the shoji doors open as well leading out. Even though she was pregnant, she had no energy to lose. She was still as jumpy as ever. However, he wasn't there. She glared at...well, nothing...as she ran back inside the house. Maybe she had missed him somewhere....

She looked over at the couch and there he was. Already asleep. She kept that glare on her face as she ran over to him and roughly shook him by the shoulders."You want rice, right? I'm making some. Even if you don't want any, you're getting some. Okay?" she tried to say as innocently as she could, making it sound like that was the appropriate way to ask. Even though it was "innocently", she had yelled pretty loud.

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The small local café of La Caféothèque situated itself smack-middle in one of the many streets the surrounding area provided, boutiques, general stores and another café or two also littering the avenue. It was Spring time, the flower baskets that hung outside the café's doors bursting with life and colour. As it was the afternoon the sun shone it's brightest, naturally warming up the little café inside, the customers basked in the sunshine provided. It was the calm before the storm, the last trickle of a customer or two before the school kids got out. Almost instinctively the café soon cleared, bar a patriot or two, giving Haurji Sohma a good chance to finish early for the day.
"H-e-y, Ji-kun, you sure you need to go n-o-w... ?"
After serving his last customer of the day with a latte and a slice of coffee cake, Haruji was quick in cleaning up after himself, wiping down the counters of the kitchen for the head baker, Eizaborou, to use in the next shift. However the co-owner of the café had yet to arrive, Eizaborou probably running to the café at this point after a morning deep in paper work and paying no mind to the time. Usually Haruji would stay until whatever hour he was required to, however today was different. This change in pace piqued the curiosity of the other co-owner of the joint, Bachigo, who always liked to gossip a bit too much. Bachigo was good natured however very touchy feeling, something her husband Eizaborou scolds her for, especially knowing how uncomfortable Haruji tends to get when Bachigo threatens him with a hug. Without him there to moderate his busy-bodied wife, however, Haruji knew he was going to have a hard time shaking her off his scent.
The twenty-year-old finished cleaning up, folding up his apron with the usual cheerful smile he has plastered across his face, obviously ignoring Bachigo's question, as much as it pained him. Bachigo picked up on this immediately, taking a couple of steps closer to the boy, a sly grin on her lips.
"Ji-kun, you may be a good housewife, but you know you can't keep secrets from Ba-sama!"
Haruji, despite the potential trouble he was in, with Bachigo inching closer to him, ready to attack, could not help but chuckle at her last comment.
"Ba-san, you don't know the half of it..." Haruji thought himself, still trying to avoid Bachigo in the short while left he had before Eizaborou came to save the day. All he needed to do was to avoid the meddling thirty-odd-year-old, who was itching to ruffle his hair or squeeze his cheeks, something she did often to every other employee except Haruji... Unless she got her way right that moment. Haruji continued to get ready to leave, putting his large brown duffle coat on his shoulders, searching through his bag to make sure everything was there. Bachigo, never a fan of being ignored, pouted, feigning a sad and sulky face at the rejection from one of her younger employees.
"Oh, Ji-kun, you're breaking my heart! Come here, listen to the silence in my chest!"
Bachigo motioned towards Haruji at the speed of a devil, causing Haruji to try and escape at the same speed, whacking into the large counter that was in the middle of the kitchen. Slightly injured in his flight Haruji kept on running, heading for the door, nearly bumping into Eizaburou who, instead, bumped into Bachigo who was chasing Haruji out the door.
"Ji-kun, come here, I just wanted a hug!" Bachigo laughed, the large frame of her husband in the door protecting Haruji from her assault, Eizaburou looking around to see the out-of-breath Haruji behind him, giving the boy a sympathetic look.
"Sorry I took so long, Haruji-kun, you can go now... And sorry about Ba-chan."
Haruji gave a relieved smile at the sight of his saviour, giving a grateful nod to the respected baker and a "Thank you Eizaborou-san!" before running out of the café, the disappointing Bachigo watching her prey go.
"You always ruin the fun!" Bachigo pouted, followed by a wide smile and a kiss on the cheek to her husband. In the end, all the fun was in jest, and although Bachigo enjoyed messing around with young Haruji, she much preferred her husband...
... Although the kid never told her where he was going!

Out in the safety of the sparsely populated street, Haruji rubbed the side of his hip and stomach area, feeling the sting of hitting against a marble countertop. However the injury was nothing Haruji couldn't endure and after a while he grew accustomed to the pain. Bachigo always meant the best but she sure was rough; hopefully Eizaborou would lecture her, calming her down for at least a day or two. At that moment, though, the café could wait; Haruji had to head home, or rather, home of the day. It has already been three days since he returned home to his father and although he worried about him… Haruji found it difficult to return. Of course he would probably return home in a day or so, but for now he would enjoy himself in the good company of others.
That day Haruji was heading out to Yuuto’s place, where last he checked Hiiro was staying also. He hoped they were alright; after all, Yuuto was used to living by himself and Hiiro seemed to be having a difficult time at the moment. Although they were his seniors, Haruji could not help but think of them as if they were the same age as him, although he did come across as a bit childish at times. Not that he minded; if having fun around others was childish, he didn’t mind a bit!
After all, Haruji enjoyed it too much, going to other people’s home and sniffing around their houses, talking to them… although he was always careful in Yuuto’s, what with all the computer and glass parts, it was like a house of fragility! Haruji thought of all this as he bumbled along the road, wearing a heavy coat, a long-sleeved white shirt and a pair of khakis, looking quite warm in the mild Spring weather. It did not hinder the sprightly youth much, as he turned off the main-streets, heading into the residential areas, specifically Yuuto’s abode.
Haruji had grown so used to going over to other’s houses that he knew where most of them lived, having no trouble finding Yuuto’s home. Using a spare key that was hidden underneath a pot of flowers outside the door, Haruji opened the front door, unsure on whether or not anyone was there.
The Family Head was meant to see a few people that day, rumour had it, however Haruji was unsure whether Hiiro or Yuuto went to the meet yet, if they were planning at all.

”Hello?”] Haruji called, still standing in the front door, spotting the shoes in the doorway, the evidence that no one had left the house so far. Accustomed to entering other’s houses, Haruji began to take his shoes off at the door, leaving his bag alongside it, wandering in the house in search of others. What he found was Hiiro shaking Yuuto from his slumber, shouting at him about rice of some sorts.
”Hiiro, what are you doing to Yuudyr?” Haruji laughed, glad to see his cousins once more, still quite lively, or Hiiro at least. He always seemed glad to see others, actually, giving a large smile to the both of them before wandering farther into the room.
”Hm?... When did Yuudyr grow legs like those?”
Haruji stood alongside Hiiro over Yuuto with a curious gaze; although it was a common sight to see Yuuto having his afternoon sleep, Haruji could not help but wonder when the furry pair of trousers were added into the mix.

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“1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6! 7! 8! 9! 10!”
The couch’s high-pitched voice echoed above the heads of the students in front of her, following them from behind, the assistant coach leading them from the front. It was a medium-sized group of twenty or so girls, all jogging in an orderly three by seven formation, all members of the track & field club of the local all-girl junior high-school. Each time the coach reached the number ten, the running girls would give an enthusiastic shout, almost as though they were participating in army drills. The team quite well in marathons and competitions, passersby who kept up with the local sports clubs smiling and waving at the girls that past, who kept their focus on the jog ahead. They could be heard from quite a bit away, their shouts echoing down the streets around them, causing people on the road, even a bit ahead of them, to turn around, curious of the noise. As the high-school students began to leave school, heading home or somewhere else, the noise mystified them, causing them to stand in place for a second or two, to see where the noise was coming from. Most of them stopped, bar a view disinterested students, who kept looking forward ahead of them, not bothered by the shouting at all. Eventually the team came down the street, and what little school students that wandered that particularly desolate avenue stood out of their way, watching the girls go past. The club members did not pay attention to any of them except for one school girl, also coincidentally a junior high student, who paid no heed to their jogging. Recognising the face, the team captain, Akida Hase, beamed at the rather tall young girl, waving in her direction.

“Miuru-kouhai!” Hase called, drawing the attention of the other club members who also knew the girl, following Hase’s lead and waving at the girl also. They soon began to outpace Miuru Sohma, who was just walking at a normal pace, and thus not much else could be said between the team members. As the coaches nodded in Miuru’s direction, followed by shout directed at the girls, telling them to pay attention ahead of them. However, some still looked behind at Miuru, waving at her in a friendly manner.
“Hey, Sohma-kouhai!” one girl called, her face lost in the jogging crowd that was starting to get ahead of Miuru at this stage “Don’t just laze around tomorrow, run with us!”
Miuru said nothing in retaliation or even in her defense, the girl obviously poking fun at another track & field member. Eventually the group was quite a bit ahead of her, off to continue their practice. All the while Miuru’s expression did not change throughout that encounter, looking blankly into the space in front of her, almost as though she did not actually pay attention to what happened, or perhaps did not care. She simply carried on walk the path, with the intent of going home early for the first time in a while, missing the practice due to the fact that she had business with her father. Miuru was unsure whether she missed not having practice or not, regardless, it did not matter; she would always attend the next day.
However her bright green eyes followed the running group, seeing them just a bit farther in the distance before they turned the corner, leaving the road clear and open once more. Once the team left the street Miuru was able to look ahead of herself a bit down the road. Besides a couple of stray students, the only interesting thing left to see was a girl panting at the side of the road, looking as though she was a straggler of the earlier running group. Miuru knew better; she was not a member of the club. As she drew closer, the fourteen-year-old girl was able to depict who it was with more clarity; instead of being a member of the track & field club, it was Keiko Sohma, looking as though she ran a marathon. She was a bit older than Miuru, however only a little bit taller, another cursed member of the Sohma clan.

”…Keiko-san.” Miuru greeted, standing alongside Keiko, her voice quite dull and her face brimming with emptiness, nothing much to her person.
With a nod in Keiko’s direction, Miuru carried on, never thinking of stopping and conversing with her cousin. Not out of rudeness, more so it never crossed her mind. It was not as though she was in a hurry, as she walked at a normal pace, not quite far ahead of Keiko by much.

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Yuuto Sohma

And afternoon nap was something that Yuuto enjoyed from time to time, espectially on the start of summer and the unbearable heat and humity it produced. Dreams of a life without the curse floated through his mind. No longer did the fear of transforming into a goat paralize him as he walked through the streets in his dream.

This is...until he was pulled into the land of the living by Hiiro's shaking and shouting. He bleated loudly, nearly falling off the couch from the rude awakening. "Ok! Ok! I'll take the rice! Just stop shaking me!" He pleaded, flailing around like a fish out of water. It suddenly came to mind that yes, he did have people in the house...and yes his quiet time would be nothing more than a trying to keep hiiro entertained so she won't choke him.

At the very least, he could hear Haruji walking in. 'I just had to give everyone a key to the house.' he thought to himself as he sat up on the couch and laid back. It took him a minute for the question to register, for he had forgotten that he had been wearing them in the first place. He looked down, now actually remembering that he was wearing them in the first place. "Oh, right. I ordered these a while ago and they got in last week. They're just house pants." He said, smiling at him. Something that was somewhat getting rarer and rarer these days. "How was work?"

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Just when Hiiro was thinking about kicking the senseless boy awake, she heard Haruji enter through the front door. She huffed as she continued rambling on about the rice she was making. Haruji came into the living room and Hiiro looked at him with obvious annoyance spread across her features.

”Hiiro, what are you doing to Yuudyr?” was the first thing Haruji asked as he watched the scene unfold infront of him.

"Well, Haruji, I've decided to be a very generous person and make some rice for him, but of course, this lazy bum--! She shouted as she smacked Yuuto on the shoulder at the mid-point of her sentence, "--Doesn't want to answer me. You know, if you don't want any rice Yuuto, I'm just going to give you more. She said stubbornly, sensing that he was probably awake now after all the racket she had made. She crossed her arms over her chest as she walked off to the kitchen to check on the rice. She heard Yuuto saying something behind her, but she didn't bother listening.

Listening to the comment Haruji made about Yuuto's pants, Hiiro laughed quietly. "Yeah, Yuuto, those are some weird lookin' pants. You're going to end up like one of those Harajuku girls you see on the crazy side of Japan." She joked as she took a sharp turn down the hallway as soon as she saw Haruji's bag by his shoes and collected it. She brought it back to the kitchen and put it on one of the counter tops without even thinking about it. It just naturally came to her. The motherly ways. She walked back down the hallway and stopped to poke Haruji on the back. "You're getting some rice, too." She said, not even giving him a chance to reply as she walked back to the kitchen.

"Now hush, everyone. The child is sleeping." She said soothingly...as if she wasn't the one making all the noise. Of course, she didn't know if the infant inside of her was really sleeping but she pretended like she did. Like the baby and her were secretly whispering things to each other somehow and the baby had told her all its plans for today...

DING

"Oh, It's done!"She shouted, as if she had just one some sort of gold medal, and then was back to her noisy self....forgetting what she had just said two seconds ago. She quickly scrambled around to try and find a few bowls and the rice scooper spoon. Once she had found all the things she was looking for, she set the three small bowls out across the counter top and opened the lid to the rice maker. She peeked over to see the cooked rice, only to get a puff of steam in her face from the heat. She coughed as she waved the steam out of her face. Then, she took the rice scooper and started scooping out an equal amount of rice to put in all the bowls.

"Yay! I'm done. Come and get it." She said, not caring if she was interrupting any kind of talk the boys were having as she set each bowl in front of a mat on the low table. Once that was done, she went over to a bowl and sat down on her knees. She looked around, feeling like she had missed something....

"Somebody get the chopsticks!" She pleaded, being to lazy to get up in her current state.

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Haruji’s attention was still held by Yuuto’s curious trousers, despite his cousin’s response, only barely registering the question Yuuto had asked him.
”Work? Oh, yeah, it, uh, it was great!”
Haruji gave a small smile and a laugh, not quite used to someone asking how his work day went. He didn’t really see it as interesting, only bringing work up if he brought some food home… to which, he eventually forgot, in his flight from Bachigo. A twinge of regret was felt in his gut, however; the soft melancholy of forgetting to take cakes and sweets home. The only thing that would cheer him up would be poking Yuuto’s leg, in inspection of the trouser’s material.
”Oh, it’s of good quality!” Haruji noted, the sight of fur reminding him of his first-year cultural festival in high-school, where he had the unfortunate task of sewing cheap clumps of manufactured fur to create some sort of creature costume for a horror house… It kind of reminded him of being a high-school kid, even right down to a doting mother, as Haruji watched Hiiro collect his things from the hall in and put it in the kitchen.
He wondered if Yuuto minded if the duo were raiding his house, however he looked quite comfortable on the sofa, which warranted an extra poke to the leg from Haruji in a jesting manner. Haruji was quite startled, thus, when his poke was returned from Hiiro, who informed him of the rice.

”What, I’m even being fed?” Haruji asked, quite touched, his face distorting into quite a dorky smile of glee. It was rare that he got the chance to sample other’s food, especially Hiiro’s, which were quite good in their own respect, even if it was just rice.
Haruji followed her into the kitchen, quite the happy bunny, catching Hiiro’s last comment, referring to her child. Well, child in the womb; it was still hers, regardless. Being reminded of Hiiro’s situation, Haruji was also reminded of the family met that was to be had that day; he wondered if Hiiro was planning to tell the Family Head about her pregnancy… however, she did seem to enjoy simply getting them rice, Haruji did not want to spoil the atmosphere with complicated topics. It was enough for everyone to be happy, in his opinion anyway.

Upon Hiiro’s request, Haruji grabbed the chopsticks from a kitchen cupboard, setting them absently on the kitchen table before returning back into the living room to Yuuto.
”Yuudyr, if you are planning to go back to sleep, I’m going to eat your share!” Haruji called from the living room door, returning back into the kitchen in fear that his own share would grow cold…

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Miuru carried along walking, whether or not she was surprised that Keiko was unknown. However the younger girl looked up, upon Keiko walking beside her and talking, despite the lack of conversation on the other end. Miuru remained looking disinterested, although her eyes settled on the talking Keiko, absorbing what was being said.
Keiko smiled a lot whilst talking, despite the lack of response from her cousin, something Miuru had picked up about Keiko. She came across as polite and nice, willing to talk to Miuru, something the dog zodiac appreciated, in some manner of form. Said appreciation was never said or expressed, however, as Miuru remained silent as Keiko carried on talking to her, until they had to part, her cousin noting her visit to the current Family Head, Aiko, before leaving Miuru’s company.
”... Good luck Keiko.” Miuru said, despite the fact that by the time she had said it Keiko was already out of hearing range for Miuru’s soft tone of voice. She couldn’t help but wonder what was occurring; there was always a bit of curiosity from everyone, upon hearing a cursed family member is about to visit Aiko. Maybe it was something to keep the gossipers busy, but Miuru found it was worthy to note; not many visited Aiko simply for a visit.

Alas, suspicion would not carry her home and Keiko, already left towards the Family Head house. Miuru did not have to walk farther, living quite close-by due to her father’s responsibilities. The house she resided in was not quite grand, however it was a well-kept home, with delicately tidied front gardens of bright tulips and rose bushes, all handled with care. It looked like a normal household from outside; a bit modern, if there was any complaints. But it was home nonetheless, and Miuru’s destination, as she walked down the small garden path to the door, producing a pair of keys from her coat pocket and entering the house.
Inside it was quiet, besides the hum of a dishwasher and a chirp or two from a bird outside, audible inside due to an open window somewhere. The silence was almost immediately broken, as a slow sound of feet could be heard from upstairs, as if they were uncertain whether or not someone had entered their domain.

”I am home.” Miuru declared as loud as she could manage, taking off her shoes and her coat before ending the hall. Upon hearing her voice the slow steps broke into a fast pace, someone racing down the stairs upon hearing Miuru’s return.
“Miuru!” the older gentlemen announced with a warm smile, almost as though he was happy to see her face. He seemed a bit sweaty, after running around to get down the stairs to her, however the middle-age man seemed quite friendly. There was no reason for him not to be; after all, it was her father, Meitarou, the same father who requested her to return home early that day.
”Father!” Miuru mimicked her father, however with less enthusiasm and no warm smile returned, stepping further into the hall to enter further into the house.
However her father reached out to stop her, his hand hesitating over her shoulder at the last second. Miuru stopped in her tracks and looked her father in the face; it was evident that he was need of some sort of assistance, as hastily as said aid could be provided.
“Miuru, have you seen my… my note anywhere?” Meitarou asked kindly, despite the fact that he was getting stressed out by their absence. It was indeed a rare occurrence that he would leave his notes to be lost somewhere, especially these days, however he could have meant any notes; notes about patients, notes about an interesting documentary he watched on television, a note he wrote for the weekly grocery… Miuru shook her head, suspecting, whatever her father was referring to, she, most likely, did not see them around.
Meitarou let out an anxious sigh, rubbing his head in though, his daughter his last resort of sorting out the clue. His wife was little help,as he resigned to the garden for the day and would bitterly reject ever seeing any note lying around. His last hope was Miuru, which was quickly dashed…

”... Have you retraced your steps, father?... Where have you been last?”
It was a simple question but an efficient one; enough to oil the cogs of Meitarou’s memory. He sat himself down on the bottom step, rubbing his chin in thought, mentally going through his day once more.
“Well… I woke up? Got breakfast, yada yada, did some paperwork… I went out for a bit, checked up on some patients… Then, later, I texted you to come home?”
It was obvious the man was missing a chunk of the day, but Miuru discarded this oversight and focused on the information her father provided.
”... your last patient…”
“Hm?”
Meitarou did not quite get what his daughter was getting at, at first, however it eventually made sense what she was referring to.
“Maybe I left it with the last patient… ?”
Meitarou got to his feet, a wide grin crossing his mouth.
“I left it with the last patient!”

There was no confirmation to that, however it was a start. Miuru, satisfied with the work she had done so far, began once more to attempt a retreat to the kitchen. Once more, however, her father stopped her, pulling gently on the collar of her shirt.
“Wait! Miuru! Could you do me a big favour?”
It was quite obvious at this point what he was referring to. He was likely too busy, once more, in paperwork to go out once more to retrieve these notes. Without any further questions, Miuru returned to the door, putting her shoes on once more.

”Who… was it?” Miuru asked, getting up onto her feet once her shoes were on, and grabbing her coat off the hook.
“Hm, it… it was Aiko-san, yes.” Meitarou mused, his voice tinged with a uncertainty, however his eyes gleaming, remembering the amount of work he had left on his desk upstairs. It was quite obviously Aiko, anyway; the rest of Meitarou’s patients were senile elderly people who he visits simply to check if they are doing already out of a bit of charity on his part.
However Miuru didn't seem at all phased at the proposition, putting her coat on and opening the door, leaving the house only minutes after she returned. As she began to walk down the garden path once more, Meitarou went to the door, calling after her.
“Don’t look in it!” he hissed, not wanting to shout after her outside “It is all confidential! Just come straight back home with it!”
Whether or not Miuru quite registered her father’s order was uncertain; it was unlikely she would ever look into a possession of her father’s, however; it held little interest to her, besides doing an errand for her father.

Thus Miuru retraced her own steps, returning back to the residential street but instead turning towards the path Keiko took, towards the Family Head’s house. She was unsure what she would find there; if one member was visiting, it was likely someone else would join them. Miuru wasn't planning to start long, regardless, as she made way to the house.

Yuuto Sohma

If anything, the company of people was something of a refresher to him. The embracing of people after such a dark time in his life was...a good thing at the very least. Although being poked in the leg by family and shaken by another is something he noted in his mind that he would have to get used to.

"I don't think Hirro's gonna let me skip out on eating again after last week." He said as he stood up from the couch and grabbed himself a bowl of rice. "I doubt she wants to find me passed out on the floor and I don't wanna wake up screaming from hot broth and udon being shoved in my mouth." He snickered to himself, while also wanting to push that memory away a bit because of the fact they also found him on the couch looking dead. Or at least almost dead.

"At least it's better than my cooking at least." She said in between mouthfuls of rice, every now and again licking stray grains back into his mouth. Yuuto blinked a bit, realizing that he wasn't alone in his house to eat in such a way and cleared his throat "So...yeah...uumm...You guys hear about anything happening durring the summer?" He asked, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

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Hiiro had mumbled a "thank you" once Haruji set the chopsticks down on the table. She quickly grabbed a pair of chopsticks for herself and sat patiently at the table and waited for the others to join in. She remembered thisfeeling....with her fiancé. She'd always cook the meals and would silently wait for him in one room. Sometimes she'd even wait ten minutes without moving because he would be in the shower or doing something. She had no idea where he was now, though. Probably off kissing another girl. One that didn't turn into a snake every time a boy hugged her...

”Yuudyr, if you are planning to go back to sleep, I’m going to eat your share!” Haruji called out as he entered the kitchen. Hiiro was snapped back into reality and she peeked her head over to see where Yuuto was. She opened her mouth to call out to him before she saw him heading to the kitchen to eat. She closed her mouth and sat back.

"Well, how are you suppose to stay healthy if you don't eat, Yuuto? I only feed you because I'm the more responsible one and I know what's best for your health." Hiiro retorted to his comment about her forcing him to eat while he's half-asleep. A playful smirk played across her features as she watched him sit down and begin to eat.

She too began to eat her rice. Slowly but surely. She took her chopsticks and was grabbing tiny balls of rice with them before stuffing them into her mouth. She stopped eating to glare at Yuuto for his rude eating, with half the rice in his bowl and the other half on his face. She sensed before that he would begin eating that way, despite her telling him last time to not eat so rudely. She ignored the comment about her cooking being better then his, and continued glaring.

She doesn't know if he saw her or not, but he stopped eating so noisily and asked, "So...yeah...uumm...You guys hear about anything happening durring the summer?" out of embarrassment. She stopped her glaring and began to eat her rice again. "No, I haven't heard anything." She answered while trying to think if she in fact had heard anything. She was thinking when her mind suddenly drifted to something else...

"Oh my gosh!" She yelled out, suddenly remembering, "We have to go meet this 'Head of the Family' dude! How could you let me forget?! It takes me hours to do my hair! I need to at least look appealing! And I gotta pick out the right outfit....!" She yelled, scrambling to eat all her rice. She didn't know why she was in such a hurry, but she just was. It was a big thing for her. She quickly ate up all her rice before standing up and almost tripping over herself. She swiftly regained her balance though, and ran over and sat her bowl on the counter top so she could wash it later.

"Put your bowls up here once you're done. I gotta go do something with this--" She said as she gestured to herself, "I'll meet you guys out here in fifteen minutes. You're both coming, and if you don't want to, you get to stay here and wash the dishes!" She said, also reminding herself that there was more dishes to be cleaned after the previous meals.

She scrambled down the hallway to the bathroom, taking out her pony tail and bobby pins on the way. She knew she took awhile to get ready. She turned the bathroom light on and realized that none of her things to do her hair with were here, and neither were her clothes. "Ahh! This isn't my house!" She screamed out in frustration, feeling dumb that she didn't realize this sooner. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes!" She called out as she went out the front door quickly and closed it behind her. She ran over to wear her sandals were and slid them on her feet before speed-walking back to her house. It wasn't that far away. Just right around here. She realized that she should probably stop running, seeing as she is in her current state and would probably have back pains later. She began speed-walking all the way to her house, hoping the boys would be ready once she got back...

Ichirou Sohma

---

No answer.

Ichirou knew she had seen it, he had bought her an iPhone for her birthday last year and she was too nice to turn off the Read Receipts. She was probably with Aiko. The one thing that bugged him was how much Keiko was attached to the Head. He asked more than a year ago if she loved Aiko. She replied with her usual smile and an, “Of course,” but he assumed she didn’t fully understand what he meant.

“Oh well. I’ll find something to do,” he said, looking at his phone again, opening up the contacts. “Who to bug, who to bug,” he chanted as he scrolled through his contacts. “Maybe I call Hiiro … or Yuuto. They are always with Haruji, so maybe we can all do something tonight.”

Ichirou tried Yuuto’s cell phone first. There was no way he was going to sit at home for the rest of the day without anything to do. No doubt he would go by Keiko’s house later and convince her to go to the park with him. But for now he needed other company while she was doing whatever Keiko did while she spoke with Aiko.

Yuuto Sohma

If there was anything that made Yuuto want to curl up into a ball or run away; it was a meeting with the head and he wanted none of it. He watched as hiiro left cheerfully to get dressed at her house and once she was out of eye and earshot started to trumble. "Notyetnotyetnotyet! It'stoosoonandtheheadisstillpissoffwithmeaboutwhoknowswhatandifshegoesinnowwhoknows-" His manic rambling drove him to pace around the house a bit, forgeting haruji was even there. That is until his cell phone rang. The only problem was that is was somewhere in the house sounding off. "Hold on give me a minute!" He said, now physically shaking from the stress caused by the thought of being dragged to see the family head. It was a bit too much.

So much so that it caused him to be replaced by a big horned goat with a head topped with purple. But he didn't seem to notice as he still ran about the house, missing all sort of of glass sculptures and computer cases to find it Once found however, trying to hold and answer it was something else entirely."Damnitdamnitdamnit! Hello?" He answered, setting to phone down with his mouth, not frustrated with being a goat, while trying to work his phone. If the day hadn't gone bad in his mind, he didn't know what would make it any worse now.

Ichirou Sohma

---

Ichirou rolled around on his bed as the phone continued to ring. Maybe he is working on something, Ichirou thought right before his fellow farm animal answered his cell phone.

“Damnitdamnitdamnit! Hello?” Ichirou raised an eyebrow.

“Hey, Yuuto, it’s Ichi. I was wondering and your two house wives wanted to go do something. I’m up for anything, I just need to get out of my house and have someone pay attention to me,” Ichirou said with the most obvious fake whine he could muster. “I mean, it’s been forever since we chilled anyways.”

Ichirou new he sounded playful, but he truly was dying to spend time with someone. All his other friends were probably at work. It was about time Ichirou got to know everyone better anyways.

“Anyways, I’ve been meaning to come check on you. So I’ll probably show up at your house no matter what. Maybe we could have a nice and peaceful family dinner with anyone that’s willing to come. Put Haru to good work, see what he can really do.”

Ichirou laughed. He didn’t have a problem with anyone in the family, so there wasn’t a reason they couldn’t all be together. They were family after all. All they had was each other in the end. At least that was how Ichirou felt. He knew a lot of the others might not have felt the same, but he wished he could just make everyone see the good in each other instead of the ugly. Just like he wanted Keiko to open around everyone instead of individually, she was the silent one in the back whenever they got together. But he had seen her interact with Pippa now and again. She seemed like a normal girl talking to a friend.

That was why Ichirou hated the curse. They could never hold someone they loved. The only people they could be with without changing was each other. It was stupid. Ichirou had fallen ‘in love’ plenty of times, but for once, he would like to hold a woman he could call his. He wanted to start a family. All his friends had kids and were married while Ichirou sat on the sidelines, wishing it was him that could watch his little girl grow and teach his son how to play football. But as far as he was concerned, that would never happen.

To him, the stupid curse wouldn’t be missed. He wanted to break it for him and everyone else. That was something he always had set his mind on.

Yuuto Sohma

Ichirou? He didn't hear from him all that often. Then again, he wasn't one to talk to most without them coming to him. And what was with everyone checking up on him? Was he really that much of a hermit? Yuuto's hooves clacked and knocked against the phone as he tried to hold it up to his ear. It wasn't like he wasn't a goat at the moment or something.

"Oh hey man! I'm a little bit hoofy right now and Hirro's givin' me hell right now but come over when ever, hopefully I'll be human by the time you get here man!" He said as he came back out with his discarded pants on his pants on his back, looking more like the was about to run out of the house. He clicked the phone closed to hang up, and soon ran out of the house with out a word.

The streets were barren, normal for that time of day since all were either at work or at school, never a better time to walk out of your house as a goat without any questions. The only thing he had to worry about was the hell Hiiro was going to give him when he actually got there. Though thinking of a probable lie to tell that would keep the heat of him was something that wasn't all that hard. How does one explain not liking having a hug every now and again?

Once at hirro's door, Yuuto found himself in a bit of a predicament. He wasn't one to really knock but reaching and holding the door knob was proving to be a tougher challenge than he thought as he tried to manuvurer the knob with first his hooves and then his mouth and soon just resorted to headbutting the door lightly. Not like it really hurt him in either form.

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Haruji seemed quite content, simply by sitting at the table with others and eating the rice, as he looked quite innocent, his only worry seeming to be rice falling out of his chopsticks grasp and falling on his lap. He was glad he did not mention the family meeting; after all, the three were having such a lovely time together, without thinking about worries. However Haruji was acting too naïvely, if he thought that if he avoided the topic it would go away by itself.
As Yuuto questioned them upon their summer vacation, Haruji did not comment, either because he was enjoying the rice too much or he had nothing in particular to say about his summer. After all, he did just work and nothing much else; he’d rather not bore them with his café antics, and as such Haruji continued eating, listening to Hiiro’s own response to Yuuto’s question.
However the question gone-and-past instigated something in Hiiro’s memory, as she suddenly got up, realising that the family meeting was that day. Hiiro began to fly into a panic, as Yuuto and himself watched her worry about the event up until the point that she decided to leave, in better preparation.

”Ah, Hiiro, wait!...”
However, Haruji’s words were a bit too late, as Hiiro already left, leaving Yuuto and himself alone in the house. Soon after Hiiro’s departure Yuuta followed in a panicked state, Haruji already figuring out before then even that the goat zodiac family member was not found of the Family Head.
”Yuudyr, it’ll be alright!” Haruji began to console, however Yuuto did not seem to notice, as his panic eventually led him to transform into his goat form. He even answered a phone-call he was receiving in this form, impressive to Haruji, yet still causing concern. Haruji was never quite good with dealing with conflict, even through supporting others, and felt unsure how to react, other than smile and offer a small kind word every once in a while. He was not even sure who Yuuto was talking to however, once the phone-call ended, he left the house saying nothing, still in his goat form.

”Yuudyr, wait, you are still-!”
Haruji began scrambling from the kitchen into the front hall when Yuuto left. Opening the front door and looking down the street, Yuuto had not gone very far.
Haruji rushed backed into the kitchen, guilty about leaving the dishes uncleaned or even organised on the table, putting his shoes and coat on and, with his bag on his back, Haruji left the house, quickly locking it before rushing down the street after the rogue goat.
“W-wait, Yuudyr!” Haruji said, rushing after Yuuto, trying to keep his voice to a minimum tone, wanting to keep the streets as desolate as possible. However Haruji, not the athletic sort, had to make do chasing after his cousin at a distance, only catching up to Yuuto at the door of Hiiro’s place.

”Yuudyr, y-... you’re a goat-!” Haruji panted behind Yuuto, who was currently pausing outside Hiiro’s door after knocking upon it with his head. Haruji looked around to see if any passerby would come anytime soon, leaning over his stomach to stop the stitches he was experiencing...

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Miuru strolled casually up the street, arriving upon the Family Head’s abode in no time. It was a miniscule travel between her own home to the house in front of her, less than three minutes at least, in estimation. However, Miuru was guilty to the fact that she never quite ever approached or entered the home of the one who apparently ran her own clan, that could dictate her fate, only knowing its location by others in the past.
It was usually her father that dealt with interactions with the family, leaving Miuru out of the loop, bar her interactions with some of the other cursed members, as limited as they were to begin with. In honesty, Miuru was a bit taken aback by her father’s request, concluding that he must be quite desperate if he needed her to attend a house he, as some believe to be purposefully, hide her away from.
It was one of the reasons Miuru left quite swiftly; also she understood that the man would tear out his hair if he could not find something important. Whatever was in this notebook of his ould be considered such valuable information that Meitarou could not return himself, in fear questions would be asked, rather he would send his child, making the ordeal a trivial errand… Or that was what Miuru surmised. Her father was quite easy to figure out, on the other hand.

Miuru ate these foods of thought as she rang the doorbell of the strange home in politeness, waiting for a reply or some sorts. The reply came in the form of an eye peering out from a crack in the door, their face and identity obscured by the door itself.
"Hello. What business do you come to these estates on?" a voice questioned her, quite formal in tone, above anything else. She began to wonder how much her father ever talked about her to those within the Family Head’s home, if there was anyone besides the current Family Head living there at all.
”I am Miuru Sohma… My father… Meitarou-san… left something here… sent here to get it…”
Miuru availed to speak as clearly as she possibly could in her introduction, unsure yet to whom she spoke to. However, in the background, Miuru could swear she heard her name being called, which led Miuru’s eyes to wander beyond the hidden stranger’s face to try and look behind them. She could not see anything however but a slit-view of the house internally, making it impossible to figure out if someone, indeed, call her name…

”... Keiko?” Miuru inquired vaguely, remembering her cousin’s comment upon visiting the Family Head Aiko, which lead Miuru to believe the one questioning her was Aiko himself, unless she was utterly mistaken overall.
”... Sohma-san.” Miuru recognised Aiko by this title, calling him by his surname rather than his familiar first name; it made little sense why she was calling out these names however, to herself, her mind had figured out the puzzle and verbally expressed it. Unless she was wrong, and the gate-keeper protecting the door was not Aiko indeed, nor was who she believed called her name in the background Keiko at all. Nonetheless, it was worth a try guessing who was who in the odd scenario.

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Hiiro had rushed home far too quickly. It seemed like she was at the doorstep to her home in just a mere two seconds. She had slammed the front door behind her and kicked her sandals off swiftly. Her sandals went flying in front of her as she passed them and headed to her bedroom. She was the type of person that liked to be done everything before anyone else...just because she liked the feeling of being done.

Once she was in her bedroom she went to her closet to look through the sets of formal clothes she had. She knew meeting the Head of the Family was a big deal....so she'd thought she'd dressed formally and for the event. She just hoped the boys were dressing in their formal attire too, since she didn't want to look like she overdressed. She scrambled through her clothes until she found a nice green kimono that had exquisite designs of cherry blossoms and birds on it. She quickly stripped off her clothing and put the kimono on carefully. The hardest part was trying to get the obi to fit because of her growing stomach. She took the obi and tried to tie it around her waist but growled in frustration when it didn't quite feel right. She then decided to wear the obi a little more higher up so it wouldn't feel so....weird. She quickly tied the back of the obi. The obi itself was quite stunning too, since it matched the pattern of the kimono.

After she was done getting dressed, she quickly ran over to her bathroom that was nearby. It was just beside her bedroom. She turned the light on and looked for her hair elastics. She wasn't very good at doing hair or any makeup of the sort, either. So this was going to be a bit of a challenge. She decided to just put her high up in a bun, since that was easiest for her since her hair was on the shorter side. She took an elastic band and pulled her hair up into a high bun, making sure to get all the extra strands of hair inside of it so she wouldn't have to hold them up with bobby pins. Once she was done that, she quickly took some mascara and put it on her eyelashes. She wasn't going to attempt anything else, or else she just might look like a clown.

There. Ten minutes. That all she really needed to get ready. Just as she was smoothing out her kimono, she heard a few knocks on the door. "I'm coming!" She called out from the bathroom, turning the light off as she came out. She hurried over to the front door, guessing it was the boys. She slipped on her sandals on the way as well.

"Wow. I didn't expect you two to be done this fast but--" Hiiro said happily as she opened the front door, only to find Yuuto as a goat and Haruji, well, looking the same as he did before. She eyed them first in disapproval, then sadness, then anger. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at them both.

"I'm sorry, Yuuto. I didn't know you were planning on going to meet the head with me as a goat." She said stubbornly, trying to keep her cool as she kept on eyeing the two boys stand there in front of her. Her gaze fell onto Yuuto then back up to Haruji. "Couldn't you guys at least try to look appealing? Aren't you both old enough to figure this stuff out? Do I need to baby you?" She said sternly. She wasn't even getting them a chance to explain, but at the point she didn't really care.

"Turn around. Go back home. Find something that actually looks nice. Put your best efforts in and try to get prettied up. Then comes back here. I'll be waiting. Okay? Okay. Thank you. See you soon." She said as she stepped back inside her house and closed the door. She sighed loudly as she leaned against the back of the door and tried to listen to the two behind the door.

Keiko Sohma

---

Aiko stood in front of the door for a moment before turning to Keiko. "You need to keep me better informed." He commanded her in a low, hushed tone. Keiko dropped her shoulders and nodded. Her heart was beating heavily as though she had let him down ... again.

No. She couldn't let her negative thoughts influence his mood. Keiko knew she needed to keep smiling.

"Anything you wish, Aiko," Keiko said in such a hushed tone as he had.

"It is good to finally meet you Miuru, please step inside. Your father has spoken quite highly of you. I've actually been looking forward to speaking with you for some time. I trust you are not too busy to speak with me while we go retrieve this undisclosed item you were speaking of?" Keiko stayed glued to her spot. Aiko may have waned to speak with Miuru privately, so she wouldn't follow unless she was told. Her eyes locked with the ground and she stayed to the side. Keiko could feel her eyes hollow and her smile disappear. Not that she was sad, but it was habit when she was in the presence of Aiko and another zodiac member. Though she expected most of the others to hate her, they grew fond of her.

Keiko was thankful for that much, but something about Aiko made her want him to think she was there for only him. She had been told about the previous Rats'. She had heard the maid's of the Estate say that none of them were as idiotically loyal as her. Her love for the Head wasn't idiotic ... was it? No. It was just as it should be. She was a servant and he a master.

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Ichirou Sohma

---

"Oh hey man! I'm a little bit hoofy right now and Hirro's givin' me hell right now but come over when ever, hopefully I'll be human by the time you get here man!" Ichirou raised his brow until it clicked. Yuuto, the resident Ram of the zodiac had just magically poofed into his given creature. He did sound rather stressed out about something.

Before Ichirou could even answer, Yuuto had hung up in a hurry. Not that it bugged Ichirou in the slightest. It just got him curious as to what had gotten Yuuto worked up so much.

"Guess I'll find out later," Ichirou said with a shrug as he moved to the doorway. There was a lot going on around the Sohma household moment ... it made Ichirou wonder if everything was okay with everyone. It had been a while since they had all gotten together.

It was a rather lovely day, so Ichirou decided to respect mother earth and walk instead of drive. The Sohma Estate wasn't that much far all. And if he wasn't mistaken, Yuuto's house wasn't to far off that path. Ichirou had needed to take a breather anyways.

"Just don't try to convince yourself something that isn't true," Ichirou said as his mind began to wander and his feet travel to their destination.

Yuuto Sohma

If it wasn't for the fact that Yuuto thought of Hiiro as a big sister, the goat would have bashed down the door promptly and demand to be heard in his now simmering anger and fear. He snorted, stomped the concrete with his hooves as he turned around back toward his house. "Ichirou's coming, I have to go to the head again and everything goes to hell in a hand basket from here." He sighed, hanging his head in frustration. "I still say it's too early to announce the little one's and I was just starting to enjoy my day off too...and the last thing I want now is a indecenty charge on me."

He failed to notice Haruji's presence due to his own panic, anger and fear. Fear of the head had kept him away since the last head. The mental scars still festering like a long infected wound. He could already hear his own words of "It wasn't my fault." ringing through his head like an alarm and the snooze button was no where to be seen. He was physically shaking now, though he could feel himself about to change back as he pasted through the threshold of his door. If he was sure about anything, it was that his mood was about to go south for at least a week or two after this meeting.

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Haruji stood there, looking at the goatish Yuuto with concern, still looking about them, hoping no one would notice a goat loitering their streets. Thus, when the front door swung open, Haruji was taken aback, stepping back in surprise before looking at the sight in front of him. Hiiro had, indeed, gotten ready, looking quite nice for the meeting to come, her green kimono a lovely shade… Then again, Haruji was a bit biased, after all, green was his favourite colour…

He got a bit distracted with this fact, his concentration snapping back upon seeing Hiiro’s disapproving face. What was wrong?... Was it because there was a goat and a young kid floating outside her house, making quite a bit of noise? Haruji never thought of looking fancy for the Family Head, and was taken aback once more upon Hiiro’s request that they return home to get prepared. Before he could respond, Hiiro returned once more into her place, leaving Haruji and Yuuto outside, Haruji himself looking quite stunned. He lifted the sleeve of his coat up to his face, sniffing it.

”Do I smell?” Haruji asked aloud, looking down at Yuuto, who had already turned around to return to his house, huffing and puffing about Ichirou and the Family Head. Although Haruji was quite happy, at the proposition of meeting another cousin of his, it was a strange time to feel optimistic, as the Family Head meeting was stressing them all out.
Yuuto began walking away, still in goat form, towards his house, apparently not seeing Haruji’s presence at all, however this did not deter Haruji’s interactions with his goatly cousin at all.
”I’ll see you there, Yuuto!” Haruji called, going the opposite way. Desperate times called for desperate measures; he would have to return home and at least grab a tie and sort out his hair and maybe grab an ironed shirt… it was still the afternoon, which meant minimal danger, although one had to be careful; it was dangerous entering the house at any time.


The house in question being Haruji’s own home, not any of the residents of his family, no. It was quicker to climb into the first-floor of the two-storey house, into his room, the window always open for his return. It would take a while to return to his loving grandparents and after he explained the whole situation it would late in the evening. They cared, yet they spoke too much and, after all, all Haruji wanted was a tie.

To get into his bedroom, Haruji climbed up the drainage pipe that ran along the side of the house, swinging into the window with the ease of a professional. He knew for certain his father had a tie or two in his room, which was the place Haruji planned to take the tie from. His own bedroom in the house was quite sparse; one bed, an empty desk, a small wardrobe; there wasn’t much to come home to. Even his father’s room, a room someone actually lived it, was equally as empty, everything in its place and neatly kept. Haruji threaded carefully, sure no one was in the house yet still cautious.

It took him little time at all to find a tie, a lovely dark, rich colour of green. He almost laughed, thinking how it would compliment Hiiro’s kimono, yet it felt out of place to laugh in that room. Instead he put the tie on with no problem, smoothing the creases in his white shirt with his hand; he was still in his work uniform, which was plain in itself, put it would do. Haruji also took his coat off, making him less messy-looking than before; he would carry it with him instead, not trusting leaving it in the house.

Once he made sure his hair was fixed, his shoes quickly polished and his shirt tucked into spare black trousers he found in his own wardrobe, Haruji was forced to leave the house from the front door, fearing of getting dirty on his descent down the pipe. The kid didn’t take his time once outside the house, walking quickly away as fast as he could until he could not longer see the house on the horizon behind him. He survived the infiltration that day; which was lucky, since he did not wish to spoil the day with any unsavoury interactions… even though he knew he would, eventually, return that week to do as such. However it was not the time to think about the future, when the present already had to be addressed.
As he was closer to the Sohma estate than Hiiro or Yuuto’s living places, Haruji decided to head there instead, believing he would meet them there. He did not rush down the avenues towards the house, his beige-brown duffle-coat folded and held at his side, looking quite formal indeed with his shirt and tie. Hopefully it would meet Hiiro’s expectations.

As Haruji continued to flatten the mess of hair he had with his hand, Haruji paid little attention to what lay in front of him, eventually bumping into someone in front of him, nearly falling over. Attempting to preserve his pristinely black trousers, Haruji caught his balance just in time knowing, since he did not transform into a rabbit, whoever he ran into was male.
”I’m so sorry!” Haruji cried, bowing down as low as he could without kneeling on the concrete side-walk, not taking the time to even look up to whom he was speaking to ”I wasn’t looking where I was going, and I’m in a bit of a rush and-”

Haruji kept his bowing position, continuing his apology, yet to realise that he had bumped into his cousin Ichirou who was also on his way to the Sohma estate...

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If Miuru was surprised by Aiko’s warm-enough welcome into his abode, she did not express it, nor did she express any gratitude of sorts for said warm welcome; she simply took a step in when offered, with a soft ”Thank you” as she went along.

She took a moment or two, once inside to respond to the latter half of Aiko’s greeting, slightly distracted by the sight of Keiko in the house also; although the silver-haired senior had made it evident that she was visiting, it was another to meet her there; it was a new experienced, visiting the house with little escort of external forces. It almost seemed that Keiko was moreso a deer rather than a rat, a deer caught in the headlights, frozen on the spot and looking down at the floor in a suspicious manner. Miuru raised a quizzical eyebrow at this behaviour, yet did not carry on with her curiosity within the conversation.

Instead she turned her gaze once more on Aiko, not quick with an answer, acting like a sponge, intaking the atmosphere she had taken a step into. It was heavy, yet it was not uncomfortable being there; besides, she wasn’t there for frivolous matters that the atmosphere would obstruct her goal. Ignoring the compliments that were simply relayed from her father to which, in her eyes, were unreliable, Miuru decided to finally get to the point of her visit.

”... I do not mind speaking with you whilst searching for the item. My time is not bound, Sohma-san... “ Miuru stated as clearly as Miuru could, remembering to always address the Family Head with respect, despite the fact that her father would prefer she went home as quick as she could. Miuru knew little of the Family Head, yet her father had already drilled her, in fear, before, to always show respect. Perhaps it irked her a twitch, showing respect to a stranger, however said irritation was quickly soothed by the fact that, since she knew little of Aiko, outside of rumours, she had little cause to not show him respect, especially since he did care for the family as their Family Head in many ways, explained to her before that incident.
At the thought of respect towards the Family Head, Miuru turned her stare to Keiko once more, who remained frozen in the spot she stood in.

”Keiko… fancy seeing you there…”
Her statement was quite confusing, especially since Miuru did, indeed, know of Keiko’s visit to Aiko, however in her monotone voice the small joke probably lost, if you could call it a joke at all. It was meant to “lighten” the mood, which was difficult, in such a dead-pan and serious tone.

Nonetheless, Miuru entered further into the house towards Keiko, giving a respectful nod to the Family Head on her way, her green irises slowly surveilling the room, wondering where her father had dropped his precious notebook.

Yuuto Sohma

It was quiet now. No Hiiro's calls of him to entertain her and help her out with things. No Haruji cooking for him like he always did whenever he stayed over. It was only him, his thoughts and all the glass scuptures that he had made over the years. Some made for himself and other intended as gifts that had never given due to forgetfulness. Smoke filled the living room, leaving a human Yuuto standing in his living room with his furred pants in hand slippers in his mouth.

It was something that he had grown used too, but not something that he enjoyed though. He knew the days where he very nearly became a goat due to the stress of work, but meeting the head had always made him turn very quickly. 'This is the son of the old head after all....it's not like he's the same right? An apple could always roll away from the tree right?" he thought to himself as he dug through his closet for some kind of formal wear. The only thing he could find was a purple kimono that he hadn't worn in a long time. He sighed, holding the fabric in his hands. "Damn the curse for what it's worth." He muttered to himself as he put it on and made his way downstairs.

If anything, to be in the good graces of the new head would be something that he could use to his advantage and at the very least not wind up with another scar on him somewhere. He looked around the many glass art pieces that he had and picked up one of his earlier pieces an experimental neon heart that he had made a while trying to get into making neon signs. It seemed like something that would be a nice gesture. And if no...well it was something pretty to look at at the very least.

He made his way outside, the glowing heart tucked away in an shoulder bag. The walk toward the Sohma estate always felt like a death walk. It wasn't often that he went, but when he did it was something that he had loathed since childhood. Then again there was the glimmer of hope that it (and his sanity) wouldn't go down in flames...again...

Kaida's hands twitched as she slammed her car door shut, grabbing her phone tightly as she scurried the remaining way to the house, her pace fast and effective before she came to a halt. Who was that? Not to far away, she could see a gentlemen in a purple kimono... Was that Yuuto? Sure they hadn't really spoken much, but she still smiled, waving her hand in the air.

"Hey! Yuuto!" Kaida gave a small jog towards the male, eventually coming to yet another stop. "It's nice to see you again... You look like you're actually marching to your death, what's wrong?" Kaida mused, quickly before backtracking. "Ah, I do hope you still remember me, I don't believe we met a lot besides the times we've bumped into each other, have we?" The raven's smile was a gentle one that was a filled with ease.

Why was she so compelled to ramble today? Was it because of how much she rarely talked to anyone besides her coworkers and Aiko? The thought made Kaida's smile faultier, not a lot, but enough to be noticeable to those who liked to observe others. Of course, the fact of the matter was that Kaida rarely bumped into the older members of the family, and a very slim few even bothered to have her number.

Yuuto Sohma

Yuuto's thoughts wandered toward ways of getting out of the estate without picking a fight with someone or completely loosing his mind to a cocktail of anger and fear. Muttering to himself in gaelic didn't help the fact that some called his crazy every now and again. However this was a common occurance that he had become used to it.

His train of thought was interupted by the call of his name. He turned and tilted her head to the side. "Yes...I..." He mused trying to remember who she was. His head perked up a bit in thought at it came to her mind. "That's right. I think I've only ever seen you at the estate until now." He said scratching the back of his head. He looked at the ground avoiding eye contact somewhat out of lingering nervousness. He sighed at her question, still feeling like he was on a march to his own doom. "I'm just headed off to see the head is all. *Téigh i dtigh diabhail more like it...Haven't really been there since I went to see that last head so long ago actually."

He adjusted himself and pushed the glass encased glass heart back in the bag as it seemed to want to fall out with every step. It was always heartbreaking to see one of his creations get destroyed because of something like that. He looked up, trying to look less nervous than he actually was, though the goat eyes where every apperant for someone who observed people a lot. All he wanted really was to go back to his furnace and swing molten glass around into something pretty, not loose his mind in front of the family. Especially family that he wasn't that familiar with.

*'Go in the devil's house