It was a long drive to Sakura Square, seeing as it was rather secluded compared to Nemui and Kurumi's previous home. The two girls were both rather silent and kept to themselves as the car moved along the busy street. She had never actually laid eyes on Sakura Square, but she knew where it was located. They were getting close, and she tried to keep her mind off of that fact. Nemui was doing everything in her power to keep her anxiety at bay as she sat in the back of the fancy limousine, but she could only postpone her emotions for so long. Inside of the car, the short haired sister was propped against one of back doors, sitting sideways in her seat as she read yet another romance manga. This one was titled Moe Kare, and it was about a young girl named Hikaru Wakamiya who had her first kiss stolen by a perverted princely looking young man only to later on run into a guy who looks just like him, but is a completely different person entirely. Her heart was pounding as her eyes scanned the pages, a light blush sweeping over her features as she went. Reading Romance Manga was Nemui's guilty pleasure, which she normally kept hidden under lock and key, but she was open about it with Kurumi and their mother. Ever since they were children, Kurumi was always there for her, even though it wasn't always in a positive light. She really appreciated having a sister, so she tried to remind herself that having brothers couldn't be so different. Guys were always nicer to girls, right? Not to mention they would legally become family next week. They would have to get along for the sake of their parents, or so Nemui told herself. She obviously never watched the movie; Cheaper by the dozen.

Nemui wasn't alone on this trip, actually, but the car was quiet enough that she almost thought otherwise. Nemui spot in the car was only about a foot away from her older sister Kurumi. The older sister had long, light blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Everything about Kurumi was vibrant and girly. She was beautiful. Nemui was incredibly jealous, but she knew that she shouldn't be. This was her sister she was letting her inner green eyed monster envy! Kurumi was technically all that she had left, seeing as their mother was barely around. She missed three of Kurumi's birthdays, two Christmases, and two of Nemui's birthdays straight in a row. was technically facing Kurumi, so clearly Nemui neglected to wear a seat belt. It was a bad habit, one her sister often scolded her for. Nemui had respect for her sister, despite the rumors around school that Shiori wasn't very smart, Nemui knew otherwise. Shiori used to be incredibly intelligent, just like her, she just gave up, mostly. Though Kurumi would always study for her tests at Nemui's request, the older sister often refused to even attempt the homework she was given.

Sure, Kurumi wasn't that book smart anymore, but her knowledge lied elsewhere. Just because Kurumi made bad grades now, it didn't make her an imbecile. Being a knowledge enthusiast, Nemui felt she had the right to judge her sister's intelligence. She knew that Kurumi's knowledge was about family and hard work. Nemui was jealous of her sister because she was not only beautiful, but she was also extraordinary when it came to helping others. Nemui knew that Kurumi would make a wonderful Psychiatrist if she put her kind to it, once she got past the Medicine and Chemistry classes, of course.

Nemui's caramel orbs shifted directly to her sister for the first time during the hour long drive, a worried expression overwhelming Nemui's facial features as she gazed upon her sibling. Kurumi had been far too quiet, and the extended silence was beginning to make Nemui worry about her. She flipped to the next page of her manga, smiling a bit as she tried to start up conversation to clear the awkward air, "Are you excited about moving, Onee-chan? You haven't said anything since we left home.. It's okay to be nervous, right?" She spoke up in a soft tone, chewing on her bottom lip as she read the next page of her manga. While she waited for a response, Nemui looked to her sister inquisitively, only glancing down at the contents of her manga every now and then. Sure, Nemui was dying to know what would happened to Wakamiya Hikaru in this chapter, but she knew the story could wait if it meant she needed to console her sister. They'd drove the entire ride in silence and it was starting to bother her more than it would if she had rode along with anyone else. She was now reminded about how nervous that she was as well. Two new brothers she had never met? She didn't even know what her new Step-father's name was, nor were they given the names of their two new brothers-to-be! It was extremely overwhelming, and not to mention it would be the first time she'd ever shared a residence with boys. Though she quickly reprimanded herself for doubting them. They aren't just boys, they are going to be my brothers, so how dangerous could it really be? The dilemma that caused Nemui to feel truly distressed was the fact that regardless of whether or not they got along, the four of them would be tied together by their parent's marriage. She tried to reassure herself that it would all turn out fine, because it wasn't like the boys would behave recklessly, they weren't allowed to treat Nemui and Kurumi like other boys would anymore. They were going to be family, so they all four had to suck it up, but life wasn't that simple and clean. It was easier said on paper than in actual practice. On the bright side, her mother did give her one hint. One of the boys had been in her class. In fact, according to her mother, he was in her class every year since they'd been enrolled in school. Curiosity got the best of her, and she couldn't help but wonder if they ever spoke to each other before. Though as soon as the thought came, she dismissed it. She was practically a nobody to all of her classmates, but the only difference between her and an actual nobody was that nobodies didn't get bullied. Unfortunately she existed enough to experience that service. As long as he wasn't one of her tormentors, she was certain she'd survive this new living arrangement.

"I think this might be a good thing. We always wanted a brother, now we are getting two of them. Lucky us, right?" She smiled in a timid manner, glancing out the window. Then her eyes widened. Nemui quickly removed her glasses, sitting them down in her lap before bookmarking her page in Moe Kare. She closed the book, hoping to return to it once she was settled in her new home. She saw the top of the building before removing her glasses, they were very close to arrival. It was time to put her contacts in, before her new brothers saw her glasses. The last thing she wanted to happen was her new brothers to notice she was blind as a bat. She shuffled through the deep pockets of her coat before pulling out a small white box. She unclasped the container, placing each onto her eyes carefully. She hated the process, it was uncomfortable and made her eyes water.. but what if they decided to pick on her for her glasses too? Brothers weren't always nice.. at least from what she'd read in manga.

"Are you worried about that huge exam coming up?" Nemui did her best to keep track of Kurumi's exams, almost religiously, all in order to help her older sister properly prepare. Kurumi aided her so much everywhere else, she felt incredibly in debt to her sister. So once Nemui was old enough to realize her sister's bad habit of not doing her homework, she started helping her ace exams to keep her from getting kicked out of school. It was the least Nemui could do in return for all the years of protection. "You know I'll help you crunch. Orange juice, apples, we'll stay up all night if we have to. There's no way you'll get bad marks with our studying ritual." She replied sweetly, smiling after she'd arranged her contacts. Sakura Square was closing in on them now. It was a matter of seconds before they'd reach their new home and meet their new family for the first time, officially speaking. I wonder if they will like us..? She thought timidly, shifting her position in the seat back to the standard way, staring ahead at the road. She shuffled around in the seat nervously, definitely irritating the driver since her feet kept tapping against the base of his seat.

Kurou Kitomura

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Today is... irritating

Kurou had awoke to find himself in one of "those" moods, much to the chagrin of anybody he would meet later today, and to himself, as it was not a pleasant experience. Typically, being in that kind of mood often signified that something unfortunate was going to happen. If he had to guess, it would likely have something to do with the arrival of his new "sisters", who would apparently be living here for god knows what reason. Though maybe it was Kurou's fault for not listening to his father when he was explaining the situation, as as he got was "I have decided to remarry" and "You will have two sisters". Those were the important things, right? There was no incentive for him to pay much more attention than that.

...Except there was, because now Kurou found himself in an upset mood and laying half naked on couch, snapping each of his fingers at a relatively quick pace. He was definitely curious, now that he thought about it (which was, of course, much later than he probably should have). The elder brother pondered whether or not they would be a nuisance, though he figured they would be. Most people were. Were they going to be annoying? He didn't catch their age. He hoped that they weren't too young, because being forced to watch them would be a drag, and he certainly wasn't going to be responsible for them. Likewise, he hoped neither of them were older than him, so as to preserve his status as the oldest sibling. If they were older than him, then they might get ideas about telling him to respect their elders and try to get him to do stuff for them! He sometimes did that to his brother, but that was different because they were family, so it was perfectly okay for him to play that card on occasion.

Wait....

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.

If the rather foul mood he found himself today was indeed related to the arrival of his new siblings, then he figured that they were going to be some form of trouble for him. A sigh escaped his lips when he came to this conclusion. Originally there was that brief hope that he would manage to snag two sisters who were just quiet and kept to themselves. There was a girl he barely remembers from school that fit that image perfect.... if someone like her was his sister, then he probably wouldn't mind it as much compared to the other two types that were mentioned before. But he wasn't going to be that lucky, was he? No, he'd get the loud, needy ones that were ill-behaved and outright unlikeable. And, likely, they were going to have some grudge against his peace and quiet. Just the thought of it slowed the pace at which Kurou cracked the rest of his fingers.

"Well," he sighed, sitting up from the couch. "Maybe they'll be gullible? That might be fun."

Kurou Kitomura: Paragon of Justice.


Thinking about his soon-to-be sisters, unfortunately, did not do much for his appetite. As soon as he had moved to get off the couch, the young man's stomach had let out a very audible noise indicating that it wished to be filled with something, anything at all. Thinking back to last night, Kurou hadn't eaten dinner before going to sleep, so this was probably the cause, and the best remedy would be to eat strawberries, because Kurou was feeling much too lazy to actually make something. But no matter, all he had to do then was eat more strawberries, which was always an acceptable task in his eyes. So, he got up and darted immediately for the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and letting out a cry of pure joy, silent as though it may be. The reason? He remembered they'd just gotten strawberries yesterday. This meant there was a lot of them. What more could a man want in life, now that he had secured that which he treasured more than any other edible item in existence? About as subtle as a honey badger tearing a cobra apart, his hand darted into the fridge, gripping onto the bowl containing them, and retracted, bringing his precious fruit right in front of his face.

Needless to say, Kurou helped himself to the strawberries without reserve, even spilling a decent amount of juice onto himself as he did so. If the girls at school had seen this, perhaps they might've fainted. Attitude aside, Kurou never would have appeared to be the kind of guy to eat like a slob (and wasn't, usually), but there were exceptions to everything, and this was the exception to that. At this point, his earlier worry about his siblings decreased just a bit.

Perhaps, if he were actually very lucky, they would be strawberries?

I added details and removed details to make this more like the new and improved Kurumi. From now on, all of my posts will be entirely different seeing as Kurumi is different than Shiori due to her illness in this RP. Just letting people who were in the previous RPs know it's got some differences to my post in the past RP.

Kurumi sat facing the front of the limousine, seat belt on, and a bored expression on her face as they continued on their journey to their new residence. She was going to miss their apartment, a lot. They would never have the same amount of privacy again, and that was disappointing enough on it's own.

Kurumi had her pet cat Ryouta sitting freely in her lap, purring away and that slightly brightened her foul mood. He was an extremely obese cat who barely understood how to play, so most of his time was spent napping or laying in Kurumi's lap. The cat was very lazy, so she didn't feel the need for a pet carrier. He wouldn't run far if he escaped. She was kind of curious about whether or not she would have to fight with her new 'brothers' about keeping Ryouta in the house.

To be completely honest, Kurumi wasn't even enthusiastic about having brothers, living with two boys would only prove to be a hassle. She would have to constantly be on defense, constantly on the qui vive. Normally she only had to keep on her toes during school, doing her best to look out for Nemui, especially after the younger sibling almost died, but now she'd have to be alert at home too? She released an exasperated sigh, dreading their impending arrival. I really wish we could just stay on the road forever, I don't want to stop.. I don't want more family.. Though she wasn't going to take out her frustration on the boys, it wasn't their fault that her mother felt the need to get married, again. All of her anger was aimed towards her mother.

She finally caved, pulling out her phone and dialing quickly in a moment of weakness. She needed to hear her mother's voice, needed to vent on someone.. She let out a short breath as she waited through the rings, honestly the real reason she called her mother was reassurance. She wanted her mother to be happy, but sometimes she just needed to be reminded when she had to suck it up and step up as the older sibling. She was only sixteen years old, she wasn't perfect. She still had selfish desires, she was still just a teenage girl at the end of the day. She was vulnerable just like anyone else. She just didn't show it often, because she couldn't afford to appear weak when she had to look after Nemui. Finally, she got her mother's voice mail, so she just chose to hang up. Her mother would call back later, and if her mother wouldn't pick up, Kurumi wouldn't leave her a message either.

Her mind immediately turned to the school exams coming up, she had a lot of studying to do.. Thankfully she could study and keep track of her sister, but for some reason, she remained skeptical. Living this way, it seemed too easy. Families never merged as harmoniously as television portrayed, she had a bad feeling about this move, and she wished that she decided to continue living in her previous home with Nemui. Though it was a little late, Sakura Square was closing in on them, it was almost like every inch the car crept closer to their new home she began to slowly suffocate that much more. She knew she was breathing, she could feel her chest moving, but yet, she continued to feel breathless. It was paradoxical, she couldn't find another way to explain it, yet it didn't stop her from feeling it all the same.

"Are you excited about moving, Onee-chan? You haven't said anything since we left home.. It's okay to be nervous, right?"

"A little. I'm just kind of nervous, don't worry about it, Nemu-chii." She lied, throwing a warm smile in her sister's direction. Kurumi put her phone down, not even realizing she'd kept her phone to her ear all this time until she nearly dropped the device. She was more nervous than she realized.. Nemui didn't seem to notice it, so she didn't scold herself for it too much. On the bright side, Kurumi noticed that Nemui seemed just as nervous as she was, but seemed to have a far more positive outlook on their upcoming experience. Kurumi knew that she had to keep herself together, she was the older sister after all, but it was difficult considering her illness was flaring up again, and she's have to keep an eye out for Nemui.

"I think this might be a good thing. We always wanted a brother, now we are getting two of them. Lucky us, right? Are you worried about that huge exam coming up?"

"Lucky? Yeah, maybe..." She replied, forcing a laugh for the younger girl's sake. She loved that about Nemui, despite what she'd been through, the girl still tried to see the best in people.. Ever since middle school, Kurumi was stuck in a rut, secretly of course. Nemui never would stop pestering if she knew that Kurumi was upset. Ever since that boy, Kurumi had always assumed that boys were out to hurt her. She hasn't given any of them a real chance since then, "I guess I'm thinking about our new family.. Trying to guess who they are and what they're like.. T-test?! I-I forgot." She grinned in a childish manner, a little embarrassed but also a little amused by the fact she'd neglected to study.

"You know I'll help you crunch. Orange juice, apples, we'll stay up all night if we have to. There's no way you'll get bad marks with our studying ritual."

This brought a genuine smile to Kurumi's face. Tonight would be difficult, she could already feel the pain setting in her legs, and she would be up pretty late to crunch with her sister. She'd have to work extra hard if she wanted to make sure that her disease remained hidden from her sister. Nemui wasn't always this altruistic, but Kurumi found it heartwarming to hear that she wasn't the only one ready to pull their weight. It was their arrangement since they were younger, a promise between the sisters really. Although Kurumi originally never expected anything in return for protecting Nemui, the younger girl matured rather fast after the death of their father. She was jealous of this, seeing as she was supposed to be the mature and responsible one. Responsible? That could define Nemui and Kurumi, but when it came to maturity, well, Kurumi drew the short straw. At least she could blame it on being blonde, right?



The limousine drive pulled into Sakura Square rather quickly, after the gate opened up for the limo to enter. With every inch the car drew closer, Kurumi felt her whole body tense up. She wasn't as prepared as she had previously thought. She began adjusting her clothes, tugging here, and pulling there. When she looked up, she was amazed. In the yard, beside of the driveway was several cherry blossom trees, but she shouldn't have been so surprised, it was probably the reason that this place was named Sakura Square. There were more pink trees in the yard than she cared to count, And the sight of them was breathtakingly beautiful. The driver brought the car to a halt, stepping out and opened the door for her and Nemui, more than happy to be rid of the girls. Kurumi hesitantly unbuckled, sliding out and was on her feet for the first time in about an hour. Her legs were so stiff and tender, so she stretched out for a second, smiling at the trees, "Finally! We're here, come on Nemui.. We should probably ring the door bell.. Let's get our bags." She suddenly felt very excited, but she also felt uneasy due to the ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach that still remained. She paid the driver and he returned to his seat, retrieving Kurumi's correct change.

We need to get settled in... They had school in the morning after all, and the sooner they could crash in their rooms, the better. The driver returned and plopped a few bills into Kurumi's hands before he opened the trunk for the girls.

Kurumi removed the two bags from inside, handing Nemui her own bag. Kurumi's bag was light blue and very girly, but Nemui's was plain and tan in color. The bags were complete opposites, but Nemui's was heavier due to the manga inside along with a few days worth of clothes and her school books. Kurumi's bag was much lighter due to only having a few days worth of clothes, her wallet, laptop, necessary school books and headphones.

"Hurry up, Ne-chii! They probably didn't hear us pulling in. I want to unpack and pass out.. Screw studying.." She whined a bit, in a tired tone. She truly was exhausted, considering her body was beginning to ache all over, but that was becoming natural to her these days. It came with the illness at times, but more often than not, Kurumi felt perfectly fine. Most days were normal, but some were really bad..

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Today was the day, isn't it?

Yukito finally woke up from his slumber. Actually, this was the first time in a long while since he had a complete cycle of sleep. His manager was able to give him a day off. He had requested it beforehand since the father of the household had dropped the bomb about the remarrying tidbit which had a package deal of two step-sisters. The said girls would be arriving today. He stood from his bed and stretched his limbs. He was still in pajamas, a rather loose one giving glimpses of the body hidden within. Taking a deep breath, he released a rather annoyed sigh.

He didn't mind the idea of his father dating and all. It was just a hobby, but the knowledge that another woman beside his mother would take the place as the Kitomura matriarch and be given the title as their mother even if they were not related at all. It irritates him which was reflected on his face, cracking the mask he always has on. His eyes of sunset orange sharpened mirroring his anger about it. "Stupid father..." He muttered remembering the discussion they had the other day. What was the use of discussing it when it was already decided and they had no choice in the matter, it was really annoying.

Anyway, he needed to prepare to welcome these sisters. He was certain that his older brother won't be that welcoming. It would be his part and since he is the entertainer, he could think of it as another role he needed to do for everyday. Just like that, he did his morning rituals even if it was not morning anymore. After a while, he was donned in his usual clothes and he has a rather fashionable sense. It was one of his well-liked traits by his fans. It just comes naturally for him and not something he takes with extra effort unlike others. He reached for his phone and could see a lot of messages from various people. There were also missed calls from his manager. Well, he silenced his phone earlier to enjoy his sleep. He would check them later as he placed it inside his pants' pocket. It is his day-off.

He exited his room and went downstairs. Everything was arranged already even the rooms for the girls. He had it done yesterday, so all he had to do for now was fine-tune the meals to be served for dinner. Cooking is not his forte since he is more of a pastry chef, but he was not that bad either. At the living room, he could see the traces of his older brother. The guy must be laying on the couch muttering how horrible this day could be. Well, they have the same thinking on that area. He then heard noises coming from the kitchen. It must be his brother gorging himself with the newly bought strawberries he got. It was not that odd if both of them liked the fruit. Their mother's favorite was also strawberries.

Entering the kitchen, he was welcomed by the sight of Kurou half-naked with a bowl of strawberries. There was no doubt in his mind that any girls or even boys would drool or faint at the view. They would also be surprised seeing him like this. However, it was a different case for Yukito. "Ku-nii, might I remind you we have guests coming." He noted with his rather trademarked devilish smile. His arms crossed over his chest as he leaned at the door frame. He let his words and presence sunk in first, before going towards Kurou. "And don't hog these all by yourself." After saying that, he grabbed some strawberries from the bowl and ate them with delight. "I would have you get them next time." Then, he walked towards the refrigerator and looked at the ingredients.

"Do you have any request for dinner?" Yukito asked him without glancing at his older brother. Ever since their mother had passed away, most of the household duties had been given to him without much bias. Kurou was able to handle a few, but something changed within them since that day. He was not as open with it unlike his older brother who let the whole world see. So, he took most of the responsibility as their father is one called as absentee. Although, there had been a few lapses on him since he has been busy with his career nowadays. "Hmmm...?" Something took his attention as he looked outside the kitchen window and saw a car getting out of the gates. "There they are." He announced as he turned around to look at Kurou.

"Try to get in a good impression by getting a shirt on." He closed the refrigerator and then looked at Kurou with a small smile. "We wouldn't want the poor girls to get nosebleeds now." He playfully winked at Kurou before going towards the main doors. It was time to play his part in this charade he would like to call play house. He opened the doors and was privy to the vision of two girls, one with long blonde hair and another with short hair. They were an interesting pair that much he could say and most of it because, they were going to be his sisters. "Hello there, you must be the Fujioka sisters." His voice reflected an approachable query as he stood before them with a friendly presence, not something one would expect from a famous pop star. "I'm Kitomura Yukito. You can call me whatever you like. I won't mind at all." This was followed by a kind smile, not an ounce of misplaced intention seen, even if in his head there were certainly bad things there.

"I hope the ride was comfortable. Here, let me take care of your bags for you two." Without another word, he immediately took hold of the girls' bags. He didn't let them get a word out from his offer. It was only right to do so in his understanding, this was known as common courtesy. There was no doubt that Yukito was a man even if he was considered a boy through his age. His built and his strength is well-reflected in how he carried the bags with ease. "Come on inside, you two must be tired. My aniki is inside, we've been expecting you." He then led them inside the house with a bright smile on his face. "Ku-nii! They're here!" He announced loudly as he looked at the girls again after closing the doors. "Let's all get along, okay?"

Just like that, the game as he would like to call it begins.

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The day will always start with a jolt of panic and fear. Then, it would be followed by the crippling grip of confusion and grief. After that, it will end with a haunting ghost of doubt and necessity. That is how a certain girl feels every moment of her waking life in a foreign country. She will always view this place as strange and new. It was just something she could not help, but still she has to adapt and to move on. That was far easy when it is left by imagination and by theory. When done in actual, it was far harder that she at times would want to give up on it. The only thing which kept her going was her journal and the encouraging words of her grandfather who patiently waits for her to recover every morning.

"Ai-chan, you need not sweep the temple grounds. I can handle that." The one known as Aina stood in front of the Shitten-ji temple holding a broom and wearing the traditional garb of a Shinto priestess or more commonly known as a Miko. She appeared to be quite the sight. The red and white color of her hakama and haori contrasted on her mocha brown skin, dark violet curly locks, and purple-colored eyes. She stands out and does give a new definition to what a priestess looks like. "It is fine grandfather. You have already made lunch. It is my turn and I like doing this." The elderly man gave her granddaughter a small yet warm smile. The young girl had always made herself busy with household chores and even took the responsibility of being a shrine maiden. It is why the temple had become rather popular among the citizens and even tourists.

"I won't argue anymore then." The grandfather stated but then, asked a curious thing. "Are you nervous about school tomorrow?" The question made Aina stop from sweeping and her grip on the broom's handle tightened a bit. According to the things she had read and had heard, she had been staying in Japan for a year now as she underwent rehabilitation here. She had only been out of the hospital for a few months and was now living as what most would call a normal life. Part of that normalcy especially for a teenage girl like her was to go to school. Practically, this will be her first time attending school here and under the current condition she is. She was doubtful. Will she be able to handle it? Will she be fine?

"I am nervous, but I am more scared." Her eyes looking down on the ground were filled with uneasiness and fear. "I will never remember them even if I sit beside them in class... even if I have written it all in my journal. I will not remember my feelings that I shared with them. I will always be a stranger and them to me." Her grandfather approached Aina and touched the hands gripping the broom's handle tightly. He understood her granddaughter's sentiments, but they knew both that to live on, Aina must incorporate herself with others and to avoid isolation. "It's hard. Nothing comes easy as we live. It gets scary before it gets better. But, everything will be fine as long as you don't give up." Aina raised her eyes to look at her grandfather gazing at her with such warm affections. She could not help but smile as well and agree. "You are right, grandfather."

With that, the day passed by and soon changed into night. "Grandfather, I will be leaving now." The elderly man looked at Aina who was by the door wearing this time a casual beige long sleeved dress and a pair of beige elegant-looking sandals. "All right." He handed Aina a coat to wear as the said girl took it with a smile. "Thank you, grandfather." The elderly man nodded with approval. "Go and break some hearts! Be careful always." Aina smiled and gave her grandfather a kiss on the cheek before she left with her coat now wrapped around her. She was going to a place where she had frequented thrice a week which started about two months ago.

It was a 45-minute commute from her house and along the way the people could not help but look at her. She was extremely a pleasant thing to look at and very exotic to boot. She appeared to be a perfect picture taken out to the real world, but the center of attention had always been ignorant or rather oblivious to the meaning behind the gazes of those around her. That was because her head was literally in the clouds with her own form of daydreaming and concerns. Well, despite that, she was able to reach a small eating establishment known as Quaint Corner. This place was owned by a friend of her grandfather. There had been a need for a pianist to play during dinner and Aina had been requested by her grandfather to do a favor for this friend.

She had always loved playing the piano. It was something her mother was extremely fond of; unfortunately, her mother has no talent for it. In her place, Aina learned it and seemed to have a knack for it. However, she never played for anyone else but for her mother. That is why she is worried, as the days, the months passed, she was still nervous, because even if she had known that she had played many times in front of an audience who she knew nothing about, this was always new to her. The only contradiction to that, she had gotten quite a fan-base and had become an attraction to the fine dining establishment. She removed her coat as one of the staff led her to the piano.

Aina took a deep breath and took her seat. The people who were already waiting for her to perform watched the young lady with glee and excitement. She closed her eyes momentarily and placed her fingers on the keys. With an exhale, she began to play a melody which perforated throughout the entire restaurant as its customers listened to her wonderful playing with great satisfaction and admiration. She had always been a calming presence and a joy to watch, and so, it was another full packed house for Aina who does not care for that. Instead, she immersed herself with her playing and allowed herself to get lost with the musical notes.

Nemui was a bit surprised when Kurumi finally showed signs of being nervous. She rarely witnessed her sister behaving this way, so she began to fidget as well. The driver was likely fed up with the girls by now, because he quickly opened the door and his facial expression practically bled with irritation. Although when Nemui stepped out of the car, her eyes widened. The house and the yard were both beautiful. The pink cherry blossoms were beautiful, and it calmed her to a certain extent. Unlike Kurumi, Nemui did not stretch. She didn't need to, seeing as her fidgeting and squirming is what had the driver in such a foul mood.

"Finally! We're here, come on Nemui.. We should probably ring the door bell.. Let's get our bags."

"O-of course." Nemui quickly nodded, following her sister to the back of the limousine. Her sister paid the driver, and the two made their way towards the trunk. Nemui could feel her heart pounding faster and faster as she grew closer to meeting her new to-be siblings. Will they like me? Will I just be like a wall decoration in their eyes? What if they are creepy perverts? She was so nervous that she barely noticed when the limo driver popped the trunk open. Thankfully, her sister was more aware and removed their bags before Nemui came across as a spaz or special education..

Nemui accepted her heavy bag, but despite the weight, and her small stature, Nemui held the bag fairly well. She was used to carrying heavy books at her job at the comic book store. The stacks of manga added up, and she had to be able to carry them to stock the shelves. She was a lot stronger than she looked, she was just also quite clumsy. Nemui didn't even note the differences in their bag preferences, because plain and simple was fairly typical in the younger sister's lifestyle. Nemui wore baggy clothes and plain colors, even her school uniform was loose and engulfed her. The oversized clothing hid any possibility of a figure that the girl might have had.

"Hurry up, Ne-chii! They probably didn't hear us pulling in. I want to unpack and pass out.. Screw studying.."

"E-Eh!?" Nemui's eyes widened a bit at her sister's decision. This would be the first time in several years that Kurumi wouldn't study with Nemui before a test, and to be honest the younger sister was concerned, "Y-y-you could fail if we don't study!" She retorted, trying to talk some sense into the older sister. Nemui now felt like a nervous wreck, freaking out about the test and meeting her new siblings. Kurumi's decision released all of Nemui's pent up anxieties.

"Hello there, you must be the Fujioka sisters."

Nemui recognized the boy to be Yukito Kitomura, she didn't need an introduction. Her mother was right, they'd been in the same class for ten consecutive years. What their mother forgot to mention was, moving in with their new siblings would be the ultimate act of suicide!! His fan club at school would annihilate her for this, if his overall fanbase didn't get to her first. Not only was Yukito popular at school, but he was a very well renown pop idol to top it off. Immediately Nemui felt she would faint from the stress, but she forced her knees to lock in place. She didn't want to make a bad first impression, because like it or not, they would be family soon. Just the thought seemed far too surreal. He came across as approachable and extroverted, but just knowing how much her bullying would increase was enough to intimidate her in his current lack of an intimidating quality's stead.

"I'm Kitomura Yukito. You can call me whatever you like. I won't mind at all."

Nemui wasn't sure what to say, so for a while she remained quiet. She let her sister introduce herself first, then Nemui followed suit, "I-I am F-Fujioka, Nemui..." She managed to stutter out, keeping a fearful and timid demeanor.

"I hope the ride was comfortable. Here, let me take care of your bags for you two."

Nemui's eyes widened as a blush crossed her cheeks and she quickly closed the gap that was between herself and Kurumi. T-too close!! She was halfway hidden behind the elder sibling, clinging to her sister's arm for moral support. She didn't mean to be rude, but she also didn't expect Yukito to suddenly approach her. Of course he was simply retrieving her bag, but she was skeptical about getting physically close to celebrity. If she was seen by anyone from school, she'd surely be murdered on the spot, "A-a-arigato... K-kitomura-San..." Nemui responded, chewing on her bottom lip. She was like a small child hiding behind their mother, except she was currently peeking at Yukito, halfway hidden behind Kurumi.

"Come on inside, you two must be tired. My aniki is inside, we've been expecting you."

Kurumi seemed to fit that description, so Nemui nodded her head in agreement, despite feeling rather alert and ready to organize her room. She didn't say anything about it though, considering she'd have plenty of time to arrange things to her liking later on.

"Ku-nii! They're here!"

Ku-nii? They have nicknames for each other too? There was at least one similarity this early in the game, and it brought a small smile across her light pink lips. Nemui pulled a piece of chocolate pocky out of a box that she kept in her jacket's deep left pocket. She gently nibbled on the chocolate coated biscuit stick, following behind Yukito once Kurumi started moving.

"Let's all get along, okay?"

Get along? She had nothing against him.. That wouldn't be that hard, the only obstacle was the girls that chose to make her life a living hell at school. They were incredibly possessive of Yukito, and would be enraged when they realized that Nemui now got to live with him, every day while sharing no blood relation to him whatsoever.

Kurou Kitomura

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"Ku-nii, might I remind you we have guests coming."

Kurou was just minding his own business, eating delicious strawberries when all of the sudden, this punk-ass, idol-ass, brother-looking-ass guy came out of nowhere and interrupted such an important time of his life.

The older sibling was holding a strawberry just above his mouth as Yukito had arrived and took it upon himself to remind Kurou that they would be met with company soon. Kurou gave an unintelligible noise in response, before dropping the fruit down his gullet and taking a moment to appreciate the taste before turning to face his brother, who had the audacity to chastise him and then steal some of the precious fruit. The way things were headed, it was very likely that Kurou would have to dispatch his own sibling if he wanted to keep them all to himself. Fortunately, however, he did not care much for the idea of getting arrested, and murder without being caught would probably require lots of extra effort involved to accomplish, which was definitely against Kurou's nature. People should note that Kurou doesn't just like strawberries.

"Do you have any request for dinner?"

As his younger brother asked this, Kurou had set the bowl of strawberries down on the nearest available surface and had started towards his room. He took a moment to think about what he wanted, but then realized he didn't particularly care what he ate for dinner at the moment. "Something simple sounds good, as I'm sure they'll want to be able to eat quick." Dinner's gunna be awkward regardless, Kurou thought to himself, but refrained from saying aloud. He managed to catch the last couple of comments made by Yukito before disappearing into his room to search for a shirt he could wear.

"Lets see..." the older Kitomura brother took a second to gaze around his room. If one were very observant, they would notice that there was probably more clothes on the floor of his room than in the drawers and closet, and that his bed hadn't look liked it was ever made in the last few years. While some might find this as "messy" or "dirty", he found it "organized", in his own way. He always threw pants on one side of his bed, shirts on another, and underwear at the bottom. Oddly, he found a particular shirt he wanted to wear rather quick despite the horrible state of the room. A plain white tshirt sat atop the small mound made of tops he owned. He picked it up and immediately donned it, feeling a bit restricted, as he disliked being shirted unless it was absolutely necessary.

At least it looked good on him.

He wasted no time heading outside to meet up with his brother and his new "sisters". Whether or not it was intended as genuine, Yukito seemed to be greeting the two girls with a smile and chivalry, which was more than you could ask Kurou for. Honestly, he was much more inclined to just see what they looked like, say "hello", and then disappear back into the house without bothering with them very much. That was ideal, and Kurou had of course predicted that there was a distinct possibility this plan would not go off without a hitch. However.... the way in which he was denied a swift greeting and exit was... well, unexpected to say the least. That was because he caught sight of a really beautiful but unwelcomed face. One that belonged to none other than his 'ex', Kurumi.

About three things one could be absolutely positive. First, Kurou was visibly stunned. Second, there was a part of him - and he wasn't sure just how potent that part may be - that realized the truth. And third, he was unconditionally and irrevocably in denial about the situation.

"....what are they doing here?" he asked his brother, ignoring the girls for the moment. His tone, of course, indicated he was irritated and certainly not happy at all. Ice cold was a good way to put it. At this point, he did not care for first impressions, because he already personally knew one of them, and the other was of no consequence. Plus, they weren't his new sisters anyways. That was impossible! His father must have made a mistake or something, and it wasn't like the man paid attention to anything anyways, so there was definitely some sort of weird mix-up happening.

They were not his sisters.

Please, tell me she's here to confess and this is just her friend or something!

He did not want her to confess in actuality, but it was a much better alternative than facing the truth of this really, really awkward situation. His sight was locked on his brother for a moment, but soon turned to the other sisters, namely the one he was more familiar with. Not a single word was spoken. He just... stared at her, as if he wasn't sure what she was. Perhaps she was a ghost, or a hallucination?

If only.

"Y-y-you could fail if we don't study!"

"Well I am barely passing my classes now, so what does it matter?" Kurumi muttered, feeling more exhausted just for arguing with her sister. She could tell that her decision was causing her younger sister a great deal of stress, when it wasn't even related to Nemui at all in the first place. She didn't understand why Nemui cared about her grades when she could worry about her own instead, "I want to hang out with our brothers.. I'll study with one of them. You should get to know them too." She lied, though for good reason. She didn't want to worry her sister about a disease that no one could cure. Kurumi was taking medicine, and that was the best she could do... The rest she just had to deal with unless she wanted to undergo risky surgeries.

"Hello there, you must be the Fujioka sisters. I'm Kitomura Yukito. You can call me whatever you like. I won't mind at all."

The voice was warm and inviting, causing a big smile to form on Kurumi's lips, "Hai, I'm Fujioka, Kurumi! It's nice to meet you, Yukito-San." She announced, waving to the owner of the voice. She couldn't tell if he was the younger or the older brother, but he was definitely a familiar face... She just couldn't place where she knew this boy's face from. Kurumi began wracking her brain for his name, but nothing came to mind. He was never in her class, but his face was one she saw quite often..

"I-I am F-Fujioka, Nemui..."

She realized her sister was quite nervous, and despite always trying to break Nemui from stuttering so much, the younger girl seemed to do it regardless. Kurumi felt like giving up as far as eradicating Nemui's timidness went. Kurumi was fully convinced that Nemui would become a nun, because she'd never be brave enough to date, get married, or lose her virginity, at least not as she was now. She felt bad for the younger girl, but she was also glad that she was like this. She didn't worry about her sister as much, considering that Nemui was such a good girl.

"I hope the ride was comfortable. Here, let me take care of your bags for you two."

Kurumi was a bit surprised, but released her bag with relatively no struggle. If he wanted to carry it, she would let him. Her limbs felt like egg shells at this point, so it was a relief to have the weight literally lifted off of her shoulders. Nemui wasn't do enthusiastic about it, and quickly retreated behind Kurumi. This caused the blonde haired sibling to laugh, but she allowed Nemui to remain behind her for moral comfort, "Arigato~!" She exclaimed, blinking quite a few times at the feat. She knew what was inside of Nemui's bag, and despite having considerably less in her own, she was still impressed by Yukito's strength, "Sugoi~! Our brother is so strong! Ne, Ne-chii?"

"A-a-arigato... K-kitomura-San..."

Well, at least she thanked him. Kurumi thought to herself regarding Nemui and her nervous reply to Yukito. Kurumi had several appearance insecurities, but unlike Nemui, she was skilled at hiding her self doubt.

"Come on inside, you two must be tired. My aniki is inside, we've been expecting you."

"Expecting us? Lucky.. We just found out yesterday.. We didn't know what to expect." She responded. Though it was just like their mother to wait until the last minute. She was curious, wondering just how long the boys knew about the engagement and their new living arrangements.

"Ku-nii! They're here!"

Well, at least they would get to meet both brothers at once, right? Kurumi was beginning to feel a little more optimistic about their new living arrangements. If the elder brother was as nice as the younger brother, Kurumi felt that the move wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Let's all get along, okay?"

"Of course! We look forward to living with you, Yukito-San~!" She chimed out, in an almost sing-song fashion. Kurumi was definitely the bolder sibling and portrayed herself to be a very energetic and outgoing girl. Sure, this was her most of the time, but she currently felt anything but energetic. Her joints and muscles ached and she just yearned to lay down. She could practically hear her new bed calling her name, "Oh.. I have a cat.. Is that alright? He's here somewhere.. He's too lazy to run too far off." She asked as she followed behind Yukito. She noticed that Nemui was cloning to her like a small child attempting to glue themselves to their mother's skirt. She kept walking behind the younger Kitomura sibling until the trio was intercepted by Kurou at the front door.

"....What are they doing here?"

Kurumi was just as surprised to see Kurou as he was to see her. She had come a long way since the last time that Kurou saw her. (PICTURE LINK HERE!!) She hadn't seen him in a while, barely recognizing him, mostly because she went out of her way to make sure that they were in different classes... She was half tempted to gawk at him the same way he was gawking at her, but that would do nothing to help this family. The physical pain that was setting in was bad enough, she really didn't want to accept that this moment was really happening... but she had to do something to fix the situation. Unlike Kurou, Kurumi snapped out of her shock in time to pretend that she didn't know him, "Expecting us? Doesn't seem like it." She sighed, rolling her eyes pretending his rudeness is what startled her. This was just her luck. What part of her really believed that her life was going to get better? She honestly had herself deluded for a second, for a single moment she actually thought that perhaps she would like this new family... Now, she knew that this family was doomed. Kurou was a boy she asked to pretend to date her back in sixth grade and it was so complicated. He was technically her first boyfriend, but no one else knew it but the two of them. Their false relationship ended abruptly and Kurumi felt bitter about it ever since, and apparently so did Kurou. His expression and behavior spoke volumes.

Don't look at him.. Relax.. Keep a straight face. You can do this, for Mama. Do it for Mama. You've only kissed him one time as kids and it was just a peck.. It was so long ago, he's practically a stranger, so it isn't a complete lie.. Mentally justifying her lie helped her compose herself within a few seconds and she was ready to tell her first lie to her new little brother.

"Who is this, Yukito-San? Your older brother?" She inquired in an innocent tone, a bright smile on her face as she pretended to not recognize Kurou. She blinked a few times, looking Kurou over as if she'd never met him before, keeping a fairly good poker face, but perhaps that was because she didn't know Yukito well enough to feel guilty about lying to him? She knew that her fib could cause an argument between Her and Kurou, either now or possibly even later... but this seemed to be the best line of action for both of their sakes. She wasn't going to deal with explaining it to their siblings and parents... and she'd deny everything if he tried. The wedding was this weekend, and she wasn't going to stress her mother. She was determined to make this work if it killed her.... Even if she wasn't quite over Kurou romantically and her lying angered him.

Kurumi removed her attention from Kurou and placed it back on Yukito, tapping her chin a few times with her left index finger as a light bulb practically lit up above her head, "Yukito-San... Not to change the subject, but are you also the successful Pop Idol Ichigo Fuwa-sama?!" And She asked in a curious tone, tilting her head as she looked at him. The resemblance was phenomenal.. She knew because she had several of Ichigo Fuwa's CD's and two posters. She was completely awe struck. Perhaps Kurou would stop looking at her like she'd killed his dog if she pretended that nothing ever happened? Although it was hard to not call him by first name. That was something she'd gotten used to in the past, and the habit was hard to break now.

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This was rather quaint isn't it? Fujioka Kurumi, the bold one while Fujioka Nemui, the timid one. They were a standard act. It wasn't that unfamiliar. Many had stated that siblings most of the times are opposite of each other. It also applies to him and his older brother. They had different ways of tackling certain matters and he would not elaborate on that much. That wasn't the topic here really. Anyways, he did offer a smile when Kurumi stated that he was strong. The blonde girl seemed to dictate the flow of the conversation since Nemui was literally a deer in headlights.

"It's nothing like that, but thanks." He humbly answered in regards to his strength. Of course, this was but a ruse as inwardly he was thinking of ways to get back at them in his little devilish ways. After all, a devil never reveals himself no matter what as they say. There was then commentary that they were left in the dark about the whole remarrying, living here and having them as brothers. Somehow, he can't help but think that his father and their mother are two peas in a pod. "Is that so? Our father just told us about this the other day before he left for a business trip." He stated with a friendly yet irritating accent to imply empathy in regard to their sudden situation. He even ended it with a sigh but, his eyes were smiling as he looked at the two girls, nothing was out of the ordinary about him.

The atmosphere was for the most part welcoming, but there was one dent to that. Kurumi said that she has a cat. If it was only him, he wouldn't mind at all as long as she would be responsible in taking care of it. If not, he can't assure her that nothing bad will happen to her feline friend, but this was beside him. "A cat?" He had a thoughtful look and continued with a gentle yet factual tone. "I don't know. We don't keep them because my aniki is---" But before he could finish, he heard footsteps coming at the front. That must be Kurou and what he expected was a hello from the older boy. But what cut him off was that very apprehensive question instead.

To say, he was surprised is right, but it would be more fitting to say that he's intrigued. His brother was the kind of man who easily shows negative emotions. He knew that Kurou wasn't agreeable to having girls stay here even more so being family with them. But, the level of coldness wasn't applicable to that kind of distaste. That's why he knew there was something deeper to this as he quirked an eyebrow at this behavior, but inwardly, a devilish smirk was present. "The game just got more interesting." He even heaved a sigh and answered his brother who was still obviously in a state of rude disbelief. "They're the Fujioka sisters who'll be our sisters once the wedding is done."

He then looked at Kurumi who subtly directed words in relation to his older brother's tactless expression. But, he couldn't be fooled easily. Something was up with that tone of hers and his brother's action was enough for him to see it as a fact. "Ah, it might just slipped his mind, he did sleep late, because he did help me prepare your rooms and all. So, don't be too hard on him? Okay?" He ended it with an apologetic tone and a small smile relating his intention to have his older brother's words be forgotten. He flawlessly crafted a story out of nothing to cover for Kurou. It's a necessary trade for him after all. It seemed to work as Kurumi instead asked who Kurou is. "A vixen isn't she..." Yukito played along as he would dig into certain matters at his own pace later. "Yeah, he's my aniki. Kitomura, Kurou." He introduced his brother with a warm smile before turning to look at Kurou.

"This is Kurumi-san and Nemui-san." He pointed to the respective girls as he called out their names for Kurou. His attention then transferred to Kurumi who asked if he was Ichigo Fuwa. That was his stage name. It's better to use it one to avoid a piling of paparazzi at the front doors. He didn't want to them to dirty the yard with their blood if they chanced upon on Kurou's ridiculous bad mood, but he would admit, he is tempted to do that for the fun. "Hmm..." He tilted his head to the side with a thoughtful look on his face. "Let's see..." He then without much warning leaned towards Kurumi and whispered into her ear. The closeness of his lips to her ear was but a hairbreadth. "Yes, I am, but keep it a secret okay?" His breath had such an alluring warmth as it was done in a very gentle manner, before he pulled away and gave her a playful wink, implicating that he was just lightly messing with her or just having plain fun while telling the truth. It could be taken in many ways, but that's how Yukito is.

"Anyway, why don't you two girls get settled in first?" He approached Kurou as he is not terrified of his older brother at all, even if the guy gets murderous. He never backed down. "Ku-nii, why don't you show them to their rooms? I have to prepare dinner." He stated with a bright smile much like that of an angel. His smile was literally blinding as sparkles around Yukito. He then handed Kurou the two bags while creating a smooth motion to be able to isolate themselves without being heard or be seen by the two girls. "You could handle that much, can't you?" His tone was much colder than his brother and his eyes sharpened with such danger as his orange eyes reflected Kurou. After all, it just wasn't Kurou who changed. He then moved away as if that interaction never happened. "You'll be in safe hands with Ku-nii." He stated proudly without a hint of doubt.

"So, go ahead and settle yourselves. I'll call you when dinner is done." Yukito announced with his gentle yet cheery tone as he waved them later and went to the kitchen to make something up. His actions implied that nothing is wrong or he wanted to make sure everything goes smoothly, but really, he couldn't wait for another blow-up or even a slip-up. It's just that he has a very impeccable mask on that no one really sees his truest intentions. He was having a grand time, pulling on certain strings.

Himeko sighed a bit as she looked in the fridge and noticed that she needed to go shopping. She looked in her father's wallet and grabbed a few bills, which would normally be taboo, but not in this family. Her dad worked a lot, so Himeko had to pay all the bills and do all of the shopping. Her mother was too ill to do the errands, so the responsibility fell on Himeko.

The strawberry blonde slipped on her converse, brushing her hair in front of the living room mirror. She put the brush down and ran out the door.

She walked the streets, keeping to herself. Himeko wasn't a very social person unless she was in the company of her friends. She hated boys, mostly because thanks to Kurou Kitomura she had to move schools. Her brother died after the move, thus her dreaded return to the school that ridiculed and bullied her constantly after she was denied.

She jammed her hands into her royal blue Abercrombie hoodie, sighing to herself. Finally the grocery store was in sight, and she ran ahead. She picked up a gallon of milk for her parents and a few other items for dinner, treating herself to a cup of coffee since she was lactose intolerant and thus wouldn't be able to drink the milk. She paid the cashier and hurried out the door, turning the corner to begin her way down the first block that led to her house.

She was about to break into a sprint, but found herself walking straight into something hard that caused her to spill all of her coffee out on herself and whatever she hit, "O-ouch! Hot!"

She fell backwards due to the impact and dropped her bags of groceries as a result. When she fell, she looked up only to realize that she bumped into someone instead of something. In fact, she bumped into a very tall and gorgeous male. He had silver hair and piercing eyes that kind of gave her the chills. His face was familiar, but she wasn't sure why. She knew for a fact that she'd never met him before.. He's.. Intimidating..

Immediately Himeko pushed herself back onto her feet and brushed herself off, apologizing to the stranger, "Gomenasai. I guess the streets here are a bit different than I remember." She laughed in an anxious attempt to make amends.

She finally noticed the coffee on his clothes and felt a sudden pang of guilt, then offered him her handkerchief so he could wipe off his clothes, at least a little. She didn't use it herself, because she was just going home and her clothes were no where near as expensive as his! She had no idea where this guy was going, but she felt bad considering she possibly ruined his clothes permanently, "I will pay you back if those are ruined, even if I have to work the money off!" She exclaimed, bowing in shame. She was still eating herself up inside about it, realizing how angry she would have been if she had been in his shoes.

"Are you alright? Did the coffee burn you at all?" she asked with a concerned tone, unaware that the two of them were being spied on the entire time. A certain paparazzi was hidden, still snapping shots of the duo as she spoke. Sure, the white haired stranger was a guy, so she automatically felt a sense of resentment towards him, but he wasn't hitting on her at the moment so he was still eligible for her concern.

"A cat?"

"I-It was our father's cat before he.." Nemui immediately trailed off, unable to talk about it. Her gaze turned away so she could conceal the sad look in her eyes. If she kept talking about her father, she'd likely break down and cry. She still missed her father, and she kept her distance from Ryouta, afraid to get close to animals, especially cats. Ever since her bullies killed the little kitten she had taken care of in Junior High, she steered clear from all animals for their own safety, "K-Kurumi-chan would keep h-him in her room at all times.. She did back home, because I hate animals." She attempted to aid her sister, hoping it would be enough to let the older girl keep her precious animal that reminded both of them of their deceased father.

"I don't know. We don't keep them because my aniki is---"

She was curious about what Yukito was going to say, but he was interrupted by the presence of an older looking boy. She assumed this was the older brother, seeing as Yukito mentioned one. She never knew that Yukito had an older brother until now, and could see a slight resemblance between the two.

"....What are they doing here?"

Something about the way that the older brother responded was definitely strange and didn't add up right. He gazed upon Kurumi as if she were possessed by a demon or as though she had been infected with the plague. This caused Nemui to tilt her head in confusion. Suddenly she felt more anxious than ever. Did no one tell the older boy? He didn't seem to be 'expecting' anyone considering his response.

"They're the Fujioka sisters who'll be our sisters once the wedding is done."

Would this get messy? She didn't want this to be the family's first official argument.. Somehow she felt that Kurou knew Kurumi, but she wasn't sure how. For some reason his gaze was different when he looked at Kurumi compared to when his eyes fell on Nemui herself. This situation is odd.. What is going on...? Nemui asked herself mentally, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, but she was drawing blanks.. Kurumi never mentioned knowing this boy before.

"Expecting us? Doesn't seem like it."

"K-Kuru-chii!" Nemui called out in a tone of warning, tugging on her sister's jacket sleeve in attempt to silence her before she made matters worse. Her sister was being equally rude, and Nemui preferred to avoid this confrontation if it was at all possible. She didn't want the family's first encounter to be permanently tarnished, but somehow she felt that she was completely helpless when it came to the issue at hand. Nemui's golden eyes shifted to each person as she nervously chewed on a second piece of chocolate pocky, this time holding the stick in her hand as she anxiously nibbled.

"Ah, it might just slipped his mind, he did sleep late, because he did help me prepare your rooms and all. So, don't be too hard on him? Okay?"

"A-Arigato..." Nemui managed to stutter out, but her eyes were wide in a combination of shock and horror. If they went through her belongings to set up their bedrooms, that meant that one or both of the boys located her extensive collection of shoujo manga. This situation is getting very bad... she was beginning to panic, so she switched her attention to looking over both of her new brothers, this time taking in the finer details. Yukito's casual outfit brought a light blush to her cheeks, admiring his fashion sense for a moment. The older brother's clothes were casual, but he also was a force to be reckoned with. I wonder what our step-father looks like.. Both of our new brothers are attractive, not that something like that matters anymore... But I bet that the father is aesthetically pleasing as well.. They're so lucky.. Suddenly she felt like a chicken amongst a flock of swans. Kurumi, Yukito, and Kurou were all three gorgeous in their own right.. Nemui retreated into baggy clothing because she felt inferior to Kurumi and other girls, but now she felt like not even a trash bag could conceal her subpar physical appearance.

"Who is this, Yukito-San? Your older brother?"

So she doesn't know him..? This is confusing..Nemui frowned as she tried to mentally decipher the problem, letting out an audible sigh as she grew frustrated with herself. She couldn't place her finger on it, but there was definitely something that either Kurou or Kurumi wasn't telling them, and curiosity already began to eat Nemui alive. Though she couldn't doubt her older sister, especially since she seemed so sincere and friendly when she presented her questions about the older brother's identity.

"Yeah, he's my aniki. Kitomura, Kurou. This is Kurumi-san and Nemui-san."

"I-It's nice to meet you, Kitomura-San. We apologize for intruding." Nemui stated with a very formal Japanese bow. She then returned to an upright position, avoiding eye contact with either of the brothers. She was still standing further away than Kurumi, seeing as she was the more timid sister. She didn't want to be surprised by an invasion of her personal space again, so she felt distance was a must.

"Yukito-San... Not to change the subject, but are you also the successful Pop Idol Ichigo Fuwa-sama?!"

Nemui blinked a bit, remembering that her sister did own quite a few of Yukito's posters. She never told the other girl that she knew 'Ichigo Fuwa' because her older sister would have definitely asked to be 'introduced'.. There was no way that could have ever happened, because Nemui didn't know Yukito well enough to do something as bold as that, they were simply classmates until today, nothing more. She never spoke to him once in school, not even to say good morning. She was far too shy to talk to Yukito, and she didn't want to get harsher treatment from her tormentors either.

"Hmm..."

A perplexed look adorned Nemui's features as Yukito seemed to be pondering on the question. Did he suddenly forget who he was? Even Nemui was aware of his occupation, everyone in their class and even quite a few of the girls outside of it were aware.

"Let's see..."

Nemui almost twitched as he toyed with her sister's interest. Was he having fun or something? Building up Kurumi's anticipation? She was almost to the point of admitting it for him, but was too surprised to do anything as Yukito leaned in very close to the older sister.

Nemui visibly freaked out, because it appeared he was leaning in for a kiss from her line of view, although it later became obvious that he was simply whispering. She placed one hand on her chest, attempting to calm her frantic heartbeat. She felt as though she'd almost had a heart attack. The last thing they needed was for one of the siblings to kiss another mere days before the wedding.. That would cause a lot of confusion and unnecessary drama for everyone.. Yukito winked to Kurumi, so Nemui relaxed a bit more. A joke?Well, a little humor never hurt anyone, right? She wasn't sure how true her assumption was, but it was easier to get through the day if she convinced herself that everything would turn out fine.

"Anyway, why don't you two girls get settled in first?"

Nemui felt a sense of relief as he mentioned going to their rooms. This would give Kurou and Kurumi a much needed recess. Perhaps the awkwardness would work itself out? A girl could dream, couldn't she?

"Ku-nii, why don't you show them to their rooms? I have to prepare dinner."

W-what!? Alone with these two?!She wasn't sure if she could referee if Kurou and Kurumi started again.. Either way, she didn't seem to have a choice. Yukito had other responsibilities.. Yukito apparently whispered something to his brother in secret, but Nemui wasn't too concerned by it. They were brothers, perhaps it was something between dudes?

"You'll be in safe hands with Ku-nii."

Nemui wasn't as confident, considering there was definitely an ominous air between Kurumi and Kurou, but she didn't have a say in the matter. She let out another sigh, walking ahead of Kurou because someone would need to open the bedroom doors for him. Both of his hands contained the last two bags of their remaining luggage after all.

"So, go ahead and settle yourselves. I'll call you when dinner is done."

Nemui went up the stairs, noticing five bedrooms and a bathroom. Thankfully all of the bedroom doors had the occupant's name laminated on them. As you come up the stairs, Kurumi's bedroom door was on the main left, and the second door on the left wall was Nemui's. To the immediate right, directly across the hall from Kurumi's bedroom was Kurou's and beside of his was Yukito's. Their parent's room was on the other side of Yukito's bedroom and the bathroom was next to Nemui's bedroom. She opened the door to Kurumi's room and admired the dark blue walls before opening her own. Nemui's room was a pale shade of pink and to her horror, her room was set up. She nearly screamed, but that would look insane, wouldn't it? She'd save it for her pillow, in private. She had to it this short if she wished to hide her mortification.

"I'll take my bag from here.. I.. I have a few things to do before dinner.." To be honest she just needed a bit of scream therapy into her pillow, but she also just made the excuse to escape the awkwardness. She was sure that nothing TOO bad would happen if she left Kurumi and Kurou alone together, "T-Thank you for carrying my bag, Kitomura-San.." She stuttered in a soft, gentle tone as she retrieved it from him. She timidly entered her bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind her before she made a direct sprint for her new bed and let her lungs screech into the fabric of her nearest pillowcase. Which one saw?! Do they both know!? How embarrassing!!

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It was a very tiring day for a certain top male model named EDGE. His fashion show had just ended and of course, it was a success. He was even given great accolades for his style and presence on the runaway. This was a great boost as he was modelling for a very prominent fashion label which was Gucci. It wasn't surprising even if he was practically a newcomer to the fashion scene. Actually, he is still in his first year of modelling. This is because many of the products he had endorsed gained such fame and were always sold out. He had also walked the runaways and make sure it sizzles when he's on it. Actually, there had even been offers from international modelling agency which could expand his career on a global scale. This would be a great opportunity but, he rejected it, stating that he has yet to gain a status that he is satisfied with in his own country, Japan.

The actual reason for this is that he didn't want to be in a place far away from his light who the public commonly knows as Ichigo Fuwa. But, he knows him more as Yukito Kitomura. It's helpful that he is the son of the Talent Agency's President that the young Pop Icon is enlisted in. It allows him to have certain private information to be declassified. Speaking of which, he had requested to attend a certain school which was at first a surprise to his father. He had already stopped going since all of them gave up on him. He was an absentee student and a scary delinquent to boot. It was because of that history of his that he earned the nickname the Silver Monster. But, that was in the past. Now, he just opted not to attend one since, it would get in the way of his work and all. But, he changed his mind ever since the last conversation that he and Yukito had the other day.

Anyways, his father agreed and his transfer is good as complete. All he has to do is go to school on its first day. That won't be a problem, he has his primary motivation in life attending it. For now, he focused himself on avoiding attending the after party of the fashion show. The owner of the Gucci label was inviting him along the other models, but he suavely declined, stating that he has a very important promise to keep. This was of course a lie and the only appointment he has would be with his bed. He was tired from all the activities he had for one day. He left the party and made a slip from the awaiting car sent by the agency. It had been stated by his father that he'll be picked up by the agency's car wherever he is, but it doesn't mean he would not escape that routine sometimes. This was one of those times.

He mixed with the large crowd leaving the building where the fashion show was held. He did well to cover his hair with a cap and wore an over-sized coat to hide his built, but he didn't expect that his disguise would not work on the keen eye of a certain paparazzi who followed behind him. His reason for not using the car was that he simply wanted a moment to clear his head. There were still things he wanted to think about and he couldn't do that while riding the car. The breeze was also a welcome to him. It seemed that he finds comfort in the streets more than anything else. When he was sure that he was a distance from the agency's car. He removed the coat and the cap, showcasing a rather expensive looking clothes. Well, they are. It didn't strike him odd if people would recognize him. That's because he's a model not an entertainer, so his exposure are only on limited media. But, he underestimated his popularity however...

Thinking about it, he saw from the distance a grocery store. He could buy some snacks to have later when he gets back to his apartment. With that line of thinking, he went towards the store and was caught by surprised as he turned around the corner and something or more appropriately, someone came out, colliding with him. It was not enough to make him falter or miss a step. Instead, he remained unmoved from his position, but somehow felt a hot sensation seeping through his clothes. He looked at it and noticed a brown stained forming at the area around his stomach. He could judged by the temperature and the scent, that it was coffee.

He only remembered the someone who bumped him when he heard someone apologizing. He looked at that person and saw it to be a girl. She was pretty that he won't deny, but it wasn't something he would get excited on. He had seen many beautiful people and really, he only had one person now in mind. She then offered her handkerchief to him, but he didn't take it immediately as he was still listening to what she was saying. She was quite talkative, earnest, and was quite a busybody from what he is seeing. It was just coffee and it was hot, but he didn't think he was burned from it. "Don't worry about it." He finally spoke as he lifted his shirt a bit which showed his very fit stomach with a remarkable show of abs, just around that portion of course. The skin held a light red tint, but nothing that won't go away in a few minutes. "See. I'm fine. You don't have to pay me." It was to show her that she shouldn't worry about him being burned as he returned his covered his stomach again.

His eyes of beautiful purple found the discarded grocery bags as he grabbed hold of it. "Here." He handed the grocery bags to her while looking at her clothes. "You're more of the victim than me. Sorry." He then took the offered handkerchief but not to wipe himself, instead he placed it on her hand, which was redder than his stomach. "Put some ice on it. It would be bad if it scars you." That small gesture appearing intimate at a distance was caught by the paparazzi who was smiling with pure happiness. It was his lucky day. As for EDGE, he pulled back unaware of the topic which would be headlining tomorrow. "Watch where you are going next time. Bye." His words never once held any apprehension. It was calm and oddly casual as he walked passed her without another look.

At that moment, all he could think about was what snacks he should buy at the grocery store.

Kurou Kitomura

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When he had finally snapped out of the shocked state he was in, Kurou had immediately regretted even showing interest in the older sister at all. Why? Because his brother would know that something weird had happened between the two, and that could only ever be a bad thing. The man was a sly devil in an angel's clothing, and Kurou was privy to this information, so the outcome could only be horrible for Kurou. Well, at the very least it looked like Kurumi had enough composure to come up with some form of plan, even if it did bother him for her to act like he and she had never met before.

Odd. Usually he wouldn't even care. But when she did it... it pissed him off.

His facial features did not seem to change much. From a surprised and apprehensive frown to just a scowl did not seem to be much of a difference when shown on him. He just sorta looked... somewhat less pissed. Though later his new siblings would come to know this as his default facial expression when dealing with most people. After that, he did something no pessimist would typically while remaining in-character, which is to hope. In this case, he 'hoped' that his brother had just considered that prior outburst as typical behavior of Kurou's and not noticed any underlying cause to it. Yeah, he had to have thought it just normal, right? Kurou mentally started a stopwatch in his head that was to cease the exact moment when his hopes were crushed, as they were without fail for quite some time now. Perhaps that is why he was allowed to have these hopes: because they would always be crushed and cause him to be more and more pessimistic as he aged.

Kurou was snapped out of his insignificant thoughts by a formal introduction by his brother of the the two sisters and by that. That referred to his brother's oddly delicious stagename, the one most people who knew him from anything other than school, knew him as. If someone were perhaps paying close attention at the time, his scowl seemed to harden just a bit when he realized that it was Kurumi saying this. Even her too.... ?, he mentally cursed. Though he should have expected this. Any girl her age would know him, after all he had become a huge hit recently, and just that very fact was something that pissed Kurou off as well, for some reason. He would not, however, ever admit that it was because he was a bit jealous. At least not to himself.

The older brother had been quiet all this time, his face being the only real means of knowing that he was even paying attention. There was not much to say. Well, there was actually a lot he could say, but if he said any of it here, well, there would certainly be a lot of drama and unpleasantness involved. He'd prefer to wait, if possible. If at all. So he did. Despite the fact that it appeared as though he was probably ready to just take his leave with a "I've grown bored of this conversation" and a wave, he stayed in place while his brother said "Yes, I am said Idol" in a very dramatic manner considering. But that was common of him, wasn't it? Kurou was the only one who got to see what was beneath that exterior, and it was not something he felt grateful for, most of the time.

"Ku-nii, why don't you show them to their rooms? I have to prepare dinner." Yukito asked of him while approaching Kurou is a swift, but precise manner. The words his younger brother said next, of course, caused him to stop the timer in his head at just under two minutes. "You could handle that much, can't you?". Kurou took the bags without so much as a physical indication that he'd even heard, but he did. He could almost feel the ice behind each syllable, and he didn't miss the look his brother shot him either. That being said, someone who was perpetually in a state of 'ice' could certainly deal with what Yukito could deal out. Kurou glanced upwards, towards his new imoutos.

"That's fine, I guess." he said to Yukito without turning his gaze back to his younger brother. In the very next instant, he began to turn towards the house and motioned with a hand for the two to follow him inside. However, it seemed the shier of the two had been considerate enough to open the door for him. This kind act of hers had made him realize that he had two sisters, not just that one he had dated at one point. There was definitely something wrong with that. Not just the fact he'd more or less been shrugging off the little one's existence (he believed her name was Nemo or something), but that he'd been dealt a blow this huge by Kurumi's appearance, when he'd felt little romantic attachment to her last time they'd met. Why now? If one could throw out a guess, perhaps it was because she signified his change from one Kurou to another. Shortly after they parted ways was when he lost interest in keeping up a public mask of cheerfulness. It would make sense that seeing her return would remind him of how "foolish" he had used to be.

But Kurou did not know that himself. He just knew he didn't like this situation at all. His instincts were correct that he would not be enjoying today, unfortunately for him.

There was no "thank you" as Kurou entered his home. Given how he looked, one probably should not be surprised. He meant no disrespect towards Nemo in particular, as those two words hadn't been muttered in quite some time. Instead, he stepped into the house and beelined straight towards the bedrooms without delay. He didn't feel like carrying bags any longer than he had to. In fact, being responsible for these two was more than he wanted to begin with. Yet, even then Nemo was more enthusiastic about getting herself to her room than Kurou was, as she managed to scale the stairs in their entirety before Kurou even reached the halfway mark, Kurumi presumably behind him. She must really want to read that shoujo manga, he figured. When he reached the peak of the stairs, he noticed Nemo'd already found her own room, marked by her nameplate that read.....

"Nemui"

....Well, she'd still be Nemo to him.

"I'll take my bag from here.. I.. I have a few things to do before dinner.." his new imouto declared. Kurou again assumed she really wanted to read manga or something, and extended her bag out to her as she reached for it. Expectedly, she thanked him with a small voice and retreated into her room once she'd gotten her bag, leaving Kurou and Kurumi by themselves.

He did the most reasonable thing in this situation.

Kurou suddenly realized how awkward this was. He kept his gaze from meeting Kurumi's as he then walked up to her door and opened it, walking inside. He inspected her room without reserve, or perhaps to keep himself from actually looking at her. He noticed that it was much "girlier" than his room, or at least that's how he could explain it. It wasn't even that "girly", it was just clean, which was foreign to the young man. Enough time eventually passed with an awkward silence that Kurou decide he was going to have to break it. He just wasn't... really that good at it. At least, his typical reaction in these situations would be to grumble and ignore the person, but that wasn't really possible here, was it?

"Kurumi? Kurumi....? Kurumi-san.....?" he repeated just barely audible enough for her. He did not seem to be calling her, he was just repeating the word over and over again as though he wasn't sure what he was supposed to call her now. And he wasn't. It felt... odd to just call her by name. That's what he was supposed to do now, right? For as long as he could remember, he'd referred to Yukito simply as "Yuki", so he couldn't remember exactly how things worked in this regard. "...we went from that to you soon becoming a Kitomura. How odd." was all he could eventually open with, not even bothering to look at her.

Hopefully his charms weren't too much for her to handle.

As he spoke, he noticed his eyes beginning to irritate him. They started feeling itchy. Strange. They only did that when he was exposed to cats.

"Ah, it might just slipped his mind, he did sleep late, because he did help me prepare your rooms and all. So, don't be too hard on him? Okay?"

What!?!? That means that they saw her posters! Immediately Kurumi let out a surprised, "Eh?!" Then she gave a sheepish laugh, closing her eyes as she let the new information sink in. Her ex was touching all of her things?! Just the thought made her a bit uneasy, "How embarrassing..." Kurumi finally stated, a light blush on her cheeks as she twirled her hair around her index finger. She tried to keep her cool, but she was very embarrassed knowing that they'd put away the majority of her clothes. Did they think she was as fat as she felt after seeing her clothes? Suddenly her self consciousness became worse than usual. She would definitely have to weigh in more often.. She had an appearance to maintain.

"A-Arigato..."

Kurumi noticed that her sister was far more humiliated by the knowledge, giving her younger sister's hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance. The gesture was for mutual comfort, but no one needed to know that.

"Yeah, he's my aniki. Kitomura, Kurou. This is Kurumi-san and Nemui-san."

Well, this couldn't get any more awkward.. Kurumi thought to herself in a pessimistic manner. She kept a warm expression on her face nonetheless, biting the bullet so to speak, "Fujioka, Kurumi. It's nice to meet you, Kurou-San." It was a bit difficult to remember the 'san', but so far she was doing fairly well.

"I-It's nice to meet you, Kitomura-San. We apologize for intruding."

Kurumi was a bit surprised by Nemui's traditional introduction. Kurumi just gave a friendly wave, smiling a bit, "What she said. She pretty much covered it." Kurumi nodded, jabbing a thumb in Nemui's direction. Kurumi was definitely not a very formal person, far more casual and familiar about her introductions with both of the boys.

"Hmm..."

He had to think about it? Was she wrong? She definitely regretted asking. The anticipation was unnerving, and now she might have made a fool in of herself in front of Kurou.

"Let's see..."

Kurumi blinked a few times, wondering if he was enjoying this as much as he seemed to be. She was going to hit him if he built up all this only to admit he wasn't Ichigo Fuwa.

"Yes, I am, but keep it a secret okay?"

She was taken by surprise when Yukito leaned in, but calmed down when she realized that he was just trying whisper something to her. His breath tickled her ear, causing her to shiver a bit as he spoke, "Got it... Although, how is it a secret?" She asked in a naive and baffled tone. Her expression was one of complete confusion. She wasn't catching on that it was a joke, even after the wink.

"Ku-nii, why don't you show them to their rooms? I have to prepare dinner."

Dinner? Kurumi was a bit nervous. Would they get mad about her diet? Would it offend them? She wasn't sure, buts he was too frightened to mention it. She simply smiled and nodded, "Can't wait. Will there be salad?" She asked with a grin. She used to hate it, but in attempt to lose weight she embraced fruits and vegetables and shunned meats and junk food.

"That's fine, I guess."

Yukito left and Kurou gave a hand signal that beckoned them to follow him, but before Kurumi could move an inch, Nemui stepped forward and opened the door for him, and made a direct path for the stairs. Next Kurou went inside, and finally Kurumi who was secretly accompanied by Ryouta. Kurumi removed her shoes, shutting the door behind her before following the other two up the stairs. Finding her room was simple enough due to the labels, and she felt her stomach knot up as she realized her bedroom door was directly facing Kurou's. They'd see a lot of each other no matter what it seemed.

"I'll take my bag from here.. I.. I have a few things to do before dinner.."

Kurumi was mortified knowing that her sister was about to leave her alone with Kurou, but couldn't think of a good reason to beg her sister to remain with them, at least not on the spot like this. She was panicking far too much to come up with a decent plan.

"T-Thank you for carrying my bag, Kitomura-San.."

Seeing as she was behind Kurou, Kurumi allowed her eyes to widen and she shook her head quickly, but her sister neglected to realize it. Nemui was already locked inside of her room and Kurumi was stranded in the hall with her pretend ex boyfriend. This just got more awkward. Just great, I jinxed myself..

Kurumi followed Kurou inside of her room, albeit rather hesitantly. There were several posters along her bedroom walls, mostly of different pop artists, both male and female. Two of her posters were of Yukito, but there were others among the room. She blushed a bit realizing that they saw her posters, and she approached them and took them down immediately. It was too weird having posters of her new younger brother hanging on her walls. Her room was very pristine, containing minimal items, aside from a closet full of outfits and shoes. Her bedsheets were blue with girly rose-like designs on them and her walls were a matching shade of dark blue. (Like this link, just switch the colors as I described)


"Kurumi? Kurumi....? Kurumi-san.....?"

"Kurumi is fine, just don't shorten it.. Okay?" She responded in a shaken tone, no longer hiding the fact that she was just as startled by this situation as he had been. She wasn't sure what he was trying to prove, but she would hear him out. No one was around to listen in, so this was their chance to say what they needed to say, "You can sit the bag anywhere.. Thanks." Her voice was low, muffled by the intense air that filled the room. She didn't expect him to come inside...

"...we went from that to you soon becoming a Kitomura. How odd."

Kurumi felt like someone was currently wrapping rubber bands around her chest. She moved over to her bed, sitting down slowly as he spoke, also avoiding all chances of eye contact. Her blue eyes stared at the floor, then out the window, "It is kind of strange, but it's not like anything serious actually happened between us.. It was just one kiss. No big deal, right?" Her own words stung more than she expected, and they came out less confident and far more awkwardly than she intended. Although it was true, there was only one innocent kiss between them, so why was it so tense right now? She thought that she finally was over Kurou, but now that she was in his presence it felt like she had made no progress at all. She was a bit more confident, seeing as she'd made a great deal of progress as far as her beauty was concerned. She knew that she had a long way to go, but she was nowhere near as nerdy and no longer wore bulky glasses. She opted for contacts, no longer the girl she used to be. She used to be a lot like Nemui back then, simply a lot less soft spoken.

"May I ask you something?" She asked in a curious tone, her voice lowering as she grew slightly intimidated. They were alone together in her room, and since he'd helped Yukito she knew that he was aware of the two posters that she owned of his younger brother. If this wasn't awkward enough, the posters made this embarrassing as hell, "Why are you bringing up the past like there wad something there? It was just practice, like we agreed." She inquired, deciding to get straight to the point right after with her following statement. She didn't understand why he would choose to bring up their complicated and literally phony relationship, seeing as he was the one to end it abruptly. Was he intentionally trying to hurt her again, or ignorantly reminiscing? He was faking the entire time, but over time she grew serious about the fake arrangement, whether he knew it or not. She hoped that he didn't know that she had fallen for him somewhere along the lines back then, because it would be easier that way, right?

"I think it would be best to never talk about it to anyone else. I do not plan to compromise my mother's and your father's happiness." She informed him, finally looking up at him as she worked up the courage. She wasn't the same girl that he dumped. She began working on, started an organic diet, and changed her entire wardrobe. She even got her mother to teach her how to apply makeup. Kurumi was somewhat of the "it" girl at her school. She was quite popular now, but has only dated two other boys since their breakup, and neither relationship lasted even two weeks before she grew bored and dumped them, "Let's try to avoid making any comments that would Yukito-San, Ne-chii, or anyone else too suspicious. If you ever have a problem with me, please try to tell me away from others."

Kurumi blinked a bit remembering that Yukito said something about cats and Kurou. Immediately she blinked a bit in confusion, "wait a second, are you allergic to cats..?"She asked in a baffled manner. She didn't know, and was kind of surprised. She knew that he absolutely adored dogs, remembering that from the time they spent pretending to date each other. She felt a bit guilty, biting her bottom lip, "I brought my father's cat... He died when Nemui was little and she hates animals.. Taking care of him fell on me. He's been my responsibility for the past seven years." She explained the situation, not fishing for sympathy. She didn't want his sympathy at all, she just needed Kurou to understand it wasn't a personal attack. She couldn't get rid of Ryouta because of the sentimental value. Her eyes scanned the yard through her bedroom window and noticed a shed among the beautiful Sakura blossoms. She then got an idea, seeing no other solution if he refused to let her keep him inside, "I can put him in the shed..?" She offered, standing up from the bed a little quicker than normal. She passed him to scoop up the cat, awaiting his answer. She was closer to him than intended, but she was holding a cat, so she felt a bit more relaxed, although her racing heartbeat said otherwise. The air in the room was tense, and she was growing nervous. It would be a good excuse to cut the conversation short if he agreed. Although she was used to sleeping with the cat in her bed, so she wasn't sure if she could sleep without Ryouta.. She just wished to avoid conflict if possible, because she was sure that there would be more than enough in the days to come.

She was just so confused, why did he come in to talk after breaking up with her so heartlessly? Not to mention she felt a bit awkward in her current outfit now, having chosen it before she realized that her ex would be her new 'brother'. She definitely would have chosen something a bit more conservative than her striped mini dress and aquamarine off-shoulder shirt.

Nemui changed clothes after she calmed down, putting Moe Kare on her bed, bookmark sticking out to hold her spot. Somewhere along the lines of her time alone, she ended up deciding that she would spend a little time getting to know the neighborhood. She wanted to be familiar with the block, because she would be walking it at night and she didn't want to get lost. Japan was scary enough at night when she knew where she was going. She tugged at her jacket and put her headphones around her neck. She tiptoed past Kurumi's room and managed to avoid being seen due to the awkwardness between Kurou and Kurumi. She wondered what was going on with those two, but she chalked it up to an awkward apology. She finally made it to the front door, slipping on her low top black converse before sliding stealthily out the door. She quietly shut it behind her and made a dead sprint for the main gate. She made it out, seeing as their mother sent beepers to her and Kurumi in the mail. The house stood out among the rest, but none of the homes in the area were anything but beautiful. She went to the right of Sakura Square, stopping on the sidewalk in front of the first house. She didn't even realize that they had any immediate neighbors.

If she were a more sociable person, she probably would have walked over to introduce herself.. but Nemui was not that forward. She wasn't good when it came to talking to other people, and she didn't want to make a fool out of herself. What if the neighbors weren't friendly? Suddenly Nemui wished that she didn't come outside, because she caught sight of a few of her bullies from school. They were headed her way, and Nemui acted without thinking her plan through. Out of pure fear, Nemui bolted across the neighbor's grass and hid behind a large bush. The girls didn't see her yet, so if she was careful, they wouldn't notice her. Sure she was wearing bright yellow and blue, but those girls weren't paying attention to small details, at least none that weren't in their line of vision.

She hunkered down just to be safe, putting her hands over her head. She looked like she was practicing for a tornado drill at school, but to be honest she was just terrified. Her bullies were known to get fairly cruel and unusual, so she ran whenever she could avoid them. She nearly died twice because of the boys and girls that picked on her. Her heart stopped as the girls passed, laughing and blushing as they passed Sakura Square. Apparently they knew where Yukito lived, which only made her more frightened about being seen coming and going from her new home. She hoped that the neighbors wouldn't realize that she was using their shrubs for camouflage, but anything was better than being caught by those girls. Once she felt that they were gone, Nemui rose from her hiding spot and dusted off her clothes. She knew that she was trespassing, but she chose her hiding spot out of survival instinct. She didn't have Kurumi to back her up and there were at least five girls. She never would have been able to stand up for herself, but she also couldn't ask Kurou or Yukito for help. She'd only get bullied more if she let them fight her battles. She was on her own at times like this, and it was scary as hell. She got a few leaves in her hair and she began brushing her fingers through her short light brown locks trying to remove them. She got most of them out, but there was a stubborn one in the back that she couldn't see. She decided to tiptoe across the lawn, hoping that she would be able to escape the neighbor's yard before she was caught by them or anyone else.

She couldn't help but wonder what Yukito was cooking, worried that Kurumi wouldn't eat. Her sister was very picky, and most foods didn't qualify. She ate, but Nemui was worried that the older Fujioka girl would slowly escalate from diets to full blown anorexia. She couldn't watch another family member get sick, so she hoped that her brothers would be kind. If they said anything to make Kurumi self conscious about her weight, they'd probably meet the angry side of Nemui, and due to her intelligence, that was a fairly formidable side to the typically harmless girl. She only grew a pair whenever she needed to stand up for someone else, and Kurumi always would get upset with Nemui because of it. Her sister often accused Nemui of not caring enough about herself or feeling like she didn't deserve to be treated better... To be honest, Nemui didn't have an ounce of self confidence. She couldn't defend herself, because she couldn't find a good quality about herself that was worth defending.

She almost snuck completely out of the yard, but tripped over a sprinkler. She let out a light shriek as she collided with the ground, but was thankfully unharmed. She did however probably catch the attention of the landowner. Could anyone say busted? At least she wasn't loud enough to be heard by those at Sakura Square.. Perhaps if she explained herself the neighbors wouldn't be mad about her being on their property without permission?

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Now on his own, Yukito was smirking with such cruel intention. He was truly certain that his little crumbs of mischief were now taking its roots, like, preparing the rooms of the girls. It would be easier for him to just have the rooms cleaned, colored and left the girls' things in the boxes, but he did like having a bit of an ace and adding to his delight of knowing that those girls were embarrassed with the knowledge that either him or even his brother handled their things especially the one, they didn’t want to be known. He did saw the collection of mangas and posters of him. It was rather adorable and intriguing tools for him to use when the time comes. That's why he arranged their things for them. Kurou actually didn't do anything to help in that matter other than having him carry the boxes to the rooms and that was already a hurdle for the older Kitomura to do, not an issue of strength really, but of willingness. Well, it was definitely not wrong in his book to make fun of the people around him whether they are family or not. It was just one of his ways to vent out his frustrations even if he knew it was a bad thing.

His mother would probably scold him, but she wasn't here anymore isn't it? That's why that absentee father of his was going to marry someone else. "This is so stupid..." His eyes narrowed in aggravation and the mixture of sadness. His current expression was far different from what he had shown those dimwitted girls earlier and his older brother most of the times. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. After that, he was wearing again his mask and just decided to do what he does best, lie...

He opened the fridge and took out the ingredients he would need to make dinner. Kurou wanted something simple and from the off-handed comment by Kurumi, she wanted salad. "Yuck!" He inwardly grimaced. He hates vegetables, but not that he would stop anyone eating it or not used it in cooking. It's just that he doesn't eat it, but accepts that they are needed to spice up certain meals. It's not like he has much of a choice. He would just have to whip out a dinner that all of them could eat together. He took the apron (strawberry-printed) hanging at the nearby rack and wore it. He then pulled up his sleeves and began his preparation. If any of his fans or other people would see him, they wouldn’t expect from the energetic and seemingly carefree pop idol to know how to work his way in a kitchen.

That's why many would be impressed and the girls would be in a daze, because he just doesn't appear efficient, he appears very handsome and cute with his current get-up along with his very focused expression. "Oh, that's right. I should check my messages." He remembered as he put aside the things needs to be cut as he took out his phone. Then, he placed it at the nearby counter and pressed the play button. After that, he continued with his cooking as he listened. They were mostly reminders of his schedule for the rest of the week and confirmations of interviews and guesting. They were a bit cramped as he did take a day-off and classes were about to start. It's a good thing that his manager, Haruko was a miracle worker in organizing his schedule, but he wouldn't admit that to her anytime soon. He was still having fun teasing her about being a horrendous task manager.

Then, there was one message which took his full attention. It was one coming from the Kitomura patriarch, his father. Yukito stopped dicing the vegetables and looked at where he placed his phone. "Hey Yu, I'm just checking in. Did the girls arrive already? Make them feel welcome, alright? I know it's been hard, but we can have a complete family again. Take care of Kurou, I know it should be the opposite. Anyway, I'll see you all soon." It was done. Yukito's expression was incredibly hard to read. His eyes of orange which was commonly bright lacked any luster. It was like looking at the eyes of a dead person. His lips were curved downward picturing a frown. He went towards his phone and instantly deleted his father's message and kept his phone. "Family, huh..." He muttered in a very cold and stark way as if not understanding that word's meaning and concept. It was inaudible to anyone but him.

He closed his eyes again and released a rather heavy sigh. "I better finish here, can't have them wait for dinner too long." He was back to his cheery self as a smile was now plastered on his face whether this was an act or not, only Yukito really knows. After a while, he was done with dinner. He cleaned up the kitchen and then set up the table at the dining room. When he was done, he removed his apron, returning it to its rack and tidied himself up. He stretched his arms and his neck for good measure before going towards to the intercom installed at the kitchen entrance. It was connected to various rooms of the house. This was a large house after all. It wouldn't be wise to simply shout what you wanted and hoped someone was nearby to hear or wasn't deaf.

Yukito pressed a few buttons allowing him to patch through the bedrooms. "Hey guys, dinner is ready. Come on down, okay?" His voice echoed through the rooms as he spoke in a friendly manner and ended it at that. He went towards the table and looked at the food laid out there. It was actually simple. He prepared Unagi don. It was grilled eel covered with sweet caramel-like sauce on top of freshly cooked rice. It does look simple but, the he did the grilling and the sauce was made from scratch by Yukito. His mother always emphasized that in cooking, one must do everything by hand. It makes the meal more delicious and healthy. He also prepared some warm tea to accompany the meal. He also made a bowl of fresh green vegetable salad with some mixed fruits, like berries (minus strawberries) which he both cut and chopped for easier eating. He still had free time so, he also made some taiyaki on the sides. He baked them with assorted fillings like strawberry, sweet red bean paste, chocolate, and cheese with some of the fillings he did on his own like the strawberry and sweet red bean.

It made him wonder if this was enough. Anyway, he did his part. Then, there was a slight smirk on his lips. He had a feeling dinner would be entertaining at the very least. This will be fun...

---

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Kurou Kitomura

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"It is kind of strange, but it's not like anything serious actually happened between us.. It was just one kiss. No big deal, right?"

Kurou decided to set the bag down out of the way as he listened to a valiant attempt by Kurumi to shrug it off as "No big deal". Unfortunately for her, she wasn't capable of speaking those words with enough indifference to convince the older Kitomura otherwise. If it weren't for the fact that Kurou himself had failed to really start this conversation properly, then he might've even said that it was a bit embarrassing and rolled his eyes. But that was not the case. However, he was now wondering if he was striking the nail on the head back then about her starting to fancy him. Well, the old him. The one who held a certain amount of chivalry and kindness with him, and usually had a bright, blinding smile on his face whenever he could.

Though now that he thought about it, when was the last time he genuinely smiled?

He couldn't recall before Kurumi interrupted the thought with, "Why are you bringing up the past like there was something there? It was just practice, like we agreed."

That was a good question. But he had an answer.

"Because you've changed." he replied as though her were merely mentioning a fact he'd learned somewhere. Of course she could say the exact same thing about him. He was still playing the role of a kind, naive boy whom most looked up to and respected and admired when they were fake dating. Even if on the inside he was already becoming a pessimistic, rotten person, he'd never once dropped the mask in front of her. It was sometime after she'd departed that he finally caved and decided the mask wasn't worth wearing. In fact, she had more of a right to say it to him than he did she, now that he thought about it.

But it was still true that she changed too.

He recalled mentioning to her on more than one occasion that she'd look much better without the glasses, and she did. He wasn't a playboy who was perfect with the ladies before, but at the very least he knew some general things that could help a nerdy-looking girl like she was. That, however, was not necessarily a bad thing. The look just didn't suit her as much as her current one did, and Kurou had realized that some time ago. Over the course of their "relationship", he recalled mentioning this multiple times, though he couldn't think it possible that it was him who she ended up listening to. He was someone who abruptly broke off the charade game they were playing and did so without a single reason nor explanation. It was not as if he had fallen in love with another girl or anything. In fact, she was probably the only girl he cared much for back at that time and he didn't feel a romantic attachment to her. At least one that he knew of.

"I think it would be best to never talk about it to anyone else. I do not plan to compromise my mother's and your father's happiness."

Kurumi very likely noticed that she had made a mistake before Kurou even started talking. His irritated look twisted into a powerful and scary scowl that might've even crushed some of that courage she was building up out of her. Even on a man as handsome as he was, it was intimidating to most. It was a look of absolute hatred, the kind you would give your worst enemy. "If your mother was interested in happiness, then she wouldn't have decided to marry that man." he spat as though the words themselves were venom. Fortunately for Kurumi, the density required to miss the point of that mini explosion was not found in abundance on Earth, so she'd likely know exactly what triggered him.

Kurou took a deep breath in. He knew that it wasn't right to get upset over something like this, but it wasn't so easy. He'd despised his father ever since he lost his mother. It had only gotten worse over the years, and it did not help that the man was never home to mend their wounded relationship.

But that wasn't Kurumi's fault, was it?

No, I guess not.

Kurou let out a sigh and relaxed himself, calmed himself. No reason to get mad at her for something she had no part in. Soon enough, Kurou's face relaxed entirely.

Perhaps to alleviate the increased awkwardness that had formed because of Kurou, or maybe because she was genuinely surprised about it, Kurumi brought up another subject entirely. Namely: cats. He looked at her with narrowed eyes once again, though these didn't seem to hold as much feeling in them as his last pair did. Cats were one of his least-favorite animals in the world. They all seemed to attack him when he scratched their bellies. Plus, their tongues felt like sandpaper and it was annoying. Not to mention they never listened. Dogs, however, were much more loyal, didn't have weird tongues, and let him scratch their bellies. It was no wonder why Kurou liked them more. The added bonus of not being allergic to them helped too.

Wait a minute, why did she bring up cats?

As he thought about this, his eye had already begun to get red, while he was also given an answer to his question.

"I brought my father's cat... He died when Nemui was little and she hates animals.. Taking care of him fell on me. He's been my responsibility for the past seven years." she explained.

What? What cat? Is it here?

He hadn't noticed a cat around. Then again, it wasn't as though he was really look around him to begin with. He was too busy being angry and awkward. And when Kurumi stood up from the bed and walked up right next to him to retrieve the cat, he felt even more awkward because he didn't see it until now.

"Yes, I am allergic to cats and they make my eyes irritate and swell up." he answered her. She wouldn't find out that he was oblivious to the presence of the cat until just moments ago if he didn't tell her, right? Taking a moment to look at the feline, he noticed that it didn't seem to walk.... at all. The thing looked like it weighed as much as small child. What the hell does she feed it?, he wondered silently. He knew it wasn't polite to call a girl fat, but what about her cat? Was that something you shouldn't do? He really wanted to ask her what in the hell happened to it. He would admit that despite not caring for cats, that they were typically cute. But there comes a point when spoiling an animal leads to negative results, and this was one of them. It looked like one that wouldn't land on its feet were it to fall. "I don't care much for going blind, you know..." he sighed.

In a way Kurou was an animal person in that he generally liked animals. He wasn't some activist for their rights or such, but he couldn't stand to see one suffer if they needn't. So, reluctantly, Kurou let out another sigh. "As long as it doesn't leave your room, then it should be okay." he said. "Just try not to leave your room with fur all over you as well."

Shortly after the cat incident was dealt with, Kurou heard his younger brother's voice over the intercom.

"Hey guys, dinner is ready. Come on down, okay?"

Suddenly, dinner seemed very good to the elder Kitomura. This whole situation had aroused quite the appetite from him, so dinner was welcomed. Also his eye was noticeably irritated and he wasn't feeling that well. "I'll see you downstairs or whatever. Perhaps you should grab your sister before you do." Kurou suggested, departing from the room and heading downstairs to meet his brother and the feast the young man had set out for them.

"Trespasser."

The boy's word hit her like an arrow in the chest. She knew that this was definitely considered trespassing, but she had a good reason! She enjoyed living and she didn't want to die today! Was that so wrong?

"Are you hurt?"

Nemui immediately shook her head. She was glad that she didn't get hurt, because she didn't want to explain it when she got home, but also because that would have meant she more than likely broke something. The boy was definitely a bit underdressed considering that the sh was setting. He had to be cold, yet he still stood there and asked if she was alright, "I'm okay.. Gomenasai!" She replied in a sincere tone, definitely embarrassed by the fact that he caught her trespassing in his yard. What were the chances that their neighbor would have a son around her age!? This was getting ridiculous, almost like a shoujo manga! The boy's appearance was not as intimidating as Kurou's or Yukito's, but the ebony haired guy was still above average when it came to aesthetics. Nemui didn't stare for long, well aware that when it came to physical appearance, she was in the negatives. She was as nerdy and felt as unattractive as it gets, well, without the help of acne or deformities.

"What are you doing here?"

With a blush, Nemui accepted his aid. After he helped her up, she dusted off her clothes and turned her gaze elsewhere on Sakura Square, "W-We're n-neighbors.." She began, hoping he wouldn't use this information to get her in trouble. The last thing she wanted on her first day was a complaint from the neighbors, "I came out to look around and saw a few girls from my Junior High... I hid to avoid them." She responded, tilting her head at him. She realized that he was definitely cold, but she forgot her scarf.

She realized that she never gave her name, so she quickly bowed respectfully, "F-Fujioka, Nemui.. I-I am going to be a freshman at the nearby academy. I apologize for trespassing in your yard. I-It'll never happen again." She stated in a sincere and apologetic tone. She then sneezed, despite being the one in the jacket. Someone was definitely talking about her then, she just didn't know who. Nemui was a bit superstitious about small myths, but nothing like Kurumi. The older Fujioka couldn't get through a scary movie without crying at least once. Nemui hoped that the boy would let her off the hook, but she wasn't too confident. She didn't blame him if he was alarmed or angry, but judging by his demeanor, he didn't seem to be much of either. In fact, the guy seemed fairly understanding, which is probably why she was so honest with a perfect stranger. She felt stupid for pouring out her baggage, but she couldn't take it back now.. Way to go Nemui! You're being pathetic again! This is why people bully you all the time! She mentally scolded herself. She knew that it did no good to tell others, in fact that made things worse.

"Because you've changed."

B-Baka!!! Kurumi was almost enraged by the answer Kurou supplied her with. Sure, she was a bit flattered, but also so angry that she had to suppress the urge to slap him. What was that supposed to even mean? Was he talking about her physical appearance? Her attitude? There were so many different ways she could interpret his words, and trying to decipher them only irritated her more. What was with Kurou? Wasn't he the one who dumped her? She figured that he would have been more than grateful to pretend that they didn't know each other, yet here he was stirring up a pot that was so neglected that he had to blow cobwebs off of the mixing spoon. She didn't understand a minute of this. It felt like he was ripping open old scar tissue. Although she felt like crying, she held it all in. There were plenty of reasons she couldn't let Kurou get under her skin. Her mother was marrying his father, so all chances of a relationship between Kurou and herself would be thrown out the window in two days time, but also because she had been diagnosed with MS, and she definitely didn't want him to find out. The last thing she wanted was his pity.

Wait a second... Does he think that I went through this makeover because of him!? It was true, but she definitely didn't want him to know that! Immediately she shook her head, trying to gather up her resolve, "I changed because Shouta-kun's mom gave me a makeover when I was his date to her wedding two years ago. I liked the look, so I kept it. Everyone changes, that's just life." She responded in a level tone, her last sentence holding a bit more weight than the rest. Also, whether he knew it or not, Shouta was the name of Kurumi's boyfriend that she dated a few months after Kurou, but a few years before her third, and last boyfriend, Yuuji. She dated the other two no longer than half of a month each, before ultimately breaking up with them.

Kurumi was definitely more than startled by Kurou's response, even taking a step backwards for good measure. She wasn't sure what she said to set him off, but she knew that look, and it was always dangerous. She had received that very same gaze a few times by her ex boyfriend Yuuji, but that was another story, one she'd never tell anyone.

"If your mother was interested in happiness, then she wouldn't have decided to marry that man."

"She's a bit of a masochist, I guess. So long as she's alive and smiling, she can marry the man from Fifty shades of Grey for all I care. Gomenasai." Kurumi stated, returning her gaze to the window, her cat still in her arms. She kept her distance, hoping it would make it easier on Kurou. She'd already witnessed one outburst, and she'd hate to have to get in between him and Ryouta, but she'd do it in a heartbeat.

He seemed to calm down, judging by the aura of the room. She didn't make eye contact however, still a bit shaken by his reaction. She wasn't trembling or anything, but it just brought back memories she didn't want to think about. She wasn't even sure why she apologized. Maybe it was out of habit? It was always the easiest way to calm Yuuji down. She didn't realize that she was still conditioned to attempt to defuse spouts of intense anger.

"Yes, I am allergic to cats and they make my eyes irritate and swell up."

I see... Kurumi had been afraid of that answer and Ryouta gave a soft meow, as if in disapproval. Shiori knew that cats couldn't understand humans, but the timing was too perfect. The cat was indeed very fat, causing her arms to wobble. She lacked the muscle to hold him for very long, so she placed Ryouta on her bed, and the cat immediately flopped on it's side, purring happily. She wasn't sure why Ryouta was so heavy... She fed him two normal portions daily, but the cat never did have a lot of motivation to exercise. She blamed the cat's weight on chronic laziness.

"I don't care much for going blind, you know..."

"I understand that." She stated, biting the inside of her cheek. She couldn't help but tense up as she thought about it. She turned her gaze to her poor, obese cat and wondered how much he would hate her for having to sleep in the shed. She couldn't ask to keep him inside if Kurou's allergy was that severe... but she still felt bad for the car. She wouldn't want to live with a cat either if it was her. .. but Ryouta's never slept alone before, and she couldn't remember the last time she slept without him.

Kurumi literally jolted when she heard Kurou sigh, having completely lost herself among her thoughts when she mentally pictured a soaking wet Ryouta in the rain.

"As long as it doesn't leave your room, then it should be okay."

"Eh? Really? A-Are you sure? Arigato!" She blinked a few times, unsure if she really heard him correctly. Why was he being so nice..? After she was certain, her entire face lit up with happiness. For a second, she was so grateful that she almost leapt over to wrap her arms around him in a very big hug, but two factors immediately saved her from the embarrassment that would have followed. One, she remembered that he was still in fact, her ex.. and two, she also had just touched the cat. She pretended to have lost her footing to cover up the fact that she nearly hugged him, "Oops. I must be a little lightheaded from the drive..I nearly fell." She laughed, backing up and putting a hand on her chest. She was an affectionate person these days, typically seen hanging all over her friends, quite literally. She hugs on, cuddles, and touches just about everyone that she cares about, and nearly absentmindedly did the same to Kurou.

"Just try not to leave your room with fur all over you as well."

"Got to stock up on Lint rollers. Got it." She replied sheepishly, saluting in a slightly mocking manner. She was saved by the bell however, quite literally.

"Hey guys, dinner is ready. Come on down, okay?"

The voice scared the living hell out of her, and she immediately turned a shade of bright red, "Does that thing work both ways!?" She asked in a mortified tone. She definitely didn't want either of the boys eavesdropping in on her conversations to her friends.

"I'll see you downstairs or whatever. Perhaps you should grab your sister before you do."

"Hai, always." She replied, waving him off casually. She always checked in on Nemui. The younger girl was the only thing that kept her going after their breakup, but that was yet another detail she'd never share with anyone, at least not willingly.

She wiped her clothes down as good as she possibly could, leaving her bedroom and entering her sister's only to realize Nemui had stepped out. Shiori made her way down the steps and joined the two boys, "Did Nemui tell either of you guys where she went..? She stepped out apparently.." She announced to the two. She shot them both a curious look, wondering if anyone knew where her younger sister had run off to. She felt bad for not noticing, but she did have Kurou in her room ripping open old wounds.. Could anyone really blame her? She was slightly avoiding eye contact with Kurou, especially since she nearly dropped her guard... at least she didn't actually hug him, right?

"Don't worry about it."

[color=Navy][b]"O-oi!!" She called out in a embarrassed tone, her voice squeaking from her initial shock. It had been a long time since she'd seen a boy's abs other than her late brother's, but even her brother Ren had been dead for several months, "I-It's strange to just flash a stranger!" She snapped, a dark blush on her face, covering her eyes with one hand. What was this guy, some kind of pervert?!

"See. I'm fine. You don't have to pay me."

"I noticed.. so did half the block.. Are you sure you about the money?" She replied in a distant tone, biting the inside of her cheek, peeking between her fingers to see if it was safe to look. Once she saw his shirt returned to it's proper place, she lowered her hand, "Thank god.. That coffee was fresh. It could have burnt you really bad." She stated, her hand on her chest now as she let out a sigh of relief, glad that the stranger was alright. The last thing she needed was to deal with an angry pedestrian. She was further surprised when he picked up her groceries, and she tensed in humiliation. She totally forgot about the groceries due to the accident!

"Here."

"You didn't have to do that, Arigato!" Himeko stated in an awkward manner. She didn't really feel comfortable talking to a guy, especially one that was so comfortable flashing his abs around.. but she did spill her coffee on him, she was the villain in this saga.

"You're more of the victim than me. Sorry."

Himeko flinched when the handkerchief touched her reddened skin, a faint and muffled hiss escaping her lips. She wasn't even aware that she was hurt. She knew that she spilled it on her coffee, but she was so worried about the silver haired stranger that she didn't even feel her own burn until he brought it to her attention.

"I didn't realize I was.. I ran into you, I did this to myself." She stated in a matter-of-fact tone, taking full responsibility for her actions. Himeko hated being at fault, but she hated irresponsible individuals more.

"Put some ice on it. It would be bad if it scars you."

"I'll do that if I can find some at the house.." She then looked to the milk in her grocery bag, then back up to the silver haired stranger. She wanted to leave now, mostly because in the end, despite being polite, he was still a man. She had bad luck with men, and grew to detest them. The guys she liked never seemed to like her, and she was constantly harassed by creeps. It was annoying, and she grew to dislike men in general, despite being physically attracted to men alone. She was equally unaware that she would have her fifteen minutes of fame, but tomorrow, all hell would break loose.

"Watch where you are going next time. Bye."

Despite the lack of judgement in his tone, the words still rubbed her the wrong way.. Though she held her tongue and waved, "Bye-bye." And she ran off in the opposite direction. She didn't even care that she had coffee on her favorite hoodie, she was too concerned with the stranger she met. He was exceptionally good looking, which was rare for this part of town. How old was he..? Immediately she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk before she got to her house, her face exploding into a blush. What if he was some kind of adult who was trying to seduce her?! He did pull his shirt up.. and he looked older than her..

Himeko managed to make her way to the house, putting away the groceries in a daze before she remembered that he told her to put ice on her hand, "What does he care if my hand scars or not..?" She asked herself, only to be overheard by the last person she wanted to eavesdrop, well, aside from her father. Make that second to last!

"My Himeko is talking about a boy? What is his name? How old is he? Have I met him?" She began bombarding her daughter with questions, retrieving ice for her daughter's burnt hand. She pressed the ice to the burn, waiting for answers. It wasn't often that she heard her daughter speak about guys, at all. She wished to be as involved as possible, hoping to live vicariously through Himeko's experiences.

"No! ..I mean, well.. he is a boy..." She trailed off, a blush creeping it's way back across her cheeks. She turned her gaze away, shaking her head, "I don't know his name or his age... I doubt it.. It's not like that!! I don't want a boyfriend, so don't turn this into something it isn't!" She snapped in desperation. She really wished that her mother would simply accept that she didn't want to put herself in harm's way anymore.

"You don't have to have a boyfriend to have a little fun, sweetie." Her frail mother winked at her, and that was the end of the conversation as far as Himeko was concerned.

"We're done. Gross, mom." Himeko hissed out in disgust. Her nose was crinkled as she strutted to the bathroom, stripping as she made her way through the house. She ran some warm water and took a long bubble bath. She soaked for what felt like forever as she thought about her first day at Aiyazaki High tomorrow, cheerleading, and what her mother said.

Himeko swirled the bubbles around with her index finger, sighing to herself. She relaxed in the water, leaning back until she was staring at the ceiling, "Guys only chew up your heart and spit it back out in the end.." She muttered, blowing away any bubbles that dared to approach her face. The water was definitely relaxing, but she still couldn't get the accident out of her head, "No thank you.." She added in a depressed tone, closing her eyes. At this rate she would never get out of the tub, but she had to settle her thoughts. The tub was the only calming place she had to think.

"Not ever again..."

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He turned around to see that the first one down the stairs was his older brother. There was a moment of silence from his end as he assessed Kurou's demeanor. Yukito tilted his head to the side slightly to emphasize that he was thinking about something. "Ku-nii." He called out to his brother as he remembered the message of their father in full detail. Sometimes, he hates that everything he hears are perfectly preserved in his memory. "Thanks." He simply stated. It referred to his older brother's attempt of at least doing his best to be accommodating. There was no point mentioning to Kurou about their father's message. He knew well that his older brother resents the man very much.

"Oh, Kurumi-san." His eyes shifted from his brother to the blonde-haired girl. The girl joined them as well, but where was the other one. Speaking of which, that girl seems familiar to him. He wasn't able to mention it earlier. He just wasn't sure where exactly. Well, he could get to it later, but before he could answer where the other girl is, Kurumi beat him to it. "No, she didn't. I also didn't hear her go out." He answered while noticing something strange of Kurumi. She was avoiding to look at Kurou which was suggested by her body gesture, so something did happen. He inwardly smirked about this while glancing at Kurou. "Kurumi-san, why don't you try calling her?" He suggested as she should have the number of her sister while keeping the observation to himself.

"While you're doing that, I'll take a look around outside. Ku-nii text me if she answers." Yukito offered as he grabbed hold of jacket that was hanging at the coat rack and the gate beeper by the entrance. He wore it while looking at the two with a smile that was considered friendly, but inside he was having a mischievous thought. "Behave yourselves while, I'm out okay?" He gave them a playful wink and stepped outside. There was no need for him to wait for their replies. It seemed that leaving those two alone tend to cause certain moments, as they feed more wood to fire. Anyway, he went towards the courtyard as the sakura blossoms littered the ground. It was a beautiful sight. His mother had designed this actually. She fell in love with these trees when she came to Japan, so she wanted one at their house.

He walked through the gates as he opened it and then began to wonder which direction he should go first. It was night so, there were less people out on the streets. This was rather quiet neighborhood really, but this was enhanced more by the chill in the air. There was still some traces of the winter cold even if it was spring. "Let's go here." He finally chose a direction as he walked through the streets. It didn't take a while before he noticed an odd scene and the focus of his search. "Nemui-san?" He called out to the girl who seemed to be apologizing suggested by her actions to a black-haired boy. He could only guess it was about something since she was literally inside the yard of another house. "Excuse me. I'll barge in. I'm Kitomura, Yukito. Did she cause you any trouble?" He entered the yard and looked at the boy. He had never seen him before around this area, but it's not like he roamed the neighborhood.

The boy seemed to be roughly around their age group which he judged by appearance alone. Yukito stood beside Nemui and offered him a gentle smile before looking at the other boy. "I'd like you to forgive her. She didn't mean any harm. I'll take full responsibility. She lives with us at the Sakura Square." Apparently, they're neighbors. That's when he remembered. This is the Suzuki residence. His mother would often visit her when she was still alive. "This might be a bit forward, but are you related to Mari-baachan?" When the boy answered or not, he spoke again in politeness. "Well, if it's not too much, please say hi for Mari-baachan from me. I would like to do it personally, but..." He glanced at Nemui. "I have to get her back. Someone's worried about her." He then returned his attention to the boy again. "We'll see you around then. Sorry for the intrusion and thank you. Have a good night."

His eyes of orange were on Nemui once more. "Shall we go, Nemui-san?" He then lead the way back to Sakura Square. "I won't ask what happened and this is probably shouldn't be my business, but girls shouldn't be out at night especially if no one knows. There is not much of a crime here, but we could never know." He told her with concern reflected in his eyes, but of course, he is a very effective actor, whether this was true or not, only he knows. That's when he changed the subject. as he remembered something that he should ask her. There was nothing wrong in his question in his opinion. "Nemui-san, I don't want to sound rude or anything." He glanced at her as he stopped before the main entrance of the house. His hand was at the door knob ready to open the door. "But, do I know you from somewhere?" He leaned forward as his face was now close to hers, but there was still a gap between them, but if anyone had seen them, they would think that they were going to kiss.

"I feel terrible forgetting someone cute as you." He then pulled away as he now had an embarrassed look on his face and this was not really hard for him to do. "Anyways, dinner is ready. I hope you'd like it."

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Kurou Kitomura

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Something Kurou began to realize as he descended the staircase was that after all that had happened today, he was especially hungry now. The aroma of food did not go unnoticed by the older Kitomura as he reached dining room, which had already been set. He might not have been a big fan of his younger brother's music, but Kurou hada to admit that he could also whip up a great meal, contrary to popular belief. It would just barely be an overstatement to say that his mouth was watering just by looking at the dinner that had been laid out.

"Ku-nii, thanks." Yukito said to him, temporarily distracting his gaze from the food.

Although he did not feel like his actions really warranted gratitude, Kurou didn't feel like making a deal about it either. He answered with a "Yeah" before turning his attention to the source of footsteps coming into the room. It was Kurumi, of course, however it was duly noted that she was missing her younger sibling, and that was not good. Kurou wanted to eat as soon as possible, and unfortunately his mother had made it quite clear that family had to eat together. This meant that for every second that Nemo wasn't with them, Kurou spent being hungry. Like most people, Kurou didn't like being hungry. In fact, he got even more irritable when his belly was not satisfied. Kurumi's question did not help to ease the situation at all.

"Did Nemui tell either of you guys where she went..? She stepped out apparently.."

So the first thing you do when you get to your new home is get lost?

At this point, Kurou had all but forgotten about the events that transpired just a few minutes ago, now simply angry and focused on the dinner, or lack thereof. So Kurou himself didn't seem awkward at the moment, in contrast to Kurumi. No, he just seemed to be in a foul mood. "Where'd she even go?" he rhetorically asked, knowing that if either Kurumi or Yuki knew, that they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Still, his patience was shorter than anybody else's, and he made it quite obvious. But that being said, he... really couldn't do anything, could he? Perhaps he should go outside and---

"Kurumi-san, why don't you try calling her? While you're doing that, I'll take a look around outside. Ku-nii text me if she answers." his younger brother stated, before grabbing a coat and leaving a house. That was, however, not before he made one last comment.

"Behave yourselves while, I'm out okay?"

Now, on top of the partially swollen eye he had, he was beginning to develop a headache from his brother's shenanigans. Kurou rubbed his temples in response to the comment, seemingly unaffected himself. That was because he knew giving his young brother any form of reaction was more or less a confession to the boy's suspicions, whatever they may be. And, after living with him for about his entire life, the older Kitomura had little trouble dealing with him. Whether or not the same could be said about Kurumi was a different story entirely. But Kurou didn't even bother to really check to find out what kind of face she was wearing. He instead made his way towards the nearest available couch and laid himself down on it. He wanted to eat now, but he didn't really have much to contribute to the search since Yuki had already gone outside to look, and Kurumi was calling Nemo. Nobody could blame him for laying down, right? Well, unless they wanted him to cheer them on, but anybody should know that Kurou would be the last person to shout "Ganbare, Kurumi/Yuki" as they worked. It would even be creepy.

This had better finish up quickly.