A longer fic inspired by a steamy oneshot that would be found somewhere here with the title "Cousin?"

Please read and review! :D

Haruhi Aki, what mess did you get into. Gah, the highschool student thought to herself as she got off the train.

Her grandfather, the head of the Oedo household, was currently out of town. Why did she want to go to Tokyo but avoid her grandfather? To talk to her cousin, of course. Kumi-ne-chan was weird about most things, but when it came to problems like this, she was the one to go to.

But then, it was just 2PM. Yamaguchi Kumiko, Aki's eldest cousin, was probably still at work, so that she decided to go find the school listed as Kumi-ne-chan's current place of work, Kurogin Academy.

"Take care where you're going, okay, Haru?" one of Aki's friends said before she left.

"It's not like I'm going to move there," she replied, laughing.

Now that she was seeing around Tokyo, though, maybe moving here isn't such a bad idea. It was such an upbeat place and everyone seemed so busy. And the best part is that her enemies weren't here.

"Hey, miss, are you lost or something?" a tall guy with orange-ish hair approached her.

She was standing under an arc that said "Kurogin Academy" in proud black and white print. The boy who approached her looked rather like a maniac with the way he was checking Aki out from head to toe, so that she politely made a step back.

"No, I'm not lost," she said, trying to sound indifferent.

"So why are you standing there, looking around?" a shorter, blonde guy asked.

"I – I'm looking for someone," Aki stuttered, her façade of indifference crumbling a bit.

"Here at Kurogin?"

Aki looked behind the three boys and realized that there were actually five of them; the two just did not come nearer.

One of the two noticed how Aki was becoming uncomfortable with the spontaneous interview that had ensued, so that he stepped forward.

"Enough of that," he said, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "I'm sorry if they look like trouble. We're good guys, really."

Yeah, right, Aki thought to herself.

"We're really sorry for bothering you," the other one with the leather bag that showed Odagiri in brilliant lettering said.

"No problem," replied Aki.

Concluding that she would not be able to avoid more trouble, like the one she just got out of, if she went inside the school, she decided to leave and perhaps wait for Kumiko elsewhere. She started to walk away when the guy with fairly long hair, she heard the other boys call him "Yabuki," called out.

"Hey, maybe we can buy you a drink? As an apology?"

Aki stopped in her tracks, but thought better and decided to continue walking, shaking her head with a smile as she did so.

"You went to Kurogin?" Kumiko said over their dinner for two at the Oedo household.

Aki nodded as she helped herself to more rice.

"But I didn't see you there?"

"Obviously, I didn't wait."

"But why?"

"Because I wanted to talk to you right away."

"This problem of yours," Kumiko said, remembering the message Aki left on her phone before coming to Tokyo. "Why me? Ojii-chan is the better adviser – "

"I can't tell him – " Aki suddenly said.

"Why not?"

Aki set down her chopsticks and sighed.

"I can't explain unless I tell you now the problem I have. Are you up for a long night?"

The two stared each other in the eye for a while, before Kumiko answered.

"No," she bowed apologetically as Aki rolled her eyes. "I have an exam for my students to finish by tonight. And then I have to leave early tomorrow – hang on. Aren't you going to school tomorrow?"

"Part of the problem," Aki said through a mouthful of food.

Kumiko smiled and sighed, and then reached across the table and ruffled Aki's hair.

"Hey!"

"What? I used to do that to you a lot when you were little!"

"Quit messing my hair!"

"You changed a lot physically, but here," Kumiko said, pointing at her own chest where the heart would be. "You're still the same."

"So, what will you be doing today if you're not going to school?" Kumiko asked as she changed into her work shoes.

Aki was dressed, too, and ready to step out of the house, but she had not mentioned where she was going.

"I don't know. Just going to look around town," she said edgily.

"Aki-chan," Kumiko said, suspicious.

"Don't call me 'Aki-chan!'"

"What am I going to call you? 'Aki-san?'" Kumiko laughed.

Aki blew her bangs out of her face, frustrated.

"What time do you get off work? I'll pick you up and you take me around town," she said, accompanying Kumiko to the gate.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. You see, my work hours end when my students don't need me anymore," Kumiko replied, smiling.

"From what I heard, your students don't exactly beg for your company," Aki smirked.

"And from whom did you hear this?" asked Kumiko, suspicious once more. She knew for a fact that Aki has not contacted their Ojii-chan or anyone from the house for a while.

"What – I – people!"

"I suppose your refusal to tell the truth has something to do with your problem, too?"

"Well, yeah."

"Very well. I'll be free at around 5PM. Meet me at the Kurogin Academy gates. I'll take you around town and let's start talking about this mysterious problem of yours, okay?"

I want to be head of Oedo, Aki told herself as she walked in the direction of Kurogin Academy. But I can't just leave them behind.

It was already 4:55 PM. Students were already getting out, but Kumiko was not out yet. Aki decided to stand by the gates and wait.

It's like moving on to the next big thing, Haruhi Aki. You bid your gang farewell, but you lead another group. A more prestigious group. A more powerful –

"Hey, it's you again!"

Aki looked behind her and saw one of the boys from yesterday.

"Let me guess. You're waiting for someone again?"

"Yes, the same person," Aki replied, irritated.

"So, is it your boyfriend? Is he studying here?"

"What? No."

"A friend? A relative?"

Aki checked her watch. It read 5:10 PM. Where was Kumi-ne-chan?

"Come on, it wouldn't hurt to tell me," said the guy. "I might know him."

"I'm waiting for my cousin, okay?" Aki blurted out, frustrated. "My cousin, who is nowhere to be found, is supposed to take me around town today."

Aki tried dialing Kumiko's phone, but gave up after 8 rings. The teacher, however, sent a text message.

Aki-chan! I'm so sorry! We have an emergency faculty meeting. I'll get out as soon as I can. Please get some coffee first to pass the time. We'll go as soon as I'm done here.

"He's not going to make it, is he?"

The guy was still beside Aki, interpreting her facial expression upon reading the message.

"I can take you around town," he said, much to Aki's surprise. "Oh, it's Yabuki, by the way. Yabuki Hayato."

Yabuki reached out for a handshake. Aki stared a bit, but decided to accept the introduction.

"Haruhi Aki," she said stiffly. "I just need you to show me a good coffee shop."

So, what do you think? Tell me in the reviews! Thank you! :D