NOTES: As the title said, this is a fanfic of the Fanfic Epistaxis by walaakongkwenta. This is my first try in writing something lighter. Thank you for the aforementioned writer for she recommended The Wallflower (ヤマトナデシコ七変化 Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge?), a.k.a Perfect Girl Evolution, the anime and manga.

DISCLAIMER: Anime/Manga rights, I guess they both belong to Tomoko Hayakawa and the rights for Epistaxis to walaakongkwenta. As usual, only the what-ifs belong to me.

On Nosebleeding

Blood is a natural part of the body of any human being. Blood pumps from our heart, in and out and keeps us alive. Makes us feel alive.

So you see, seeing bloodstains, and even the sight of blood is only natural in the Nakahara mansion.

When Takenaga Oda saw the bloodstains, outside his bedroom door, he instantly assumed that maybe Sunako was in the second floor, encountered one of them, and proceeded to spout blood from her nose.

Oda went on to the downstairs bathroom, since their bathroom wasn't fixed yet, obviously, because every penny that they managed to earn before has been used to pay for the damages created during the time of earning it.

He was way too early, because he didn't make the same mistake Sunako did, and Kyohei wasn't inside yet. Heaven forbid, if that will happen, he thinks his nose wouldn't just suddenly bleed, he will be traumatized enough to make his brain forget everything, even the existence of a Takano Kyohei.

He joined his housemates 30 minutes later, feeling refreshed, and seeing a sight that convinced him he was definitely at home:

Ranmaru was fawning over Sunako, saying that she looked lovelier than ever today. But their only girl housemate didn't say anything, continued to stir the stew over the stove, quickly excused herself, went to the hallway, and he could hear a sudden spurt of liquid, which is definitely blood. Ranmaru laughs quietly, tried to stifle it when he saw Oda shaking his head at him, but was unable to suppress the laughter that bubbled forth.

Yuki had brought several dresses to the dining table, saying that there's another ball this coming weekend. The little boy-girl was saying that maybe, he could play dress up with Sunako so she could feel more comfortable.

Oda couldn't help but say, "If you hang some entrails maybe, or put skulls on the hem, she might consider it."

Yuki paled, and with a visible shudder, tried to prevent a scream that he thought might come out any moment.

He quickly smiled. He really couldn't help but baby this little boy-girl in training. He sat on the chair beside Yuki and ruffled his hair.

"What do you have there?" Ranmaru angled his head to see Oda better.

"Ah here?" Oda quickly showed them a book and a plastic bag of strawberries. " A book on social etiquette for Sunako and well, the usual treat for Kyohei. By the way, where is that guy?"

"He went to school earlier, said he needed to be early today."

"What for? Don't tell me he's trying to be a nerd again."

Yuki stood up went to the stove and said, "Well, no. At least I don't think so. I think he and Sunako ended up in a shouting match again." Yuki peered into the pot. Then he shouted to the hallway, "Sunako-chan! I think that the stew is ready, but can you make sure?"

It took her a few minutes, but Sunako appeared, with a fresh white shirt on, and continued to go to the stove. She avoided their worried faces, and after a few stirs, served the stew on the table. She shoved at the dresses carelessly and carrying her own bowl of stew, started to eat.

As Ranmaru and Yuki supplied the conversation, Oda was thinking, that yes, a normal day for them. Started with a nosebleed, continued nosebleeding throughout the day, and most probably would end in another before they sleep.

They didn't see Kyohei at school at all. Before school ended, Oda decided that he would go home first, check if the blond is there. He wouldn't like to alarm the others yet, but he has a bad feeling about this. This will not be the first time that Kyohei left home after all. But Oda was thinking that all of them, Ranmaru, Yuki, Sunako and him had cured the guy of his attacks of loneliness. Now he wasn't sure at all. You can never be sure with Kyohei when he thinks of something and acts on it immediately.

They are a family. The bond between the four of them was forged because of both loneliness and togetherness. They knew when to spend time with each other and when to leave each other alone. The girls they met and been with could never understand the importance of this simple fact. Love is not a kind of possession after all.

He had never thought about it, but maybe, that is the reason why Nakahara Sunako fits right in with them. A spot of darkness in their radiance, loneliness amidst their camaraderie, their snot on a clean shirt. He laughed to himself. He can see nothing wrong with the darkness, and he is sure that Nakahara Sunako shines more brightly when she is with the lot of them.

For Ranmaru, Sunako is the ultimate challenge, the girl he cannot seduce.

For Yuki, she is someone he can play dress up with without being termed as queer.

For Oda, she is still a source of mystery.

For Kyohei, well, Oda thinks that Kyohei needs a girl that wasn't after him.

Oda was shouting when he reached the mansion. He went to the living room first, then the kitchen and the rooms on the first floor with the exception of Sunako's, but he felt there's no one in the house.

He had given up on the idea that Kyohei was in the house when he opened the guy's bedroom door. But Sunako's radiant guy was definitely inside the room, under the covers of his bed. He can see a few strands of blonde hair peeking out.

"Kyohei!" Oda exclaimed as he shook the guy from his apparent sleep.

Kyohei opened his eyes a little, and closed them again when he recognized Oda. "What are you yelling for? Can't you see I'm sick?"

"What happened to you? Did you get into a fight again?"

"Please stop yelling!" Kyohei pulled himself to a sitting position. He held his head in his right hand and Oda saw a blood soaked handkerchief.

"You're wounded?" Oda was checking out Kyohei's head and when he couldn't find any wound, continued to frisked the other guys chest and back and was about to continue downward when Kyohei suddenly shoved Oda away.

"Shit, man, quit feeling me up, will you?"

On the floor, Oda was still a little dazed, "Sorry, I was just looking for the wound where you got the blood from."

Kyohei mumbled something and quickly looked away.

"What?" Oda was thinking that maybe he heard it, but his mind couldn't make sense of it.

"There wasn't any wound," Kyohei repeated, still looking away.

He didn't know what to say, and he was saved when he heard some footsteps outside Kyohei's bedroom door and as it opened, Yuki and Ranmaru went inside the room. They quickly assessed the situation, with Kyohei on the bed looking away and Oda on the floor.

Ranmaru is the first one who dared say anything. "Guys, I heard Kyohei shouting and well, a thud. And can you guys assure me that this is not what it looks like?"

Oda glared at the playboy. "I can happily assure you that whatever your mind cooked up, that is way ahead of what happened here." He stood up and straightened his clothes. He pointed at the man on the bed. "That guy is bleeding, a lot. And he said there wasn't any wound. Try to make sense of that."

Ranmaru just glanced at Kyohei, and then shrugged. "I already knew that."

"What?"

"It started a few weeks back," Yuki added.

"Wait, guys, started what?" Oda was having a hard time trying to scrutinize the two of them, and Kyohei was obviously trying to avoid his questioning stare.

Ranmaru laughed. "Honestly, Takenaga, you really are so dense."

Oda was getting tired of this. "Then, sensei, kindly tell me what it is, please."

Suddenly Sunako was at the door, looking at one guy, then another. She looked at the radiant guy on the bed, a trickle of blood already at her nostrils. Finally, she settled on Oda.

"I'm going to make dinner."

She went shuffling down the hallway

The silence after that was broken by Kyohei's sudden gasp of surprise and as Oda looked at the supine guy, he can clearly see that Kyohei's nose is bleeding, and the guy was unsuccessfully trying to plug his nose with the handkerchief.

Takenaga Oda felt that they don't need to worry anymore about the rent; the double amount of blood spilled in this mansion will drown them all out for sure.